Merry First Christmas

You are undoubtedly and whole heartedly the most amazing gift we have ever received.

You are 4 months old today

And mommy is posting on time! YAY!

Oh my goodness, Evelyn. You are 4 months old today. And already turning into a busy, talkative, happy-go-lucky, amazing little person.

You bring us such joy in the littlest ways. I don't think there is a single thing on this earth Daddy WOULDN'T do just to hear you laugh. He loves you so much. Your giggle is probably the best thing you have given us yet :)

I wrote last week about my favorite times with you, snuggly happy mornings. You wake refreshed, ready to great the world and start your day. You happily transition to daycare and have yet to cry when I drop you off (pleaseneverdothatpleaseneverdothat). In fact, you are starting to cry so rarely. It is reserved for VERY hungry or middle of the night when you need to be heard :)

You are still sleeping through the night about 60% of the time. I'll take those odds. But last night, apparently you wanted to see the world 3 whole times at night. Yay for you :P

Things you can do:
Roll from tummy to back
You are SOCLOSE to back to tummy
You can grab toys purposefully and do what they require (pull, shake, etc)
You can put your pacifier in your mouth (it takes a few backwards tries and maybe an angry shout)
You can hold your bottle! And you LOVE doing it. It doesn't last for *very* long, but you are nearly there.
BOY CAN YOU TALK!!!!!!

I'm convinced your favorite thing on this earth is your puppy. Just seeing her fills you with giggles. She is starting to realize that you will be fun for her soon.

Aunt Ashley has this great phrase on her blog: Remember this. So I wanted to list a few things to be sure I remember.
1. Your droolydrooly smile
2. The way you pop off of the breast when I start talking and gaze up at me with your little face and then break into a smile
3. Your splashtime shenanegins in the bathtub
4. Your 360 rotation on your playmat

And most of all, how much I love you today, and that it will grow times a billion by tomorrow. You are growing, you are perfect, and you are simply, Ours.

We love you Baby Girl.

Whosah mah baby?

It's like our own special language together. I say those three words in my mommy voice and her eyes light up and her smile falls across her face.

It doesn't take much to make this little girl smile. Her puppy walking by. Her daddy's voice on the phone. A silly phrase, or a bib upturned on her face.

I am amazed by how much she is LEARNING. We play our bib game, and now, she puts the bib there herself. And waits. Because she knows that next, Mommy will flip it down and cry out BOO and she will smile and laugh and the cycle will begin again. She can bring a toy to her, and after a few tries, eventually get it in her mouth. We have started using the simple baby signs around her, and she stares intently at our hands, then looks down at hers, as though she is trying to figure it out but hasn't made the final connection yet.

I was telling my PRIDE students today that her favorite thing to do is hold things. What a life, I quiped, that holding a blanket would be so enjoyable. But she does love to hold things. Our family photos would have taken 20 minutes less time if she hadn't continuously grabbed and pulled the blankets from underneath her.

My favorite time is the morning, when she wakes up on her own, because she is so happy. I sneak in and undo the first part of her swaddle. Her arm immediately stretches to the sky. I pull out the second part and the other arm goes up and her back arches and she strettttttches. I take her to her changing table to begin the diaper change and her little eyes blink open, halfway at first, then all the way. And her smile easily washes across her face as we lock eyes, and I know she is saying, "Why Good Morning, Momma!" She giggles throughout the change--I don't know if she anticpates bathtime each time, or if she truly loves getting dressed after, but its apparently hilarious. Then she snuggles into my breast for breakfast, undoubtedly unleashes an explosive poop, and pops off. Then, she chats endlessly until Daddy comes in to take her for her next change, and that smile, that face-enveloping smile once again dances across her cheeks for him.

She is so smiley. She is so happy and talkative. This little girl is so much fun and I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings.