So my little Sweet P is 4 months old.
Kinda crazy how 4 months seems like no time at all in non-baby life yet in life with baby feels like...well, a lot of time. Yet time that is flying by.
At four months old, Penelope is developing quite a little personality. She's smiling, crying less (mostly), laughing and seemingly doing new things everyday.
Toys Galore
Just over the last few days Penelope has started grabbing for her toys because she wants them. Previously she would bat at toys hanging in front of her. Now she is reaching and grabbing for toys with a purpose...and that purpose is to put them directly in her mouth! Everything she can get her hands on meets the unfortunate destiny of slobber-ridden baby mouth and hands. Her favorites are her orange and yellow plush monkey, a fruit-shaped teether and lots of links.
We also tried out the Bumbo! Penelope really seems to like this little seat, and even more so, the little tray that attaches to it. I can put all of her toys on there for her and she can just reach right for them . From there, it's easy access to her open piehole.
This weekend, we put the Bumbo right in the center of the kitchen table (buckled in with constant supervision of course) so she could be right with everyone at eye level and avoid staring straight up as usual. She really liked that!
Sleeping
I hate to put this in writing but Penelope is sleeping like a champ. She goes down in her crib, pacifier in mouth, at 8pm with nary a whimper. Though we went through a rough few weeks of pacifier dropping-induced crying, now she only wakes once or twice per night crying for the paci. We simply give it back to her and it's lights out. As for naps, she take about 3 one hour naps per day. Can't complain about that! (Updated to note that I wrote this post last night before her bedtime; last night she proceeded to wake every hour crying for the pacifier. #foiled).
My little homebody
I've told you from the beginning that Penelope is a crier (side note: do all babies cry so much? Do people just not talk about it? Am I just more vocal about it and sounding like a bad mom? If people are hiding it, seriously speak up people, we need to stick together), and she continues to have her moments. We realized following Memorial Day weekend that Penelope is a serious homebody. When she is home and in her routine, Penelope is a rock star. As soon as we take her out - to a party, my parents or my in-laws house, etc. - she cries or fusses for about 80% of the time, even if we keep to her same eating and napping schedule. I guess she is just a homebody like her Mama.
Some other fun things:
Penelope gave us her first real laughs and I have to tell you, it's just about the best thing ever. She is also grabbing for her feet and wanting Mommy and Daddy all the time.
She still loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She really digs dancing to the Motown Pandora station and I second that emotion. We both agree that Smokey Robinson is tops and we could take or leave the Supremes.
Penelope wants to see everything, so holding her facing outward is where it's at. She loves sleeping on her side, and any day now I know I'll wake up and find her on her belly in her crib.
It's been an amazing four months and I can't wait to see how she continues to develop. It's getting to be so much fun!