Four Months

My sweet Sydney Lucile turned FOUR months old on the 20th, and we celebrated by taking a trip to Disneyland (more to come on that).  She really came alive on this trip and has started laughing, and is really talking up a storm.  She likes to make her presence known by squawking and watching to see who turns to give her their attention first.  We started her on rice cereal at 3 1/2 months, then added avocado a week later.  She loooooves food.  She will dive toward the spoon if you are feeding her avocado.

Sydney is not a consistent sleeper- some nights are great, others are OK, and some are terrible.  She loves her pacifier and will wake up needing it to be returned to her mouth from time to time.  We're working on that.  She likes to nap for 1-2 hours about an hour and a half after she wakes up in the morning.  She then goes back down for anywhere from 2 to 4 hours in the afternoon.  She will put herself to sleep for naps, but likes to be rocked (mostly by Daddy) before going to bed for the night.  Sydney is in love with her sister.  She likes when Scarlett is rough with her (not too rough), reads her stories, sings to her... and when Scarlett and I have dance parties in the kitchen (1-3 times per day), Sydney kicks and waves her arms as if she is joining us.

Sydney is not a fan of her bumbo, but she loves her activity jumper.  She will use her elbows to push against your chest when being held to sit up.  She rolls from back to tummy, and tummy to back.  She has what we thought were 3 teeth on top that look seconds away from breaking through, but the doctor said they are just ridges.  She is always chewing on her hands or whatever toy she can get ahold of.  Or your hand, if it is available.  She goes to town on Sophie the Giraffe.  Her hand coordination is getting better and she can actually pick things up and bring them to her mouth, or in front of her face for a better look.

Sydney is very laid back and easy going.  She likes to be up looking around, but is OK with having to sit in her Boppy chair and relax.  She loves all the people who stop us when we are out, wanting to ooh and aww over my girls.  Scarlett always proudly says, "that my sister, Sydney Lucile".  We don't see the pediatrician until next week, but I know Sydney has finally gained some weight.  Her little thighs finally have some meat on them, and she is tall, just like Scarlett was, and still is.  We're still not sure what color her eyes are going to be.

These pictures are from 05.20.2012 at Goofy's Play House, playing with Daddy.

 Laughing that little grunt laugh.

 Mamarazzi strikes again.

We are so grateful to have this little girl in our family.  We love you, Sydney Lu.

And a little update on what Snicklefritz is doing...

Cuddle time, one morning in May.

Snicklefritz is what my Aunt Deb has called Scarlett for a long time... It has stuck.  Scarlett loves the big sister role.  She happily shares her toys, sometimes not happily, but she does it anyway.  She always wants to be helpful and will be my gopher when I need her to.  When Syd was only about a month old, I laid her on the couch and went to get a diaper.  Scarlett took it upon herself to undo the current, poop filled diaper, and started wiping her for me.  She actually did a great job.

Scarlett has been completely potty trained, day and night, for about 3 months now.  We had day time down a month before Sydney was born, but I didn't want to deal with any bed wetting, so I always had her sleep in a diaper.  One night, Daddy was on bedtime duty.  When Scarlett woke up in the morning, she came and got in bed with me, as per usual, and when I patted her bum, I said "Daddy, did we forget to put something on last night before bed?"  She hadn't had an accident, so we thought there was no reason to go back.  And that is how Scarlett became night time potty trained- Daddy simply forgot the diaper.   

When Scarlett turned one, we took her pacifier away and she knew she could only have it in her crib for when she was sleeping.  At two, I asked the doctor how to get rid of it, and she said with a new baby coming, we should leave it alone.  She said by three she will give it up herself.  Since Scarlett stopped napping just before Sydney was born, she was only having it at night.  We tried the Saturday before Easter to cut it up, actually, Scarlett cut it up herself, and then we were up until 2am dealing with her tantrum.  Only a few weeks later, though, she agreed to give it up again.  But then asked for it, AGAIN.  So we gave her one that had the tip cut off.  She took a "rest" with it.  I cut more off before bedtime.  She told me she didn't like the hole in it, and gave it back.  And we have been pacifier free for over a month now.  There isn't anything "baby" anymore, about my little ScarScar. 

Scarlett got in to the preschool of our choice for the fall and she is so excited.  She talks about going to preschool almost everyday.  The school is a co-op, which means parental involvement is heavy.  I am required to work in the classroom twice a month- and I am so excited to get to see what she is doing at school.  She knows her ABCs, she counts to 14, and knows all her colors.

Scarlett has a bright, social and determined disposition.  She is a spit-fire.  And we love her for it.  She says some of the funniest things.  I really need to be writing them down.

I love my girls, and am so grateful to be their Mom.