Declan: 4+ months

Declan's four month stats (now closer to five months) are finally here.

Size:

• Height: 25" (31st percentile--however we measured him against some other 4 month babies in our ward only days after and he was even taller than them and they were in the 75th percentile...I'm pretty sure the nurse measured poorly...he's closer to 26". Plus everyone is always telling us how long he looks.)
• Weight: 14 lbs 8 oz (28th percentile! Yay for not being nerve-wrackingly little like Tenley!)
• Head: (I can't remember but it was 60th percentile (which is weird because I thought his head seemed normal to small). 

Personality:

Declan is very alert and always wanting someone to be near him. When he spots someone walking by he is sure to shoot them a smile. This morning he was smiling at Dalin in the kitchen from the living room couch for a long time until Dalin finally noticed. Dec is also a screamer. A happy screamer, but it's a little bit obnoxious how high-pitched it is. Cute, but still obnoxious. He talks a lot especially directed toward Tenley. Declan also laughs and smiles super easily. He is very ticklish. The only trouble is he gets the hiccups every time I tickle him and then he gets frustrated. He mostly cries for food or attention. He gets bored being left alone too long but is easily satisfied even if he is just fed or held for five minutes.

Favorites:

Declan loves toys! Tenley had little to no interest in toys (and still doesn't for long periods of time)! I didn't realize babies would have such different preferences like that. He loves crinkle books, teething toys, anything he can suck on or chew. He also loves regular books! He will stop crying if I read to him. It is a lifesaver. I don't feel as though I am as diligent about reading to him as I was with Tenley, mostly for lack of time, but I'm going to keep at it. I want him to love books as much as his daddy and I (and his sister!) do.

Teeth:

He has two bottom teeth coming in so you could say he's teething except he doesn't really exhibit teething behavior apart from the excess drool. Plus the front teeth are thin and usually don't cause as much pain when they cut through the gums as canines and molars do.

Eating:

As for solids, we're kind of holding out a little longer at least, though I have let him suck on a halved red grape in my fingers and I recently gave him two or three tiny bites of rice cereal. He pushed it out with his tongue a little bit which I am taking as a cue he's not quite ready (Tenley was by now but that's fine with me!). Plus, even though it means breastfeeding full time for a little while longer, at least his diapers won't smell yet.

Sleeping habits:

Declan co-sleeps with us mostly. Some nights he starts in his bed, but we are very relaxed about it. I sleep better when he's by me usually or I freak out about his safety the whole night. He does this precious thing as he's falling asleep where he reaches an arm out and feels around looking for me. Then he clings to my clothing or skin so I won't leave him. It's the sweetest, especially when he can't find me and his little arm keeps lifting up and clawing around for me. It's less sweet when he finds my hair and grips it with all his might (he's totally a hair-grabber--Tenley didn't really do that that I recall). When he sleeps, if he's on his back his two little arms always end up above or behind his head. A lot of times he's on his side though (which is more convenient for nursing) and during naps or in the morning I let him sleep on his belly if he rolls over (which he usually does).

Movement:

Speaking of rolling, he rolls to his belly and now back to his back with ease. He also is quite mobile with his little scooting. If he isn't buckled into his bouncer he WILL either roll off, or scoot off and hang with just his shoulders and head on there, and try to keep going (but I usually catch him). He is a wiggly little fellow.

Pacifiers:

He is more choosy about his pacifiers than he was the first couple of months. The green hospital ones no longer cut it, and sometimes he will take a paci fine, other times he refuses.

Bathtime:

Declan is rarely given baths. He comes in the shower with me maybe once a week (I'm a believer in not over-bathing babies...toddlers is a different story) and is great. Tenley used to fall asleep on my shoulder in the shower but Declan hasn't come close to doing that. He liked putting his legs in our neighbor's kiddie pool the other day, too even though the water was quite cold.

He's a little champ and sweetheart and we love him.