4 Months with Carter

January 28th-February 27th

At the beginning of his fourth month (three months old), we hit a growth spurt.  Carter was constantly eating and I felt like I never got a break because when he wasn't nursing he was clingy and whiny!  I was definitely worn out because tax season was also hitting me up full force at work too!

After that growth spurt, we were ready for the change up to 3-6 month clothing and size 2 diapers, although we still could mix in a few of the bigger 0-3 month pieces.  

Our major change this month was the "big move" from our room to his nursery.  We had tried the crib unsuccessfully, so we just decided to move the entire bassinet to his room to see how that went!  And it worked perfectly...we were able to put him on down for bed at his 8/8:30 bedtime and still be able to stay up and watch TV or put up laundry or do whatever around our room without waking him.  The video monitor we had registered for became my best friend!  The only downside is that Carter still wasn't sleeping through the night, so I would still go get him every night/morning around 3AM when he woke up to eat.  I just bring him into our bed and nurse side-lying so we can both snooze off as soon as possible!  Although I never pictured myself doing that, it is what works and when you have a baby you learn that you just go with the flow!

Sleeeeepy baby boy.

He had several major physical developments this month, too.  He really started to find his little feet.  He started watching them when he kicks them around and grabbing them when he is laying on his back.  He also got really good at grasping things, especially my hair unfortunately. But he can finally hold and play with his toys when we are in the car or at times when I can't be there to constantly entertain him!  That is a huge help!  He also got the rolling over thing down.  He can go back to belly very easily, but can't quite get the opposite mastered!

He's not the biggest fan of the Bumbo yet!

My personal favorite thing he started doing this month is a sweet little squeal when he thinks something is really funny!  The first time I heard it, you could have just pulled me up out of the little pool of mush I melted into in the floor!  It is just precious.  I also have a video of him laughing when I was undressing him for bath time that is the sweetest!  If I can ever have time to remember how to get a video on here, I will have to post it!

He went from lounging in the Boppy...
to sitting in the Boppy...to this!

Carter also has entered what I think is the beginning of the teething stage.  He turned into a drool factory by the end of the month and is constantly putting his little hands/fists into his mouth!   It makes me nuts because his necklines/bibs/sleeves are always wet, but there's not much I can do about it!

Sweet baby the day he turned 4 months...
hands in mouth as always!

Brent & I had our first night away from Carter on February 9th for a marriage retreat at the lakes that our church put on.  He had stayed with my mom once when he was one month/six weeks old, back when I needed a break from the getting up all night to feed him.  But we took him over there late and picked him up super early, so we were only away from each other for maybe 9 hours.  This time, though, we had to be at the lakes in the morning and had a room booked that night, so by the time we picked him up he was away from us for over 24 hours.  I definitely missed that little guy, but mommy & daddy had some much needed time away.  The retreat was great! The only thing that stunk was having to pump during all of the breaks, but Carter is definitely worth it!  He stayed with Brent's mom and dad, and they said he was great the whole time.  Of course, we called and checked on him several times, and she sent us a few picture texts so we could be sure all was well.

Sweet snuggles!

I finally got Carter's 3 month pictures made on February 16th (when he was about a week and a half from 4 months!).  The little toot wouldn't smile for us and seemed to have a belly ache, so he was not very cooperative.  But, as usual, Kendra came out with some great pics.  I love the ones in his daddy's tie!  See them here.

Carter & Mommy ready for church and
 a dinner date with friends.

We also made a trip to the dermatologist this month for Carter's skin.  It seems he has inherited my lovely atypical dermatitis (eczema).  It is such a pain, although mine has died down pretty much completely since my high school/college years.  But in the mean time, I had to avoid super hot baths/hot tubs, be slathered in unscented lotion after every shower, use unscented laundry detergent, and try my best not to scratch.  Now I get to do the same to little man. :(  It showed up first on his scalp, almost like cradle cap, but then it was on his forehead and chest.  When he started scratching his dry little forehead, I knew it was time to get it seen about.  Thankfully, the creams have really put a stop to it and it has barely flared up since!

Sweet baby ready to be slathered in lotion.

One of the funniest (now, looking back, not at the time!) things from this month was the Saturday morning I went to try on a bridesmaid's dress for my friend's wedding this summer.  Brent was so excited that he & Carter were getting a "boy's day" and I was happy to let them have it.  But about the time we had finished the fitting and sat down and ordered at a restaurant for lunch, Brent was calling me saying he has tried everything and he can't get Carter to stop screaming...and he had been doing it for about an hour!  Well, number one, I was 45 minutes away.  Number two, I was riding with my friend and some of the other bridesmaids and we had just ordered our food.  I went through the list of things to try with Brent on the phone (feed him? change him? burp him? try the swing? rock him? gas drops? etc), and each one just made him mad at me because he had already tried them.  So we just had to tough it out.  Brent said he finally had stopped crying about the time I got home, and he was a complete angel the rest of the day, so I don't know if he just missed me or what?! But he sure gave his daddy a fun day, ha!

Sweet baby boy & Daddy before I left.