I have a Bumbo seat so that I can sit upright. I like watching my black-and-white puppy Jessie walk by, and I smile at her!
I had my 4-month pediatrician appointment today. You all are not going to believe this, but I am *on* the charts for 4 month-olds now! As though I wasn’t born 3 months early! But of course, although it is fun to compare me to other “regular” 4 month olds, it is not the correct chart to use! When looking at the 28-week gestational age *preemie* chart (which is the correct chart to use) I score in the top quartile for weight and in the top tenth for head circumference (!).
My pediatrician is so pleased! She says that developmentally I should be regarded as a 1 month old (in terms of motor skills, eating, sleeping, etc.), but that cognitively I am ahead; I seem to be closer to 2 months. I believe it, my mommy read some good books on helping me be a smart and happy baby and she does lots of fun excercises with me that help develop me cognitively.
This fall I will get Synergis shots during the RSV season… these are $1,000 *each* and I get one or two every month… woa. But it will keep me healthy while my ex-preemie immune system gets caught up, and will save my health insurance company from paying hospital bills (I have to be hospitalized if I catch RSV before I turn 2). My mommy’s jaw dropped when the doc mentioned the cost of these, but luckily my daddy’s health insurance will cover this.
I do not have to be on special preemie formula anymore – I can have regular formula and of course breast milk (donated by my God mother Jill, my mommy’s sister-in-law also named Jill, and my mommy’s own, made specially for me). My mommy has been a little lazy recently and has been giving me the bottle somewhat more than breast feeding me, so I try to get fussy in the evenings so that my mommy will breast feed me, that really calms me down and I love that closeness! My mommy needs a kick in the butt to do more breast feeding, can somebody please do that for me?
This weekend I am going to a pool party in Northern Virginia. I will see my whole family on my mommy’s side (I see my daddy’s family every day). I am just starting to coo, babble, and giggle on top of my huge grins; my family will really enjoy my new abilities!
Today at mommy’s gym Gloria (the lady who carries me around for an hour!) said: “Ava’s birth mom must be *so* beautiful… Ava has the prettiest face I’ve ever seen on a baby!”. My mommy and I agreed (to both parts of that statement) 
Today was my first day at my mommy’s recreation center! I spent 1.5 hours in the nursery, where Gloria and Judy carried me around the *whole* time (did I mention that I never let anyone put me down… ever?!?!), while my mommy worked out at the gym. I enjoyed it, and then my mommy fed me while we watched Peter Pan. Then we went to meet daddy for lunch This will be my new routine with mommy during the week now. My pediatrician says that I will catch a cold soon from being in such close contact with other children, but she says it is also very good for me, to build up my immunity before the winter flu/cold season hits. Mommy signed the two of us up for Water Babies – that starts next week. I am going swimming!
My eyelashes and eyebrows are coming in! But I am losing the hair on my head, uh oh I still sleep best when I am being cuddled by someone (like my mommy in this picture).
The happy family on grandma’s couch this morning. Granny just bought me my new pink mushroom chair and my lamb lovey!
I started “playing” this week. I am not very coordinated, but I react to my toys already. This toy is a little complicated for me, but I don’t mind because daddy showed me how to use it. I smile at my most favorite people all the time now, and twice so far I laughed!
My eyebrows and eyelashes are finally coming in! And see, my eyes are still predominantly blue, but they also have (in decreasing order): green, grey, and brown. I am still on a mix of breastmilk and the extra-high calorie preemie Neosure, and I weigh somewhere near 11 pounds. I still wake up 3 times at night, but my mommy actually enjoys this time together with me, because I am so good at putting myself right back to sleep after our “parties”. I am a very, very good girl at night (less good in the afternoons and evenings, I am a little colicky and ornery then!)
Just a quick reminder of what I looked like 16 weeks ago, as a 2 1/2 pound little thing. My mommy and daddy are so PROUD of me, how well I am doing!
I am almost 16 weeks old now, and I flew by the 10 pound mark this week… no one can believe that I have *quadrupled* my birth weight already! I am positively chunky, and I am fully in 0-3 month clothing now. (Mommy saved a few of the precious preemie and newborn outfits for sentimental reasons…). My eyes are still a very dark/muddy blue, and my hair is growing a lot – some of the hairs are 2 inches long now (though it is hard to tell just by looking). I have a little bit of colic in the late afternoon/evening, but my mommy and daddy think that is likely normal – that is a tough time of day for anybody I still do not like any of my gear (stroller, bouncies, swings, etc), unless someone is holding me – I am very spoiled that way, my parents have a tough time letting me “cry it out”, so they are often holding and carrying and cuddling me.
I’ve been helping mommy at Sweet Scents a few hours this week – this is my first time at her work… I’ve moved some of my baby gear into the office (my swings, etc.) and so far I love it there! I get very spoiled by Laura, who shared mommy’s office and by Shirley and Gloria, who are like honorary grandma’s to me. I don’t smell like candles, though, because mommy only wants me in the (clean!) office area.
I am very alert now, looking at *everything* and I often ask my parents to carry me around to look at things… I don’t like the same scenery for very long, I am quite adventurous. I see my grandma Connie every single day… oftentimes more than once! She has such a calming influence on me. I have given my grandma *more* smiles so far than either my mommy or daddy, can you believe it? I just love her so much…
My mommy and daddy are totally in baby heaven having me around. They often talk about just how blessed they are, that God placed me and my birth mommy Jenelle in their lives. My mommy thinks I am blessed, too, having so very many people that love me so!
Tummy time with daddy this week… I can hold up my head for very long periods of time now… minutes!
from left to right: my Omi Heidi (my mommy’s mommy), myselfl, my auntie Sassi (Susanne is my mommy’s sister), my grandma Connie (my daddy’s mommy), my step-grandma Sue (my daddy’s step-mom), and my grandpa Ken.
Daddy and I are wearing matching hiking outfits. We went hiking around a lake on Saturday…
