Sunday, May 18, 2014

The Fourth Month of Grace

My sweet daughter turned four months old earlier this week. It is so amazing how quickly the time flies. I think how long the last few weeks leading up to her birth felt (with the contractions and misery and exhaustion) and yet these 4 months since have passed so quickly!
This month was very hard for all of us as a family because I was back at work full time and Josh was in the middle of the most intense semester ever. Through a LOT of help from family and friends, the grace of God, and the fact that we have 2 extremely sweet children, we made it through and he is now officially done with school.
One of my favorite things this month has been watching Hadassah's relationship with Ben blossom. He really takes his role as older brother/caretaker/protector very seriously. He is always bringing her a  blanket or her "passy", offering hugs, asking to "hold her", and checking on her when she cries. She loves him like crazy-flirts with him all the time. He will often lean over her and in the sweetest voice say, "Heyyyy!" They still tandem nurse pretty often (at least 2 times per day usually) and almost always hold hands while they do (or sometimes he will rub her back or pat her bottom). I know that there will be spats-that's just how it goes with siblings, especially when they are close in age-but I am so enjoying watching their relationship blossom and I hope that love is always underneath those spats!
New things Hadassah is doing/personality emergences:
Blowing raspberries-this is new and extremely cute!
Laughing-the easiest way to get her to do this is to play "kissy games" where she gets lots of kisses under her chin or on the side of her neck. She also thinks it's funny when I sneeze. She does not, however, like yelling (not that I yell much, but if I raise my voice to call for Daddy, she gets very upset).
I think we have officially admitted that she is reverse cycling like her brother did. Sometimes Daddy can get her to drink an ounce or so through the course of the day, but that's it. She waits til I get home and does most of her eating overnight. I was very stressed about this when I first went back to work (because she was so young and I hated the thought of her going that long without eating) but she has continued to gain weight steadily and has stayed in the 90th percentile, so I believe she is making up for her nutrition. I'm still not necessarily thrilled, but thankful that I don't have to worry about her nutrition levels or weight gain.
She can roll from back to front, but I haven't seen her do the other way.
She continues to be extremely opinionated. If she gets mad, you have to calm her down before you can fix the problem.
She loves her pacifier (so she has no issue with fake nipples, it's the milk that upsets her). She just demonstrated a love for frozen milk (????) so when I go back to work (off now due to foot surgery) we will try that to get some calories into her during the day.
She talks a LOT. It's adorable. Sometimes Ben has conversations with her in the back seat where she babbles and he says "Uh huh, yeah..." Makes me realize we do the same for him (want to know what your verbal habits or tendencies are? Get a toddler).
She doesn't love water. She's okay with it, but doesn't love it.
She hates the booger sucker. Don't blame her there!
Her smile can light up the room and bring joy to the most sorrowful heart!
I am so thankful every day for these two precious little ones we have been gifted with. I look forward to the continued journey as their mama!

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