Four Months with our Incredibly Interactive Hannah!

Hananh at Four Months!

Four months? For real? I feel like I blinked and we jumped from three months to four months! Hannah is SO interactive now and so interested in the world around her. She tracks things so much more intently, reaches out and grasps things with much more control, fervently noms on anything she can get near her mouth, and is suddenly acutely aware of the puppies existence. She's been so much fun this month!

Hannah in Dubrovnik

Hannah in Dubrovnik

Oh Hai! From Mostar

She turned three months old in Montenegro. Since then she has visited Dubrovnik, Croatia; Mostar, Bosnia; flown home, transitioned into daycare as her mother geared up to start back to work, and finally got to meet her great grandparents and many other family members in New Jersey. It's been another busy month! Daniel's mom had sweetly tried to comfort us right before the Europe trip (on the eve of three months when Hannah was three weeks into a crazy crazy growth spurt thing where she only slept 30-90 minutes at a time each night...never more than two hours and I was really starting to feel it) that she always felt that at three months things just magically became that little bit easier. I guess that meshes with the theories of the "fourth trimester" and all of that too...but mid Europe trip...just as she turned three months old I did feel like we turned a corner. And we turned a corner together. Physically I just felt more like myself and Hannah just seemed overall a bit milder and a lot happier. Hooray!

Who Needs Sleep?

Sleep has improved from the ridiculous 30-90 minutes at a time stuff. But sleep has only lenghtened to 2.5 - 3 hours being the longest stretch. So...as Hannah turns 4 months old I haven't slept for more than 3 hours at a time in at least two months. Ugh. It's adding up. She tends to have two or three stretches where she sleeps 2.5 - 3 hours and then is up every 1-2 hours to eat after that. Just a few days after we got back from Europe...almost on accident...Hannah was having a weird evening and didn't seem to be content with going back to sleep so I put her in a crib for a few minutes and!!! she's been sleeping in the crib for a portion of the night ever since! Hoorah! The rock and play was just becoming too small...she was spending more time kicking the base of it and was starting to arch her back in a scary way...it was time to transition out of it. So now Hannah sleeps in the crib for most of the night! I usually cave once we reach the part of the night that she wants to eat frequently and she ends up snuggled at my side eating when she wants until morning. (judge away...otherwise I would seriously not get any sleep).

Just to be clear, I don't have any grand illusions that my child will sleep through the night any time soon. But now that I have started work? One nice 4 -5 hour stretch each night would be amazing and would change my life. Please?

Our cutie!

See she sleeps sometimes...naps are usually while moving or while being held...at least when it comes to Mom. Daddy and the folks at daycare can put her down for a nap no problem!

Nom Nom Nom...

We transitioned Hannah into daycare. We found a facility that we really liked essentially besides Daniel's work. Perfect! We decided to transition her over a two week period before I started working full time. During week one, Daniel dropped her off in the morning and I picked her up after lunch. Daniel and I actually went to lunch together each day this week and really enjoyed a delightfully uninterrupted meal together! So nice! She did pretty well - was a little inconsistent with her bottles...sometimes she would play sometimes she would gulp it down, but that was to be expected. During week two Daniel was in California at the Jet Propulsion Laboratories and I was gearing up for work, so Hannah went for full days on Monday, Tuesday and Friday (and we visited NJ in the middle of the week). Transitioning her was great for both of us - it gave me the chance to figure out a pumping schedule and what we needed to send with her each day and she has overall acclimated to the people and schedule at daycare quite well! She seemed extra tired after the first few full days, but this week (my first full week of work) she's been doing really well!

We are still exclusively nursing and she is doing well with bottles at daycare! Hooray! This was one of my biggest concerns. The only tricky part was figuring out that she didn't really like the bottle we were using. Monday I sent her to daycare with three different bottles. Haha. But! She loved one of them, I have bought a supply now and she is finally happily eating and doing well!

Hannah's Favorites

She loves bath time and kicking and wiggling in the water. She really loves to sit up in the booster seat thing with a tray (see picture because my description is pitiful) and loves to play with all the toys on the tray. We move this thing all over the house - it usually means we can eat dinner or shower! Awesome! She also still really loves her play gym that we borrowed from Miss Lillian. I bought her a flower toy by lamaze that has been a huge hit and she loves any toys designed to go in her mouth. Between two and three months she started noticing toys and liking them some...between three and four months she has been fully engrossed in the magic of toys. She loves them and it has been so much fun to watch her examine them and play! And she still absolutely loves when you flutter her light weight blankets over her! So much fun!

