4 months and life's better

I swear my baby reads my blog.  Last week I was about to run screaming into Lake Michigan, and this week he is doing better.  I can't tell you how much I loved reading all your awesome comments, and the advice is appreciated.  Of course I know the main reason I'm doing so well this week...my gorgeous, capable husband was here with me to help in the mornings.  

It is night and day when he's here.  Ashford spent most of his 4 month photo shoot eating the bear, sucking his hands, and drooling all over, but I somehow got the best pictures yet - the light from the window was perfect that day!  Here he is, with some commentary on how he's doing.

At his 4 month check up, he measured 14.6 pounds (pretty average) and a whopping 26.25 inches long - almost 90% percentile for length!  His head is a little peanut, 10th percentile.  I hope that doesn't mean his brain is tiny.  He also dazzled the nurses and his pediatrician with his baby situp, pushup, and standing skills. 

He's now sticking his feet in his mouth, and trying to grab items he never noticed before.  He's been sleeping about 7-8 hours a night when we first put him down, and usually goes back to sleep after a feeding.  Once 5am rolls around, though, there isn't much hope for more sleep.  

We are still struggling with naps, but he is starting to sleep longer for us during the day.  About 45 min - 1 hr is average, twice a day.  Still no scheduled times, though.  And getting him down is a fully orchestrated production involving boobies, swaddlers, pacis, lullaby cds, white noise machines, and prayers.  Especially that my old knees won't crack.  They seriously sound like a gunshot when I try to tiptoe out.  

For everyone that commented on the pumping fiascos - I can't leave my pump at work, or even ready my bag the night before, because I use the pump in the morning before I leave.  Even after nursing, I usually get out a good-sized bottle before work.  I also have the bottle ice pack in the freezer - which I have never forgotten for some reason.  I did start stashing extra bottles and lids at work, though.   

Even though some issues are better, we still have a very needy baby on our hands, which is seriously exhausting.  And we can't party anymore.  We went out last night for the first time in months and the price for coming home at 2am was a 3am baby wakeup followed by insane fussiness...what a nightmare.  I think he feels bad, though.  I won't make that mistake again.    

We're all just trying to keep our cool.  You know?

Have a great week, friends!  I hope we do.