Four-Month Update

Here are all the four-month updates we can think of:

• Julia continues to develop her hand-eye coordination. Or should we say hand-eye-mouth coordination! She still likes to grab at her hanging toys on her jungle gym and her bouncer seat, but she tends to end up getting frustrated when she can't get them in her mouth, too. She still loves to suck on her hands, but she's now able to get just one finger in her mouth, which apparently is a more satisfactory sucking experience. And she also likes to suck on her pacifier again (even more than her parents' fingers).
• She really likes to hold things (and then put them in her mouth). She "helps" by holding her pants when she gets her diaper changed. We also just got her some new soft toys that she likes to hold, wave around, and suck on.
• Still not so much a fan of tummy time. :-( We hear most babies roll over from front to back first so not sure when that will happen. She sure does try to roll from back to front, though! But she'd probably be so upset to find herself on her tummy that she'd never do it again!
• She sits up REALLY well on our laps and in her new Bumbo seat. However, she's also discovered that sometimes it's more fun to stand than sit.
• Julia loves "the baby in the mirror." She smiles at herself and sometimes is shy when she sees herself in the mirror.
• She SPLASHES in her bath! (she develops and practices her kicking skills by losing her socks about every 10 minutes) Don't think it's completely purposeful yet but she does seem to enjoy it.
• Julia has made many friends at the Presbyterian nursery, including her babysitter Suzanne and little friends who like to hold her and try to feed her animal crackers (unfortunately the baby feeding operation had to be shut down by the authorities).
• She seems to have pretty much figured out her new feeding schedule/method. She takes the bottle really well from Jonathan during the weekend and she and Joy love continuing to breastfeed during the week. Her sleeping patterns have been less defined. Prior to Joy returning to work, she would sleep about 8-10 hours at night. Now she sleeps anywhere from 3 to 7 (if we're lucky).
• During the weekend, she likes going to practice with Jonathan and always falls asleep during the loud parts. She wasn't very impressed when Mommy and Daddy played together last week, though.
• Julia continues to love the outdoors. When the weather is nice, we try to go for a daily walk in the stroller. It's been really rainy and windy here lately, and she likes to look out the window at her tree blowing in the wind.
• She continues to like watching ND football, and she's also been following the MLB playoff games. (boo Yankees! Mommy's bringing her up right!)
• Sadly, she's already developing some stranger/separation anxiety. She loves Mommy and Daddy, but she's starting to freak out when left with other people (although not too often at the nursery, which is good).
• She gets excited when she has been lying down and we go to pick her up. She waves her arms and makes excited noises.
• And of course, she continues to smile and laugh and talk at things (which sound really cute, especially when she talks with her fingers in her mouth).

Julia goes to the doctor on Wednesday, so we will be sure to update you regarding her current height and weight.

Love you all!