Gwendolyn, Month Four

G's stats:
weight-14 lbs, 10 oz (75th%ile)
height-25.75 inches (95th%ile)
head size-15.75 inches (25th%ile)

This month has featured some new things for the little G. She's been rolling every now and then. Adam and I have each, separately, witnessed G rolling from back to belly. I think that she can do it, but doesn't really feel the need to do it. And that's fine!  :) She has been ramping up the rolling, more and more, though.

In more sad news, G was sick for the first time. She had some terrible coughs and I took her to the doctor. Although she was diagnosed with just a cold, I was still glad I took her in. She was better in just two days, but I'm an overanxious mommy.

She's still an amazing sleeper. When she was sick, she woke up twice during the night. That's it. A couple of days she's woken up once during the night, and went back to sleep with a pacifier or some rocking. However, most nights, she just sleeps from 7:30/8 until 6/6:30. Frankly, I'm amazed. I think Latham made me doubt that anyone could have an easy baby experience. But Gwendolyn IS easy, and sweet and happy and just about the most perfect baby imaginable.

She's a budding linguist. She likes the "h" sound and it almost sounds like she's saying "hi" and "hey." So that's funny. It's perhaps not that odd, since she hears her brother--all the time, and in the loudest volume possible--talking, talking, talking. But it's impressive.

She's very interested in food. She sits at the dinner table and watches us. She's recently started bringing her hand to her mouth, just like she's using a spoon. I didn't necessarily want to start her on food early but she obviously wants to join us so we might give rice cereal or some veggies or avocado a try soon.

She loves chewing on her middle and ring fingers, rather than her pacifier, now. And she'll lay patiently in her crib or sit in her chair or exersaucer and chew while I do something. She's so chill.

She loves looking at and examining the world. Her brother shows her all the wild, noisy things one can do in life, and she just soaks it all in. She grins a mile wide whenever her daddy enters the room.

I adore my little girl. She's absolutely perfect and I sometimes can't believe that I'm lucky enough to be her mommy.

Gwendolyn, Month Three

This has been a fun month for Gwendolyn. She's been smiling so much and is very active and involved in her world. Her smile is captivating and deliberate; it's absolutely adorable. She routinely coos and the sounds she uses just make it seem like she's on the verge of talking. I know that's crazy, but she just sounds so grown-up and connected to it all. Her hair is becoming more and more amazing!

Her daddy was away for a little bit this month and she got to be with Mommy and Latham. It exhausted Mommy but she was a good little girl. She seems fascinated by her very active toddler brother; Adam thinks that they can't wait to team up together for mischief and mayhem. Latham calls her "my sweetie-pie" and is excited to hold her and help with her.

She's had a fun month. She was baptized in mid-July.

 Gwendolyn wore a pretty dress that her mom had worn and her mommy's mom had worn.She got to have two bonnets. The one on the left was a sweet present from Adam's mom and the one on the right is from my mom's side and is made from some of my Grandma's wedding dress.

 She's also improved her sleep. We pop her in the miracle blanket swaddle between 8-8:30 pm and she has been sleeping until 4, 5, or 6 am! Wowsers! It hasn't happened the whole month but, especially when Daddy swaddles her, she sleeps good!

She has only gained a little over a pound this month. That's fine, and she's still in the 80th percentile at 13 lbs, 3 oz. However, her brother had gained three pounds over this same month (and weighed a little over 15 pounds) so I worry if I'm not producing enough hind milk or whether it's because she IS sleeping through the night and maybe that's a bad thing. However, I've been assured that every baby grows a little differently. She was in the high 90th percentile when she was born, but maybe she's not destined to remain on the high end of the scale. And that would make sense when you look at her parents. As long as she IS gaining, I'll be happy and I'm excited to see how my little girl continues to develop.

Be warned, I'm getting a shipment of hair bows in today. The month four photoshoot may be more decorative! Here's G's face when I told her the news.  :)

Gwendolyn, Month Two

Gwendolyn is amazing! And she's two months old!! Wow!

She weighs 12 lbs, 3 oz (78th percentile) and is 23 inches long (69th percentile). Both of those are fairly close to Latham, though he was just slightly bigger and longer at this point. (It's not a competition; I just like to be able to compare.) Her head is 15.25 inches (47th percentile), and this category goes to Gwendolyn in a big way. Latham's head measurement still hasn't cracked the 25th percentile. He's like mommy and has a small head, and I guess that makes Gwendolyn like daddy with her normal-sized head.  :)

She smiles responsively now. And tracks objects and people with her eyes. She loves looking at the world--bright-eyed and interested all the time when she's awake. A gentleman came up to me after church one day and explained that his church experience had been made even better by getting to watch G's expressions of wonder and happiness when she stared up at the fans while I was walking up for communion.

She's a pro at pushing up and doesn't seem to mind tummy time. She doesn't care about rolling (either on her back or one her tummy), but I know it'll eventually come.

We've started a 5-week baby massage class. I had wanted to do it with Latham, but was never able to figure out time when he was an infant, so I'm so happy I can do it with her. I've learned massage techniques for her feet, legs, tummy, and chest so far. Adam may join us for the next couple of classes. Latham likes to watch me massage her and I even massaged him a couple of times (though it tickled him more than relaxed him).

Adam had to travel overseas for two weeks for work. We all missed him terribly, and I'm so glad that he's gotten some good cuddle time with G since he's been back (despite the toddler wanting his attention all the time).

She took a pacifier early on, but, recently, this pacifier (the giraffe below) has become her lovey. Thank you to Julie Way, who gifted it to her.

We love our little girl!