Oh, Harper girl. You have such a bright little personality. You're one sweet little girl, and are quite the social butterfly. You think Daddy is the funniest guy on the planet, and have really began to take in everything around you. You have your daddy and mommy wrapped around your finger, for sure. We just love you to pieces!
Here are a few little things about you from your fourth month:
Nicknames: Harpie, Harps
Weight: 15 pounds, 8 ounces - Your leg rolls are pretty much my favorite.
Height: 25 inches long on the dot.
Looks: You are your daddy made all over - pretty much everybody thinks so! Your hair is out of control these days! It's still a light brown/blonde color, but it's getting so much thicker and full. You still have those sweet little dimples, and your eyes are a lighter shade of blue.
Personality: Since we figured out your milk allergy, you've been the happiest baby! You're happy most days, but love to be in your element at home. You are such a daddy's girl, and laugh at all of his silly sounds and faces. You normally get cranky still in the evenings - usually because you get so sleepy. You're quite the social butterfly - you smile at most everybody, especially if they're smiling at you.
Eating: Like I mentioned above, we found out you have a milk allergy this past month - explaining a lot of weird symptoms. You're on a special kind of formula now. You eat about 6 ounces with every feeding.
Sleeping: Sleeping through the night this past month was a little inconsistent. You would wake up randomly, and sometimes even needed a couple ounces of formula to fall back asleep.You go to sleep about 8:30, after a bath and bottle. You normally wake up between 6-7am. And naps...what are naps anyway?
Wearing: Mostly wearing 3-6 month clothes. Three month clothes fit you, but aren't long enough! You wear a size 2 in diapers.
Favorite Things: Daddy! Play mats, going on walks - big girl style, taking baths, talking, your bouncy seat, taking your paci out and not putting it back in, but wanting it back in...
Least Favorite Things: Sitting in your car seat, being tired and hungry - but who can blame ya - taking naps!
Within the last month:
We celebrated your first Easter, and the Easter bunny was extra good to you!
We spent a week off together for mama's Spring Break!
You started pulling your paci out, and have started to try to put it back in - sometimes it works, but normally not.
We celebrated Aunt Whitney's birthday!
You started being able to sit up more with support and help.
You went on your first walk without having to sit in the car seat, and completely LOVE it. You love being able to look around!
You're SO observant! You follow the dogs or Daddy with your eyes around the room. You turn to different sounds. You're constanstly looking around, trying to take it all in. It's just so exciting!
And my favorite thing you started doing within this past month...
You started laughing and giggling! Talk about melting some hearts!
What can get me out of bed at 4am to drive 2 hours away just to go run...errr...jog...okay, walk?
Only The Color Run!
That's right. A 4am wake-up call on a Saturday was in order for us to make it a few hours south for "The Happiest 5K on the Planet." And the word "happiest" couldn't have been more true. We had a blast getting in our morning exercise while being sprayed with colored powder along the way.
We really took our time going through the course, but it was almost more fun that way. We did some running and jogging off and on - more than I thought I could even do at this point post baby - but with the amount of people in some spots, walking was more realistic. Not to mention, the slower you go through the color sections, the more color you get - and that's really the best part anyway.
I've never had so many parts on my body jiggle while running - keepin' that mom life real - but it was really nice doing something for myself with my sister and friends. Not to mention, it was my sister's birthday - so lots of celebrating was in order!
We all decided that this event needed to be a yearly ritual from now on.
Nothing like cleaning blue powder out of your ears for three days!
I can't tell y'all how lucky I was to be surrounded by so many supportive loved ones and friends last year through my pregnancy and giving birth. I was really taken care of through that phase of my life, and it was a gift I was never expecting to receive. Yeah, I guess you kinda expect the gifts at baby showers, but I felt like I was given so much more.
People put me, my life, my baby, my husband, my family on the front lines in their life, but I felt like I was putting everybody I loved and cared about on the back burner in my own. It never was intentional to do so. I guess when you're growing a human life, your focus is more on feeling ready and prepared for this new little being. Or maybe that was just me.
Either way, my hopes and goal for this year is to give more.
Think of others the way I was thought of last year.
Be more out to support those I care about and love, and think more deeply into what they need from me in their life at that moment. Be more intentional.
And you know, it really shouldn't just be a 'this year' thing.
It should be an every year, all the time thing.
I can't think of a better lesson to teach Harper really.
Give more thought, more support, more love to those you love and care about.
And even to those who you don't know all too well.
