The Millers: Four Months!!

Dear Hannah Cate,

You are four months old! I can hardly believe it, but at the same time it's hard to remember life without you. We went for your four month check-up today and Dr. Breslin gave you a glowing report saying that you are doing all the things that a baby at your age should be doing (trying to roll over, smiling, tracking things and people with your eyes, reaching for objects, etc). Daddy felt the need to make sure that you are not "slow in development" because you never seem to really cry! Dr. Breslin assured him that you are right where you should be and that he should count his blessings now and live in fear of your little brother or sister because he/she will likely be your complete opposite! Today you weighed in at 13 pounds 7 ounces and exactly 2 feet long/tall. That puts you in the 45th percentile for weight and 40th percentile for height.

We've had a good, but busy month. We've traveled four out of the last five weekends and you have been such a little trooper! You are my little rebound baby. It seems that no matter what we do or where we go, you just go with the flow and then you settle back into our normal routine once we get home. A funny example of this happened this past weekend while we were in Birmingham. Granddaddy and Mary Rose were so sweet to keep you on Friday and Saturday night while we went to my 10 year high school reunion. Daddy and I got home on Friday night around 10pm to find Mary Rose had already gone home and Granddaddy was all alone in the den watching TV. When we asked about you, he told us you were asleep. I asked how long you had been asleep and he proceeded to tell me you had been asleep since Daddy put you down for a nap at 4pm! I nearly died. You had been asleep all evening....for six straight hours. We had a big day ahead of us on Saturday, full of shopping and a birthday party and a long reunion night for Mama that would have been very difficult had I been up all night long with a wide awake baby! Fortunately for me, you are my rebound baby. I got you up, fed you and we laid down together and you fell asleep at midnight and slept until 5:30 the next morning. All in all, you never missed a beat and would never have known your schedule was so off. In Granddaddy and Mary Rose's defense, I didn't give them any instructions to wake you at a certain time, so they were following the age old advice that "you never wake a sleeping baby". You can be certain that I left clear instructions on Saturday night!

You have gotten to spend quality time with all of your grandparents this month, even spending the night with each one of them at some point. They all love you so much and welcome the chance to spend even five minutes with you. They are always thanking US for the opportunity to keep you. I'm always getting emails and calls of praise after you have been with them. Earlier in the month you stayed with Mimi while we were in Birmingham and I had to work in the office and she said: "Thank you for entrusting Hannah Cate with me...I couldn't have enjoyed myself more!! She is such a good baby and is very well schooled in letting you know when something isn't quite right! She fusses, you figure it out, solve it, and she is so happy again! I hope you both realize what a GOOD baby you have!" And after a Tuesday at Nini daycare, she wrote me and said: "Hannah Cate was a joy today, as always. Thank you for the chance to spend time with her. We had a good day, and she charmed us with her smile and sweet expressions. " You are one loved little girl!

You are really getting in touch with your emotions these days! Your Daddy and I have both noticed that when you are happy you are really happy, and when you are sad you are really sad. You are learning how to express yourself so much more. Your pouty lip has become one of my favorite things to see. You will try so hard not to cry but you can't seem to keep that bottom lip from poking out. One of my not so favorite expressions has been when you get scared. On a few different occasions you have been jolted by one thing or another and let us know that you didn't like it. I was with you outside in the stroller the other day and had let Clive and Gabby out to play with us. Clive got right next to your stroller and started barking at me to play with him and you cried so hard and loud because it really scared you. You are most definitely more aware of your surroundings and it's been a joy to watch you come to learn about your new world.

You've been to one of Mama and Daddy's favorite places this month, twice! We took you to Auburn for two different football games. The weather was not too hot, not too cold. We all enjoyed ourselves and Daddy got to go watch the Tigers play two times! You are not quite ready for the actual stadium experience, maybe next year! Never-the-less we decked you out in your game day attire and had a great time! We know we will be spending many more family weekends in Auburn in the years to come. Your Daddy and I walked the streets and remembered what it was like to go to school there, meet each other, develop a lasting friendship and start dating......and now years later we have you. Auburn will always be such a special place to us!

Your little hands have become very active this month. You are grabbing onto everything, most commonly my hair! By the time you make it out of this stage, I will be lucky to have one hair left on my head! You love to put your hands in your mouth. Sometimes it's a finger, sometimes a few fingers, sometimes your thumb and at times your whole fist. Often you get carried away and gag yourself, but you don't seem to care because you go right back to chewing on that hand. You are also loving sticking your tongue out and starting to spit/drool a good bit. You are doing so well with holding your head and neck up and sitting up when we are holding you. You like to sit in your Bumbo seat for a little while and do really well laying on your tummy on the Boppy. You love to look at the fish and listen to the music in your little aquarium. You could look at yourself in the mirror for hours. You are such a happy baby and it really is rare that we hear you even cry. I have such mixed emotions because a part of me wants you to stay a tiny baby forever and another part of me loves all of these new stages. I tell your Daddy all the time that it's so hard for me to believe that you won't be a baby forever!

We love you so much baby girl, and cannot imagine our life without you. You have brought us so much joy in four short months. I wouldn't trade you for the world!

I love you so much it hurts!
Mama