Vaught: Four Months Old

I should probably put this guilty rant elsewhere, but it's going to go right here... I was in the middle of Instagramming one night a few weeks ago when I stopped myself before hitting "share"and realized that some people might think I'm the biggest a-hole in the new parenting world...

 

 I brag on my child like there is no tomorrow.

     I don't necessarily do it on purpose (okay, sometimes I do), but all I heard about parenthood the second I found out I was pregnant were negative things. Yes, they said I'd be crazy in love, but they also said that so many parts of it were just horrible. I didn't think I'd get any sleep for months or that I'd ever get to go to the gym again or be in public with the baby not screaming or enjoy time alone with my husband. I hoped for the best, prepared for the worst.

     With Vaught, I got pure, perfect bliss, the easiest, happiest, sweetest baby I'm pretty sure there ever was. I realized right before I posted to Instagram that night that I should probably chill out with the way I talk about him though. I know lots of people who have had babies fairly recently or are expecting, and I would never want to come off as condescending or obnoxious, nor would I want to give the impression to any expectant moms that their baby will be as calm and happy as Vaught. Every baby is different, and as parents, we love them no matter what. Vaught could keep me up all night long, and I'd still be nuts about him. He could scream the entire duration of every public outing, and I'd still think he was the grandest thing. Okay, I'll get on to the update on Vaught, but I just wanted to put this out there. Since that night I have tried not to gloat so much on what a good baby he is... but to my credit, I did earn it. Every mom can attest to that.

Weight: 17 pounds

Length: 25.5 inches

Food

We now eat solids! Vaught still takes bottles throughout the day, but at least once daily he gets a little baby food or rice cereal We have yet to find anything he doesn't like, but he seems especially keen on bananas.

Sleep

Vaught sleeps nine to eleven hours a night. (One night he slept thirteen hours)! We sleep-trained Vaught, and he is a perfect, happy, healthy baby. That's not to say that it will work for everyone, but it worked for us, and we are so grateful for doing it. Every night between eight and nine o'clock, Vaught is put on his tummy in his crib just as he's beginning to doze off. For several weeks, he would cry for a few minutes then go to sleep... then he began babbling for a few minutes then going to sleep. By three and a half months, Vaught was going right to sleep. We absolutely will not co-sleep. Ever. I didn't sleep with my parents as a baby, neither did Eric. No offense to any parents who co-sleep; I recently read an article with some excellent points on the benefits of co-sleeping. It was interesting nonetheless, but we're just not going to venture down that path. The queen-size bed in our room is strictly for me and Mr. Pace after bedtime :)

Clothing

Vaught can still wear just a few 0-3 onesies, but most of his outfits are now 3-6 months.

Diapers

Vaught still wears a size two, and the best brand we've come across so far is Parent's Choice from Walmart. However, I recently began a campaign for another store's brand of diapers, so I will posting about that pretty soon!

Developments

He lifts and holds his chest really well and can prop up on his elbows. He rolls over onto his side and will be rolling completely over any day now! He does not show a huge interest in toys just yet, but he does like his squeaky cow and things that rattle. He loves to be on his back on his musical mat, swatting at the toys hanging above him. He also loves cartoons on TV; I think it's the bright colors that attract him.

Likes

Bath time is his favorite thing. How lucky are we?!
Babbling
Tummy time
Mama... He sure does love his mama!
Sitting up
Strolling/riding
Sucking on his hands/fingers

Dislikes

Not getting all the attention
Sitting still for too long
Pacifiers... We are completely done with them.

Favorite Pictures

Watching football with Dad!

It's been an amazing four months. He loves daycare, and I'm enjoying being back in school and working every day. We're only four months in, and a lot can happen down the road. I'm just very thankful that so far things have been easier than I could have ever imagined. No tummy issues, no food allergies (yet), no earaches. But he's a boy, and I guarantee you that at some point down the road we'll be in the ER with a broken arm or leg. And once he's mobile in a few months, I've got a lot coming! But for now I just want to bask in how wonderful things are going and how well we've all adjusted in the Pace household, even the pups!

We just adore our sweet, chubby little ball of light!