23rd
Elise: Open Letter @ 4 months
Dear Elise,
Finally I am sitting down to get this written for you and Hannah this warm, dark, rainy afternoon in New Orleans. You are both fast asleep. Hannah fought me, as she always does at nap time. She then woke you, and you would not go back down until I fulfilled our ritual of nursing you to sleep on my bed and staying the obligatory 20+ minutes. Today I did not sleep, but usually this causes me to take an hour nap. You are trying to make me take care of myself. I get it.
You are making your presence known in the most beautiful way possible. You smile and coo and shine your beautiful blue eyes on anyone whose face you can see. You love those faces. And mine is your favorite. 
Everyone talks about what a gorgeous baby you are. You truly are the sweetest thing. You are so fair-skinned and light compared to your sister. Two VERY different girls, beginning as two very different babies.
We traveled to Nebraska alone at the end of March when you turned “3 months” old for my Grandma Marty’s funeral, your Great Grandma. You were never alive to meet either of your Great Grandpa’s, although you were in my tummy as we said good-bye to Grandpa Harold.
This trip flying alone with you was expensive, but it was nice to be alone with you! It was also nice to introduce you to the family without your sister dancing around my ankles. (She is awfully demanding right now.)
We flew again together over Easter, this time with Hannah. This was our “practice trip” since we are planning to fly, just we girls, to Germany alone this June. We will fly back with Papa. The flight to Nebraska went well. You were easy, as usual, but Hannah was more of a challenge, as was navigating the airport and boarding with both of you. But we managed. I was very strategic and got many compliments from those who saw us. Ha!
On the trip back, Grampa Dave reminded me to not forget you somewhere because you are so amiable and quiet. It is true that you only hollar when things are REALLY bad: you need to eat, get the poop out of your pants or finally go to sleep. You are just an easy baby.
While in Nebraska you got very good and thumb-sucking. You are finally coordinated enough to get that thumb where you want it. It has been fun to observe your determination.
Just as you turned 4 months old you rolled over for the first time, from your back to your belly. Then you get mad because you don’t like it on your belly. There is far to little tummy-time for you. I also never get to snuggle with you laying on my chest because you just don’t like that position. Your sister loved it, as did I.
At night you go to sleep around the same time as your sister, 8 – 8:30. BUT, unlike your sister, you stay in bed and don’t play any games. I have been nursing you before I go to bed around 23:00 but skipped that last night and it made no difference. You did not wake up any earlier. Normally I hear you moan a bit between 3 and 4 am (stretching from 2 to 3), but last night you were still fast asleep when my own internal clock woke me. I took you out of your crib and fed you since I was already awake, but you may have slept through the night. But my full boobs make me miserable, and I like that time with one another, especially since it is just once.
Many of my new-mom-friends are “sleep training” or having a hard time with their “nighttime parenting.” I can say with you and your sister that has never been much of a problem (more so with Hannah since you arrived.) Jens and I ask ourselves if your sleep habits are so good because of our parenting or because you were just born easy. We will never know but I am still thrilled it is this way. Thanks, Elise!
I am not sure what I am going to do with you as you become more mobile. This will mean no more bouncy seat up on the counter (with you strapped in) as I cook. It will also mean an end to our naps together, or at least me having to relocate you to your crib, hoping you accept the transfer without waking too much. We were so eager for Hannah to hit each milestone, but with you, I want to savor your babyhood a bit more. It truly does just fly by.
Love,
Mama
