Four Months Already!

I can't believe my bubba is over 4 months old already!  The first couple of months felt like forever, but since then, time has just flown by.  And we have come so far since "the dark days" of the first six weeks... I have come so far.

Slowly I have become acclimatised to my new life, my new role.  I think the biggest step for me has been getting used to no longer being a singular person, looking out for number one.  Somehow Scarlett has become like a part of me, an extension of myself, so that she no longer seems like an intrusion on my existance but an integral part of it.  I don't even think of her as a "baby", I just think of her as Scarlett - my constant little companion, my little person with a personality and presence all of her own with whom I share my day.

And what a personality! :-P

She's such a character!

 I understand now why people say that motherhood makes you a great multitasker.  I always thought that the female multitasking gene had passed me by, but it turns out it was just a muscle waiting for motherhood to force it to be flexed.  I am getting used to starting things knowing that I may be interrupted part way through, I am getting used to being ok with that, I am getting used to letting go and giving in to the needs of the moment.  And I think that's what the trick really is to enjoying this motherhood thing - learning to live in the moment.  That the dishes don't matter if your baby's hungry.  That your half written email can wait when your baby is feeling playful.  That everything else will still be there later if you want to take a moment to bathe in your baby's smile.

Cheeky girl :-)

It has been so amazing to watch her "wake up" from being a sleepy newborn to the funny little person she is now.  I look at newborn photos and can believe she was ever so small!

And there have been so many little firsts along the way... her first little laugh was a funny milestone, the first couple of times she tried out her laughing voice she laughed so hard she spit up and then got the hiccups!  Now she is slowly starting to laugh more often and without needing as much prompting - her funny little giggle is so infectious!

Funny bubba!

She found her hands around 3 months old and examined them with fascination...

Hrmmm, what are these?  Are they mine?

... and then closer to 4 months, she discovered her feet - the left one is her favourite :-P

Look Mum, I found this foot thing!

She's always experimenting with funny little noises and vocalisations, deciding which ones she likes the best.  Currently it's the squeal :-P

I'm incredibly lucky that, at around 9 weeks, she decided to start sleeping through the night.  I can't tell you the secret because I didn't do anything - I followed her lead in everything and fed her any hour of the day she wanted.  I think the most important thing is that I made a clear distinction between night and day - day sleeps in the pram in the lounge, where it's light and noisy, night sleeps in the cot in the bedroom and night feeds in the dark with no noise or interaction.  It seems she got the idea and now I am a very lucky mummy who gets a decent sleep most nights (touch wood!).

At around 4 months, we moved her cot to her own room... I was reluctant to do it at first, but it has actually worked out well, it is nice to have our grown up bedroom back and she sailed through the transition.  I couldn't have done it without my movement monitor!!!  It's a sensor that sets off an alarm if the baby stops breathing or breathing slows below a certain point - I love that thing, I couldn't do without it!  Soothes my mummy paranoia no end!

Snooooze!

The first four months have been a rollercoaster and a massive adjustment... but we have been blessed with such a happy, beautiful baby, I am becoming more and more comfortable in my role as mother and my heart burns with love for my little chicken nugget.  I'm so excited to see how she continues to grow and discover the little person she is growing into.

Most beautiful girl in the world :-)