Ayden is 4 Months!

And...a little late on this post, but I know you'll forgive me:) There are many reasons why it is hard to believe Ayden is four months (born on the 16th:). I was just pregnant! I just had a baby, how can I have such a big baby?! But it is also hard to believe that he is only four months. I really don't understand it, but I do feel like he has always been with us. Or ...something, hard to explain. So sometimes it feels weird to think he has only been here four months. And....he is ginormous. So he looks like he has been here longer than that:)  So there is that. As the doc said last week...he is the size of a 7 month old. Boom. 

Trying out the summer seat.
He gets pretty mad when he can't keep the butterfly thing in his mouth

Ayden Walter in a nutshell....

Sleep: he is still sleeping....fine. We have had a bit of a regression right around 4 months. They say it is common, that developmentally they lose some sleep about now. He is so mad that he can't roll over and it could be that. We also had a cold come through the house, so I thought it was that. As with babes...you never know! But I am getting up more these nights. I hope that we can get through it soon and get back to those 0-1 wakings per night! 

Naps are good. He has a big nap starting around 9 a.m. still. Then around noon/1 p.m. another one. Then hopefully a short nap when I need to make supper:) He likes his crib. He will also sleep in the swing, but we are trying not to have him sleep there much, only if we are at wits end for some reason and it is the only thing that works (a couple days last week). 

Eating: He eats...a lot. I don't know. So far, just nursing and on demand or when it fits our schedule, so pretty much whenever. I know that sounds crazy. It's not, it's how I roll as a SAHM with other kiddos. We are discussing trying solids soon. Kate started at 4 months and loved it. Collin did not. Here comes the tie-breaker. If he doesn't like it, we'll hold off for awhile, if he does - awesome! Also, as things change drastically between your own children (oh for Pete's sake...) they now say you need not start with rice cereal. Or start at 4 months. Basically much of what we did with Kate is already on the outs. We often joke on the stark differences between the "rules" of when our parents raised us....to now. But it changes even between kids, it seems. So hard to keep up! We'll likely start with sweet potatoes or avocado. I guess technically I should say that Dave has started with frozen yogurt. I forget the flavor:)

He falls asleep nursing quite a bit

If you have been around us lately, you know he is still spitting up like it is his job! Every once in awhile I will think it has stopped, but last night was some sort of spit-up fest that I was lucky enough to be alone and trying to figure out! I swear if it had gone on another hour or so, I would have been making a phone call or something - it cannot be normal! We will be so happy when this phase is over. And speaking of that, I need to go start another load of laundry...

Still not taking the bottle:( We have tried a few times lately and no go. It is sad because it means I am more home-bound and because we are wasting milk trying! But I guess it doesn't matter if he won't drink it. What are we saving it for? I still will run to the store without him or get out for an hour or two and Dave just tries to get through it. Sometimes he will be fine, but the man is hungry often (see growth below...)

Growing: he is around 17 lbs and is 26.5 inches long (still hanging in the 75th and above percentiles- guess I didn't hear what Ryan said at the appointment). Big boy. He is in 9 month clothes but they don't have much room and that is new clothing! I am actually a little worried that he won't be able to use as much of Collin's old clothing if he goes at this rate - hoping the summer stuff will still fit! I moved him to size 3 diapers because he was having so many blow outs. It actually has only helped minimally. After I weighed him, I also realized it was definitely time to be in 3s! I have also switched him from Honest diapers to Huggies Little Movers. (at press time, he is stealing diapers from Collin as well. I swear I could have both of them in 4s right now) 

What a dude

Skills: He is trying to roll over. And if we are learning anything about personality, he is very determined and pretty mad if he can't figure it out:) He likes tummy time quite a bit and grabbing those ring things you can hook together. We have them all over. He giggles - quite a bit for Daddy. Always has smiles for Kate. And is starting to think Collin is pretty hilarious. Which he is. 

Playing outside in the pack and play

He likes being outside and has spent many hours in the rocking chair on the porch watching his siblings play and ride bikes. He likes facing out in the Baby Bjorn carrier, though it feels like he is too big for it? That can't be. I'm going to get my Ergo out next time and see if he likes that. But that is front-facing...

Loves tummy time!

He loves to "stand-up" and prefers that to sitting or laying down. He'll lay down for awhile if you give him something to grab or if he is trying to roll over. He doesn't have much interest in sitting. We have a Summer Seat (like a bumbo) that he will sit in for awhile. He seems a little uncomfortable in it. We are excited for when the seat is a favorite place and when he can start jumping in the jumperoo/exersaucer! 

He is...loud. He kind of screeches and seems to love to hear his own voice. If we had to guess right now, I'd say we'll have three rather loud kids on our hands:) He is a happy, active, pretty easy babe who's growing each day! Love you, Little Man! 

Happy boy!