Dear Kasper,
You are 4 months old today! 17 weeks yesterday. It is now the end of the road for Kasper and Mama time. While my heart is absolutely breaking, I am so thankful that we got to spend these 4 months together. I know many people get far less time with their little ones. I have tried my best to soak up all of our remaining time together. (It's funny, I feel like I'll never see you again. Like I'm trying to say Goodbye.)
You went through some big changes this month! You are becoming less of a little baby and more like a little boy. According to the Dr., these are your 4 month stats:
Weight: 14.2 lbs - 40%
Length: 25.75" - 75%
Head: 16" - 15%
You are still growing on the same length curve, but have fallen off the weight curve! The Dr. isn't concerned because you have been in the 40% for all of your weights but the last one, but I was sort of surprised to see that number! You head size is growing some, which is great but apparently your soft spot is getting small. It's not supposed to close until you're around 1 year old, so hopefully it doesn't close too soon! You need room for that brain to grow!
I would say your number one favorite thing to do these days is put anything and everything you can get your mitts on in your mouth. Including the mitts.
You will grab toys if they are in front of you, but you don't seem that interested in them for their entertainment value yet. Just one more thing to put in your mouth.
You finally got your hands on your feet this week. You've been eying them for awhile but haven't been able to get them in your grasp.
You have started playing with your ears when you are sitting quietly. Only the right ear. I think you just discovered them.
You are working on rolling and can roll over from your tummy to your back on occasion. It's not consistent yet and I think you forget how you do it so can't repeat it. You hate tummy time a little less these days.
You are content to look around for about 10-15 minutes, then you scream to be done. You can hold your head up at it's maximum angle! You are doing a lot of rolling from your back to your side and can roll all the way around your play mat. You really enjoy sitting in your Bumbo. We have you up at the table now when we eat so you can be included.
You are also working pretty hard on your vocalizations and you talk all.the.time. You are laughing a lot now in response to things we do. You won't laugh on your own yet. One of your favorite times to giggle is when you are all swaddled up for bed or for a nap. It's pretty much the cutest. You've been chatty for months, but this month you've added screams, screeches and growls to your repertoire along with tons and tons of talking. You talk on your changing table, when you're done nursing, when you're done burping, when you're sitting, when you're laying down. You scream when you're getting tired, mad or when you're just feeling silly. Sometimes you'll stumble on a new sound or tone and repeat it over and over. It's so funny. It's so fun to watch you discover new things about yourself. Things that we adults take for granted.
You are so aware of your surroundings. You look at people as they walk into the room or around it. You watch Lois very intently. You recognize your parents and always great them with a huge smile. You are also still very social and have a smile or a giggle for anyone who says Hi. On the other hand, you are now able to watch the TV when it's on, so we try to keep it off while you're around. You continue to love your changing table although you don't smile at the wall anymore. You've always had a great variety of expressions and love to clown around whenever you can.
Now to discuss your sleep. You still sleep in your Rock and Play (RnP)sleeper and I'm having some major anxiety thinking about how we'll transition you to sleeping flat in your crib. Your reflux is better, thankfully, so you probably don't need to be inclined anymore. Also, your legs and feet stick out the end, so I think you're getting too big. It has a 25 pound weight limit so you are still ok to be in there. Ack! I don't know how we're going to make the switch. You sleep 9-10 hours a night (you've had a few bad nights this week, but I think you're growing because you eat a ton in the middle of the night) so I would hate to ruin that. I've tried to lay you flat for naps but you just wake up after a half hour and won't go back to sleep. You regularly take 2.5-3 hour naps in the RnP. I brought you into bed with me Monday to see how you'd do and you only slept 45 minutes. But aren't we cute? Maybe I'll let daycare sort that out.
You are still swaddled at night and for naps. I tried letting you sleep unswaddled and you stretched too much and couldn't fall asleep. Then I tried leaving one arm out. You ended up messing with your mouth and pulling your paci out and not being able to sleep. I think we'll try to solve one problem at a time on the sleep front.
You are so cute when you wake up. If it's been a nice nap and you are well rested, you lay quietly in bed and blow raspberries until I come and get you. You also give me a HUGE smile when I get you out of bed. It's one of my favorite things 3 times a day.
I will still look forward to those smiles in the mornings...
With that, we end our maternity leave together. Tomorrow I return to work. Know that I've loved every day we spent together and I will miss you terribly during the day. Be a good boy with Papa and Grandma this week and after that at daycare. Life's not always fair and I'm having to learn that big time as I have to go back to work. I would give anything to continue our fun, but I know it'll be so good for you to be around other kids and it'll be good for me to continue in my career. Oh how I'll miss you.
I love you so much my wonderful, beautiful baby. Here's to month 5. I can't wait to see what you'll learn.
Love, Mama
