4 Month-Old Big Boy!

Somebody is four months old...

Pensive

Looking through Owen's four month pictures, it is pretty clear that his personality and happiness has really come out in the last month! I love my Owen boy! He coos and talks in the deepest baby voice I have ever heard, and I swear he says "Ma!" when he really needs to get my attention. As his head grows, the hair on his head has been thinning, especially on the sides, but the top is still as epic as ever and he receives compliments and comments about his hair everywhere we go. It has turned an interested auburn brown color and continues to lighten as he gets older. Even as it grows longer and longer, it still does not lie flat, and his shadow definitely looks like a troll doll now! His cheeks are still pleasantly plump, although his belly has gotten more toned as he develops the abs to sit up for longer periods of time. He has super wide shoulders and is very solidly put together. Owen's eyes are amazing! They are a medium gray and pictures do not do them justic. This month, I realized that although he takes after the Livengood side of the family, he looks the most like my little sister Hannah. Sometimes when I am playing with him, he looks at me and I totally see my little sister- I was nine when she was born so I definitely remember her as a baby. 

Over the past few weeks, it has been warm enough for me to start running around the neighborhood with the boys in our double stroller. Owen usually falls fast asleep on these stroller rides, but also likes watching Landon play at the park. We are grateful for the warmer weather around here!

 Owen is super interested in his baby toys, and can grab them and jam them in his mouth. He has been drooling and chewing on his fist for several weeks, but no swollen gums or signs of teeth to show for it. He has started grabbing the arms of his play gym in order to bring the toys hanging on them closer to him. Then he shoves the toys in his mouth. Although he is not rolling, I can cue it really easily and I'm sure he will roll eventually. Owen does long periods of tummy time, where he can rotate around as he reaches for toys and shifts weight on his tummy. He also can sit propped on his arms for up to 10 seconds. When I lean him up against the couch, he crunches forward to try to sit up straight. His abs are crazy strong! He likes to stand up as well, but his favorite is on his back, under his play gym, batting at toys. It is fun watching him get moving and discovering more of his world. 

Sitting up

Owen is now solidly in 9 month clothing, weighing in at 18 lbs, 12 oz and 27 inches long. He has been exclusively breastfed up to this point, but we introduced some oatmeal baby cereal this evening and he chowed down. He ate the whole bowl of runny cereal with breastmilk and seemed genuinely jazzed to be eating like a big boy and being fed by dad. He was smiling and wiggling his little body around as he enjoyed his new food. He also developed a NEW pig squealing sound- something like a cross between a dying pig and a power screwdriver screwing into a 2x4. It is extremely effective in getting me to pay attention to him. In general, he is so happy that he only uses this noise when he's tired or hungry. He is getting more into a groove as far as schedules though, with two naps during the day and one good four hour stretch at night. After that chunk of sleep, he wakes up every 2-3 hours, sometimes more often. If I don't time my sleep correctly, I am only getting 1.5 hour chunks at a time, which is not enough to sustain life for very long! I'm hoping with adding in solids he will start to sleep a little longer!

I love my smiling boy!

It's Hannah!

Landon is doing better at being gentle to Owen, and Owen loves to watch Landon play. I'm sure he will be trying to do whatever Landon is doing as soon as he can move more. Unless Landon is tired, he gives Owen lots of loves and rolls him over to his back when he's tired of his tummy. It's only when he's tired that Landon has issues with being mean to Owen. So we try to keep them apart at these times. It's fun to see my sons interacting and having fun together. Landon loves to make Owen laugh!

Sweet brothers...

Dear Owen,

We love your personality, your happy face, your chubby cheeks, your amazing hair, and your belly laughs. We are so happy you are a part of our family. Now, we just need to figure out how to get you to sleep! Can you help us out with that?

Love,

Mom and Dad

Those eyes!