4 Month Update

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

Parker is doing great. I am loving this stage. He is all smiles, laughs, coos and squeals. He is very interactive, which is so much fun. We went to the doctor on July 21, for his 4 month checkup. It always makes me feel so good because they have a developmental milestone checklist, and he is always doing everything that he is supposed to. The list for today was:

• Smiles to get attention
• Keeps head steady when sitting on our lap
• Rolls and reaches for objects
• Wants to play
• Likes to cuddle
• Lets us know when he likes or dislikes something
• Babbles
• When on his tummy, uses his arms to lift his chest

They weighed and measured him. He is such a big boy! Here’s where he is this month:

• Head is 42 cm – 76th percentile
• Weight is 16 pounds, 6 ounces – 74th percentile

• Height is 26 ¼ inches – 94th percentile. He was off their charts!




Eating with a spoon for the 1st time!

 The big thing I was hoping for was that we got the green light to start introducing solid foods! His first solid food was carrots. He loved them and caught on to using a spoon very quickly. He has now had carrots, applesauce, squash, sweet potatoes, bananas, pears, green beans, and peaches. He eats a fruit for breakfast and a veggie for dinner.  TJ and I loved watching the many facial expressions Parker would make every time he tried something new.

TJ and I also thought he might be teething. He drools a lot, and he loves “chewing” on his hands. The doctor says that lots of moms of 4 month olds claim their babies must be teething because of all the drool. Apparently, 4 month olds just drool a lot and it rarely means teeth. However his doctor did say that his gums looked puffy which is a sign of teeth. Doctor’s visit aside, I start back to work next week. I am very excited about going back to teaching however I am not at all excited about being separated from Parker!! I have been with him from sun up till sun down for the past 4 1/2 months. I know it is going to be hard for both of us. Parker will be staying at a in-home daycare with Mrs. Tami. I have decided to take him over there 3 days this week for a couple of hours a day just so he can get used to seeing her face, her smells and get familiar with all the new surroundings. I just know that he will settle into a great routine with our baby sitter.....but it still makes me feel empty inside when I think of leaving him. I am sure that there will probably be many tears on the first day. Tami is a stay-at-home mom that lives 5 minutes from my school. I know she is going to be just fantastic. He is going to be her only full-time child that she watches, and I'm sure he will live on her hip all day long. She is such a loving person, and it makes me feel good that there will be a really awesome, well-trained second set of eyes on him.

I am also really learning to let go more. It has been a slow unconscious change. I think I am just getting more comfortable with being a mom, but the hyper-vigilance around protecting him from any sort of perceived danger is lessening. I am kind of relieved for his sake. He deserves to have a normal childhood. For example, I don’t mind being out in groups as much, or environments that I don’t feel that I can control, or situations that take my constant attention away from him. I don't make people put use germ-X every time they touch him. I am also beginning to trust leaving him with his grand parents so TJ and I can go out for short stints. It is all baby steps on my part, but it is getting easier, where it as felt almost impossible before. My parents said that it takes a few months, and they are right. Here we are month four, and I am getting there. It is scary, but I am also glad to worry a little bit less.

Finally, it has been a year since my little guy was on his way to change our lives forever, and this whole journey began. It has been fun to remember the anniversary of deciding that we wanted to become parents to the day when I found out I was pregnant. This year has been a marathon, facing all sort of first adventures. I can’t believe looking at Parker's first baby picture, and comparing that with what he looks like today. He is such a joy. I tell him all the time that he is the most precious thing that has ever happened to his Daddy and I. How did we ever do without our Parker? He is such a miracle, and our family wouldn’t ever be close to complete without him.


1st day we met him!





4 months old