A Pinch of Love: Letters to Nathan: Four Months

Dear Nathan,

Happy four-month birthday, my boy. You’ve grown in leaps and bounds this month. Four months seems like a lifetime ago.

One day, when you were a day over three months, I put you down on your playmat, stepped away for a few minutes, and came back to see you about two feet away from where I put you. What a surprise! You learned to kick and push yourself “up” the floor. You’re no longer immobile!

You rolled from your tummy to your back on September 17^th, but haven’t been able to repeat it. Judging from the look on your face when you found yourself suddenly on your back, you were just as surprised as I was.

You are so interested in the world around you, but it makes you very impatient and distracted. You want to stand up and see everything that’s going on. You’re so distracted when you feed now because you’d rather sit up and look around, but also screech because you’re hungry. Sometimes it’s tough to get a good feeding because you’d rather smile and “talk” instead.

You’re very sociable. I love the huge smiles you greet me with in the mornings. Daytime visitors often get a big grin too, though by early evening you are usually too crabby to smile much. You like being in busy restaurants and gatherings, though you get a bit overwhelmed after awhile too.

I think I know who your favourite person is: your daddy. You follow him everywhere with your eyes, and when you hear his voice, you strain to look for him. He played a peek-a-boo game with you, which resulted in your first giggle. This is now my all-time favourite video:

Nathan's First Giggles - Thanksgiving 2012 from Michelle W on Vimeo.

Airplane!

You attended your first wedding – Uncle Allen married Aunt Michelle on a beautiful September day, and you nearly stole the show with your cute outfit.

You attended your first baby shower (to welcome your soon-to-be-born aunt!), and you were the only male in a house full of women. How exciting that there will be a new baby soon, and you will get to grow up together.

With your beautifully pregnant Great-Aunt Jenn

You even hosted your first dinner party, though you couldn't stay awake for the whole thing.

We had a busy Thanksgiving weekend, attending three turkey dinners and seeing lots of family. At around 15.5 lbs, you’re about the size of a turkey yourself!

Cousins! Cole (nearly 4), Isaac (2.5), Amelia (1.5), Nathan (4 months)

With Aunt Mary at Great-Aunt Liz's home on Thanksgiving weekend

You’ve developed better hand-eye coordination, and you can reach out for your toys and grasp them. This has been so neat to see, because before this you couldn’t really control your flailing arms. You’re also drooling and blowing spit bubbles, but it’s difficult to get bibs around your chubby neck.

You fight sleep like crazy. Nearly every nap and bedtime routine consists of you crying and thrashing while I hold you tight and bounce around. You have an uncanny knack of sensing when I sit down (even when I keep up the same bouncy motion!) and protest loudly. Not cool, Nathan, not cool at all. You were sleeping decently (2 wake-ups in the night, with a 4-5 hour stretch in the beginning of the night), but this past week has been quite terrible. I don’t know if it’s a growth spurt or what, but your sleep has regressed and I’m hoping that this phase passes soon.

Early morning chatter

The weather has gotten a bit chilly, and I love holding you in the early morning because you're like my own personal hot water bottle - so warm! You are truly your dad's son.

All dressed up for our walk on a beautiful fall day

You’re such a wonderful little boy, and I love all the new things you discover every day. Cuddling with you and waking up to your bright smile in the morning makes the frequent night wake-ups worth it, but please oh please start to sleep better soon.