Look What Nicholas Can Do

This was the third time so he was getting fussy and tired, but he's repeated it several times.  Now he's trying to scoot forward, which at the moment includes a face plant, but I'm sure it won't be long before he finds his knees.

Pass the Blame

Mikaela found an old happy meal toy (some sort of spy glasses) that was broken.  She brought them to me and said, "Mom you broke these."
D: No, Mikaela.  You can't blame others for what you do.  You broke them.
M: No I didn't.
D: Sometimes you don't take good care of your toys.
M: No.
D: Who broke them?
M: Um.. maybe Sutton?
D.  Mikaela, Sutton has never been to your house.  He didn't break them.  We need to take responsibility when we do something.  Who broke the glasses?
M:  Well... somehow... I did.

4 Months Old

Nicholas is 4 months old (and 3 days).  I am a couple days behind because 1) I wanted to wait for growth stats from the doctor; 2) he was fussy from shots so I was waiting for happy Nicholas to return, and 3)I ran out of time on Saturday.  But here is what's happening for Nicholas at 4 months.

Stats:
Weight: 13 lbs, 11 oz (35%)
Length: 25.5 in (75%)
Head: 16. 5 (50%)

Eating:  He's still only nursing.  That is going great.  He eats about every 3 hours during the day and usually once at night.  The doctor said we could introduce rice cereal, but didn't recommend it for another month.  I probably will soon, but I'm okay with just nursing right now.   He watches anyone around him who's eating, though.  He's definitely interested.

Sleeping:  Since my rants on Facebook, he has improved.  He typically takes 3 naps a day, each about 30 minutes to an hour.  On a good day, one of those naps will be 1.5-2 hours, but that isn't a daily occurrence.  He typically wakes just once a night now.  When he goes down, he sleeps for about 5.5-6 hours, wakes to eat, and then sleeps again for another 3.5 to 4 and then is up for a couple hours until his first nap.  The challenge I face with his sleeping, especially during the day, is catching that "sleep window" that will let him go to sleep the longest.  If I miss it, I basically have to wait and try again when he gets fussy again (30 min to an hour later).  He is swaddled at night and for naps sometimes.  Due to the heat, I don't always swaddle him during the day, but I'll let him sleep on his belly because I'm up anyway with Mikaela.    If he's extremely fussy or unsettled, then I'll swaddle him for a nap.  At night, he is still swaddled.

Motor Skills:
He flips from belly to back often.  That's usually how he ends up waking himself up from naps is by flipping to his back.  Sometimes I wonder if he still doesn't completely know how he does it though because he will get mad when I put him on his belly on his play area.  He can flip from back to side with little effort.  He turns and/or scoots himself around so he's never in the same spot you laid him down when playing on the floor.   (see green mat pictures below).   He also loves to kick his feet.

Activities:
He still likes his activity mat best, but tolerates the swing now that we put a tray of toys on it in front of him.  He enjoys the bumbo if Mikaela is running around for him to watch.  He likes his bouncer to kick the toys in front of him.  I've put him in his jumper center a few times but he's still a little small for it so he doesn't last long there.

He is starting to like looking at books with me and Mikaela.  He has also been caught watching TV or games on the tablet.

He drools A LOT and has his hands in his mouth constantly, but no teeth.  The doctor doesn't think they will come for a while, he's just a drooly baby.

And now for some pictures:

Outtakes:

Where he started out

where he ended up

first time in a park swing

Swim Lessons

Today was the final day of swim lessons.  Parents were allowed to come down and take pictures of their kids during the class.  They also received certificates at the end.  For some reason, Mikaela was very teary and fearful of anything but jumping on the "porch" which is the raised platform where they corral the preschoolers while teachers rotate through the kids to take them swimming.  We don't know what her deal was today, but here are the pictures we got.

trying to leave the pool at the start of class

waiting in the "porch" as she calls it

not thrilled about swimming

trying to keep her head out of the water

with her wonderfully patient teacher, Madison

Diving Day

For the past two weeks, Mikaela has been taking swim lessons.  She loves being in the water, but isn't much for putting her head under or her face in (even for blowing bubbles).  Her teachers also worked on getting her to float on her back.  All things have improved, but we've got a ways to go I think.  Today was day 7 of 8 classes and also "Diving Day."  All classes jump off the diving board at least once, even the preschool class.  Of course for them, as you'll see in the pictures, there is an instructor in the pool with a noodle to help catch them, and an instructor on the board to help guide them out and in many cases, drop them in.  Mikaela wasn't thrilled with it, but smiled at the end and bragged about the accomplishment.    These were taken with my phone so please excuse the poorer quality.  I didn't think to bring the real camera as tomorrow is actually the time when they let parents come down to the pools and take pictures.  So stay tuned for that post tomorrow.

Starting to Laugh

Look Who's Talkin'

Pretty Girl

This is a video from a while ago, but we just now got around to uploading some old videos.

3, going on 13

Mommy: You ready to go Nicholas?
Mikaela:  He's like, I don't know what I'm gonna do.

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

If you give a kid a fan, she'll want a dress to go with it.  If you give her the princess dress (Belle, to be exact), she'll want you to take a picture to show her friends.  After you take her picture, she'll realize she needs a tiara, so she'll ask you to take her to the store.  After you go to the store (we didn't actually go), she'll ask if we have "Beauty and the Beast" to watch so she can be Belle like in the movie.  When she realizes we don't have that movie, she'll just ask to color on your notebook instead.

Smiling at Big Sister

Dallas World Aquarium

For Mike's birthday, we took DART downtown to the Dallas World Aquarium.  None of us have ever been, so this was a great family outing.  Mikaela had a great time.

Independence Day

Hope everyone had a fun and safe Fourth of July Weekend!  Happy Birthday, America!