Yes, Baby Ava is 4 months old. Yesterday was a busy day so I didn't have time to put this up! So much has changed since last month, Ava is rolling over from back to tummy, tummy to back, & she is scooting! That has been our biggest development milestone. She babbles and coo's so much more (I hope she is an early talker) and she has hit her four month sleep regression (more about that later) I don't use pacifiers enough to say so. Ava refuses to keep them in, she prefers her hands. I no longer use a breast pump or bottles. I retired them, and I feel great about that decision. Ava outgrew her love for swaddlers. I still baby wear, and I plan to baby wear a lot more when the weather cools down. Baby A has the strongest little grip, If she can hold onto it, she does. A new thing she started is spitting. Well like talking and gurgling which results in spit on mommy's face or daddy's. Things we have used with Princess A over this past month have been:

her Da Vinci glider. I absolutely LOVE it! When baby girl works herself into a frenzy, I rock her and nurse her. We hadn't used this as much before, but now I couldn't imagine not having it! Daddy can use it to soothe her too. It's a great alternative to using a baby swing. She gets the same motion. 

Rattles! Ava can hold on to them, shake them, and she is fascinated by all the colors on her toys. She never had an interest in them before these past few weeks. We keep rattles in the diaper bag, in the car, and of course at home. They help keep her entertained. 

Teething keys with gel are a must. Ava has shown signs of teething for over a month now. I prefer the gel over the actual water teethers. They are perfect because Baby A puts everything in her month at this point. We are avoiding orajel and teething tablets. So I'm praying that teethers, wet wash clothes, and Tylenol are our saving grace.

The latest change has been co-sleeping. Ava hit her four month sleep regression. Basically she sleeps more like an adult now. It takes her longer to get into a deep sleep, and she wakes up from her deep sleep a lot easier. Because she finds comfort sleeping with Justin and I, she sleeps in our bed. We have never co-slept like this before. Ava literally sleeps in bed with us at all times. I do use her bassinet at the beginning of the night, but not all the time. Before I had her, I had planned on having her in my room for six solid months and then switching Ava to a traditional crib. With how much I love being able to interact with my baby, I think this decision is going to be much harder than I anticipated. 

Other than that, everything has been the same. We still cloth diaper and we still use cloth wipes. Ava still uses her bumbo and play mats. We have made a final decision on food, NO RICE CEREAL! We are holding out until Ava is six months old to start foods with her. I'm thinking sweet potatoes as her first food!  Well that's all for now, I have got a sleepy baby to rock to sleep! 

All I have time for

Today was a very hard day for me. Ava had her four month well baby appointment as well as shots. This isn't my first time dealing with shots, but this check up was WAY worse than the last one. The only upside was that my Princess is perfect and completely healthy. She weighs 11.11 ounces and she's 23 inches long. We filled out the motor skills for Ava's age group and she passed with flying colors. I didn't like the nurse that administered the shots today. If we happen to end up with her next time, I know I'll request a different nurse. She had ZERO bedside manner.. ironically she works with sweet, innocent babies. Ava's PED's doctor recognized some classic symptoms with Ava that lead us to believe she is ready for her first solid food. Rice cereal. If you've read my previous posts when I was pregnant, you know I am against trying this. (mainly due to arsenic blow outs) Looks like we will be trying it out. If it's the stepping stone Ava needs, I am willing to let my pride down and do what's best for my daughter. We are using Earth's Best organic rice cereal. USDA approved! I know a lot of people think "organic" is just a label, but genetically engineered ingredients are REAL and they can be harmful to your baby. I am EXCITED to be moving on to this next phase with Ava. Excited and freaking out! OMG!!! Ava just rolled over from her back to her tummy.Literally, just happened!! She has never done that before. They say rolling over in that direction doesn't happen until an infant is 5-6 months! Looks like we've got an early bloomer on our hands. Wow that just seriously made my entire day turn around! Watching my little girl emerge into this strong baby with personality is all kinds of emotional for me. I realize how quickly you can miss milestones when you don't dedicate yourselves to your children and their development. NOT THIS MOM. I have been involving myself in meaningless, trivial, never minds lately, and I'm done. I need to focus on my family, their growth, our happiness. That always comes first and should be the one thing my mind is consumed with. I've definitely got a lot of adjustments to make in my life. I always say I'm going to make a change, problem is, It's hard to go cold turkey. This weekend I am spending every waking moment with my family. The beach, a trip downtown, and a date night are on our agenda. I love being able to spend time with Justin and Ava as a family. I will never take our time for granted! Well that's all for now, I'm off to mush on my Princess!