Thursday, April 19, 2012

4 Months: Too Fast

Can anyone tell me where the last 4 months have gone???? The 10 months of being pregnant seemed to go on forever but these precious 4 months of having my sweet infant have zoomed by.  This is going to be a bragging post, so if you don't want to hear it stop reading now.
Harper's first Easter! 
Sorry its taking me this long to write a new post.  I literally spend at least 20 hours of my 24 hour day either holding or playing with Harper.  This is one of the reasons we think she is so developed.  Here comes the bragging.  At 1 month old she was having real smiles.  At 2 months we had giggles. At 2 1/2 months she was rolling over from tummy to back and at 4 months she is rolling over from back to front, standing for long periods of time, cutting teeth, hollering at the top of her lungs, playing with her feet, and pulling herself a few inches across the floor. Have I mentioned how much I love being a mother? People say that I am spoiling her by holding her so much.  A baby doesn't understand manipulation. According to the book, The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding, they dont actually start being spoiled until age 2. All she knows is that she wants to be hugged, cuddled and secure in the arms of loved ones.
Look at those eyes!

Men quit reading now. 4 months also means 4 months of exclusively breastfeeding.  Harper has never had an ounce of formula and I hope to never give any of my children a drop of it.  Is it hard? Absolutely but so worth it.  Here have been the hardest things for me. 1.) She was born with a severe tongue tie.  I was in denile about it because I thought it was just a bad latch. But after seeing the dr, she referred us to an ENT dr and clipped her little tongue.  2.) For 3 months she ate every 2 hours, now its about 3 hours.  3.) Having to go into another room to feed her. Especially in the beginning when your hormones are crazy it can be hard to sit alone in a dark room.  4.) Dealing with an oversupply.  I produce too much milk so it comes out very fast and can choke Harper or spray her in the face. The best way to overcome this is by laying back to feed her.  5.) I miss Red Bull. 6.) Wearing a dress can make nursing very hard. There have been other obstacles we have overcome and I am sure there will be more.  I will do another post sometime on all the positive things that have come out of breastfeeding my "milky girl".

Had her 4 month appointment this week.  She weighed in at 15lbs 14oz and 27 inches.  She was in 91 percentile for weight and 99 for height. I sure hope shes athletic!

When I got pregnant with Harper I weighed in at 170 lbs. Yes I was eating out often and sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day.  Three days before she was born I weighed in at 198 (Yayyy didnt break 200).  2 weeks after she was born I was at 165. Four months later I weighed in this morning at 150!!!! Yes Yes Yes, I havent weighed that since I got married :) I am not dieting or working out. I am just caring for and taking care of Harper.
Harper talking to her Aunt Johnnie! 
I wanted to share a few verses that my father in law sent to me this week.

Psalm 128:1-4
Blessed are all who fear the LORD,
   who walk in obedience to him.
 You will eat the fruit of your labor;
   blessings and prosperity will be yours.
 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine
   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots
   around your table.
 Yes, this will be the blessing
   for the man who fears the LORD.

Yours in Christ,
Little Mommy