Checking out her portable exersaucer kind of thing...with the awesome flower toy

Stink. Face. She usually loves this thing though! This face was just too funny!

Oh the focus

Hannah checking out Miss Lillian's night gown (we have known the Kunkles since our first months in Florida - they moved to Maryland a few years before us!)

Lillian was sooo excited to interact with Hannah!

Hannah's Noises

She laughs! And has also spent the month exploring all the sounds in her register. Squeals, growls, coos, and everything in between. When she discovered that she could growl she did for four or five days straight. It was hilarious. Every time I tried to take a video she stopped. She was totally onto me. She also likes to "sing" with you when you sing to her...in the most off key, groany/growly kind of voice but it's unbelievably cute.

Still Growing!

At her four month checkup she weighed 15 pounds 1 oz! (67% for weight) and was 25.5 inches tall (87% for height). Her head circumference was 92%. So tall and brainy? Who knows! When I realized she was nearing 15 pounds this month, through my mental fog, I vaguely remembered that some baby stuff has a fifteen pound limit and was quickly checking everything online. My advice for parents to be? As you assemble things write down the weight limits...in terms of 11 pounds - remove infant insert from car seat; 15 pounds - remove bassinet from pack and play; 25 pounds - half the baby stuff is no longer safe. Haha. But I was right. No more bassinet in the pack and play. The bonus? Now the owls look new from the new distance from Hannah. Only a few of the 3-6 month outfits fit still. We are full steam ahead to 6 month clothes!

Those eyes are changing! Definitely some brown creeping in - maybe going green? Hard to tell!

New Accomplishments?

Physically she is so strong! She loves to stand while an adult gently guides her, loves to practice sitting up, and mid month started rolling from back to tummy. For weeks she tended to do it whenever I turned around...but just in the past few days she rolls effortlessly and also easily chains it with her other rolling skill - tummy to back. She also kicks the floor while on her back and scoots all over...frequently ramming her head into things and then yelling...while she continues to kick her head in to said object. Sigh. I say frequently...but in reality after this happened a few times in a day or two's time I was onto this activity and much more careful about what she was positioned around on the floor. I still can't keep her from doing it in the crib though. She loves tummy time and loves mirrors during tummy time. She's such a cutie!

New Experiences?

Hannah visited Dubrovnik and Mostar. Hannah met her great grandparents and many other family members in New Jersey (My Aunt Mary, Aunt Kimmy, Aunt Karen and Uncle Chip, and cousins Daniel, Harry, and Paulie, and honorary family - Gwen and Hylah). Hannah enjoyed her first fourth of July and loved the fireworks! She started daycare and gets to visit with other babies each day. So far they have had water play days and drum shows and other cool things. She met our dear friends Becky, Yogi, and Carolyn! It's been a good month for Miss Hannah! When we've debated whether to go out or go to something and I think *gosh, I'm not sure, it could be tricky/difficult with Hannah,* I then have a reality check moment. I took my daughter to Europe and flew internationally with her. And survived. Duh...yes, we can go grab lunch somewhere or duck in a store. It's been a lovely reminder when I debate whether I can *handle* something around town. :)

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Hannah's first Fourth of July!

Visiting with Becky in DC!

Carolyn and Hannah playing with Jacques

Enjoying the National Zoo with the Peters! :)

Hannah meeting her Great Grandmother for the first time!

Hannah with her Great Grandpa!

Four generations under the Japanese Maple tree!

Aunt Mary and cousin Paulie

Hannah with the other Daniel :)  (Cousin Daniel...Hannah and Daniel Patrick almost shared a birthday!)

Video of Hannah and her Aunt Kimmy and Great Grandmother playing! So sweet!

Family Check-

The Pups

Our little family is hanging in there! The pups are still steadily adjusting to the new dynamics and have had a bit of a surprise in the past two weeks. Previously, Hannah watched the pups and noticed them...but wasn't very interested in them. The pups could come say hi and kiss her hands or feet and walk away. Now she is very acutely aware and interested in the puppies and when they come to say hi she is all grins and wants to pet them back! This isn't great news for the puppies. Chance is a bit wary of the new reciprocal relationship. But Holly and Hannah? OMG they are adorable together! They LOVE playing together! Hannah loves to pet Holly/grab at her fur and Holly loves to nuzzle her and give kisses! So so cute! Holly still wants to play with Hannah as if she is a puppy sometimes (aka play with her mouth open) but we have been very very closely monitoring their interactions and she is learning quickly and it is going very well! When we got back from Europe Chance actually seemed happier to see Hannah than any of us! And while we are both working? We have a dog walker come and visit them mid day for a nice long walk! They've been a little manic (but we're trying to do extra play time in the evenings) and they've been extra snuggly and clingy, but I think they will adjust. Chance got used to having me home and Holly has never known otherwise.

Hannah and Holly! I love it!

Holly teaching Hannah how to properly nom on her fingers

Chance tromping through the streams! He may not look happy...but believe us, he was!

Running the banks at our favorite park

Enjoying my last few days with Hannah and the pups at the park!

Snuggle buddies

Daddy
Daniel and Hannah have really bonded now and are so cute together! Just in the past few weeks she turns to find him when she hears his voice enter the room and stops everything she is doing (including eating) until he comes to say hello. So sweet! The Europe trip was a perfect time for them to get to know each other better and now they are really lovely buddies. I think taking her to and from daycare and being in charge of her between when I leave for work and when he leaves for work is great time for them too. Work is going well for Daniel and he just took a really neat trip out to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in CA for a week and enjoyed seeing all the parts of this lab that have been in so many famous films (like Independence Day). He also got to check out Hollywood for the first time too. He also continues to pick up all the slack around here (I hesitate to say slack though...it's more like...the overflow of jobs that I don't have time to do because Hannah requires so many things). Overall, he's doing well and I semi-sadly don't have any more funny stories from the month to share of daddy mishaps. I guess he's acclimating!

See Hannah?

Hannah and her daddy in Mostar

Hannah and her Daddy enjoying the beach at Dubrovnik! She loves the surf!

Daniel at JPL in California! Recognize this room?

Visiting the classics in LA

Hannah and Daniel at 4 months!

Hannah at 4 months!

Mommy
 I am doing pretty well too! This month has been a crazy one as I have transitioned Hannah to daycare, prepared to return to work, and have actually started working. Big picture things? I am incredibly relieved that I am still able to exclusively nurse and provide for Hannah. This was my first week of work and it is still going well. I am very excited to start my job - I really like it and am so excited about it. The drive sucks. But my office, the people, the school, the job itself...all awesome. I do miss Hannah during the day and some days are better than others, but the evenings at home with her are like magic and are so special and amazing to me. Nights when she wants to go to bed early or is extra fussy are such bummers. But some of the nights are just the absolute best. Some mornings are too! The commute may suck, but with this type of position work doesn't follow me home! So when I am home it is Hannah time! I keep feeling like I should feel more guilty for going back to work than I do...or should pretend that I feel bad because people think I should feel bad. But in reality? I try to focus on what Hannah is getting out of daycare that she wouldn't get with me, rather than focusing on what she is missing. And career wise this is exactly the type of job I was dreaming of and I am so excited! So for now? Trying to enjoy my Hannah one day at a time. Now if I can only convince her to sleep for a 4-5 hour stretch so I can feel more human we'll be set! Oh and this month I have physically felt the most like myself of any month so far! I am not 100% myself...but so much closer. I am at a much more tolerable point now. I have also found a good pool and am really enjoying those workouts. I'm really loving having that back in my life too.

Cautious about being up so high in Mostar (view from the minaret)

My cuties the morning of my first day at work!

Ready to explore in Dubrovnik!

Me and Hannah on my first day of work - year 8 in education!

Hannah at Four Months!

So overall? This month has been an awesome one with Hannah! She is so delightfully interactive and it has been so much fun to watch her observe and try to make sense of the world! I can only begin to imagine what she will be able to do in another month!

Where have you been all day, daddy?

Happy Eighth Wedding Anniversary to us! We enjoyed a yummy meal and our first date dinner out since Hannah! (Thanks Pam!)

Hannah 3.5 months

Our Family at Four Months!

Hannah at 4 months!

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