Four Months

In light of my difficulty in returning to this blog more than once a week, I realize I have allowed Baby Coco's four-month mark to come and go without much notice . . . Shameful, b/c she is one cute baby at this stage, and I'm having so much fun with her, not to mention how much fun her siblings are having fun with her. I can't imagine feeling the kind of adoration on a daily basis that she receives around here. (No wonder little girls often have so much more confidence in themselves than grown women do.)

So, here are a few of the current milestones or items of note for Baby Coco at this point:

• She is currently in the 90th percentile for height, and 50th for weight--although you would never guess that with her thigh rolls
• She is laughing, squealing, and screeching a lot these days. She thinks she is a real riot, and we all have to agree, actually. She like to even verbally participate in Chinese class with the other kids, and makes everyone crack up at her shenanigans. I believe she speaks perfectly fluent baby Mandarin.
• Tummy time is less excruciating that it used to be. She's always had a strong neck, but now loves to look at herself in the mirror while on her belly. After about 10 minutes she starts to tucker out, though.
• The child LOVES, LOVES, LOVES to have her diaper changed. Regardless of how cranky she is, if we lay her down to change her diaper, she erupts into instant squealy smiles. I've never had a baby respond this way before.
• She's also my only child who has ever enjoyed sucking on her fingers. I constantly try to replace them with a binky, which I think is an easier habit to break long-term. . . But, to no avail. (We did see her do this via ultrasound before she was born, actually).
• Coco enjoys standing, and can do so effectively if you hold only one finger.
• She just started rice cereal last night, and though confused at first, was determined to make it work.
• After much trial and error, she is now sleeping through the night. (Hurray!) Thanks in part to a neurotic eating/sleeping schedule that gradually worked for her, this has been a blessing--especially since now she goes down without even so much as a fuss. In fact, she is visually relieved when I swaddle her to go to sleep. She nuzzles right into her lavendar polka-dotted sheet in ecstasy. It's darling.
• We're seeing a bit of stranger anxiety already. My poor mother took the kids the other night, and Coco freaked out. She hasn't spent as much time with her awesome Grammy who works full-time, and did not know what to think of her.
• She definitely has the most beautiful blue eyes that I believe are here to stay. They remind me of Bitty's eyes, which one can just get lost in, and their framed by such pretty eyelashes. I think her hair may turn out like Bitty's, too. All her curly dark hair is falling out like an old man, and is being replaced with a light, straight, downy fuzz.
• She still nuzzles into my neck and cuddles like a little bunny. Can I just say, moments like that are borderline euphoric for me? I love it.

Since all the festivities for her baby blessing took place on Sunday, I've included some pictures of Coco in her dress. Though she's a real smiler, for whatever reason cameras of any kind consternate/intrigue her so much, she goes completely deadpan. It's a real bummer because I would love to capture her joyful self. Instead it comes across much more contemplative. Oh well.

Sisters. (This was just taken yesterday. I love how sweet Sassy is with the baby. It makes me love her that much more.)

I'll have you know that I have not doctored the color of this picture in any way. (That's all WAY too sophisticated for me anyhow). Her eyes really are this blue.