Never Grow Up

Today is my beautiful girl's 4 month birthday.  Can it really be that long ago that she was brand new?  I can't believe time has passed so quickly.  I love watching her grow up and become more independent (yes, mom, she is a lot like me), but at the same time I wish she'd never grow up.  I know not all of you are country buffs, but have you listened to Taylor Swift's 'Never Grow Up'?  Let me tell ya, being a mom is wreaking havoc on my emotions.  I cry every time I listen to it.  I know she'll have to grow up, and one day she won't need me anymore, but for now, I get to love and play with my baby.

At this 4 month mark, she sure has grown.  In just about every way.  She is:
16 lbs 14.5 oz
26 in long
and has a 17.5 in head

So, for those of you who don't/wouldn't really know, this is on or above the 97 percentile graph for every measurement!  Aka... big baby!  We have to go in for her shots tomorrow and I can only hope that she'll react similarly to her 2 month shots.  Sleeping. *fingers crossed*

As her measurements have changed, so has her personality and abilities.  I turned away from her the other day and turned back to see her with her pacifier in.  I know I hadn't put it in.  She's not a pro at it quite yet, but if it's in sight (not right next to her head) and she can touch it with her fingers, she'll figure out how to grab it and get it in.  Only problem is she isn't the greatest at letting go, so she'll get it in and then pull it right back out.  It's adorable to watch, though, as it can take her 2-3 minutes to figure out how to get it in right.  What happened to the helpless, dependent infant??  She has also become a picky sleeper.  Dang it.  She used to be able to fall asleep just about anywhere, but ever since I put up her crib, she will only sleep in the crib or on the middle of our bed (when the front of the house is too noisy for her to fall asleep).  She loves having her own space and doing her own thing.  Sound familiar? ;)

I've taken a few videos as proof of her adorableness (word?), and will continue to do so, but as it takes forever to upload them here, they are on Vimeo.  If you want to see them, you'll have to put in a little effort and go check them out.  I know I enjoy them, so you should too. :)

Perfect Afternoon

What is your recipe for a perfect afternoon?  Is it being out with friends, hiking up a mountain or other such nature loving adventure, inside with a book?  I've had a lot of really great afternoons, but it has been a while since the last one.  Then, almost out of nowhere, I had a completely peaceful, perfect afternoon.  We have been rearranging/decorating/cleaning to sell our place and have therefore created a great place to live.  Doesn't that always happen?  Why do we always do this to ourselves?  We rarely upgrade our homes for ourselves and only do it for others to enjoy.  I almost hope we don't sell immediately so we can enjoy this for a while, but having room for a crib would sure be handy.  But back to why I had a perfect afternoon...  My baby was peacefully sleeping, there was a nice breeze and perfect temperature, it had just hit the golden light of the afternoon, everything was clean, and I didn't have anything I had to get done.  Just sitting on the couch, I was completely at peace.  I really believe there is a lot to say about feng shui in a home.  I don't think we have it perfect, but it is worlds better than any previous arrangement.  What do you think?

Think we've done alright?  Especially for those of you who have seen it, it's worlds different isn't it.  So, although I wasn't out doing anything, it was great to have a peaceful afternoon to r&r and find a balance again.

And for closing pictures, I found these on my camera...

The day of labor

14 weeks and a couple days later

I like her much better out of my belly.  Especially when she sees me after a nap and gets super excited with smiles and lots of kicking.  Love my baby.