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Monthly Photo AKA Jack loves Ellie![/caption]Month Four has been pretty freaking awesome. Every day you both get more and more personality and already we are noticing the unique qualities that make you, well - YOU. If I had a dollar for every time your dad and I marveled that you all are OURS and nobody is going to come take you away from us, well - I would have a lot of dollars. I mean, don't get me wrong - you are absolutely exhausting and frustrating, too. I see people out and about with just one baby and for a fleeting moment, I feel wistful for what it must be like to only have to care for one baby. But then I realize - ONLY is the key word. They ONLY get one baby. And we get two! And not just any two - but the most adorable, sweet and probably most brilliant babies that ever were. Moms are allowed to say that kind of stuff.
It's been a fun month - we're taking you out to more and more places and enjoying time with family and friends. This month you celebrated Easter with your G-ma and G-pa Courtney, Great-Grandma Cardinal, Uncle Alex and (soon-to-be) Aunt Corrie and Great-Aunt Maggie and Great-Uncle Mike. That's a lot of greats! Obviously we had to dress you up. Ellie - you had an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction on the precious dress your G-ma got you, but we managed to wrangle you into it long enough for pictures.
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Our little funny bunnies! You both look incredibly enthusiastic.[/caption]You've also been rock stars with the new schedule when I went back to work. I fully expected my return to work to be utter mayhem, but surprisingly - it has not been. You two seem pretty laid-back about the whole thing and frankly, I would appreciate it if you would look at least a little sad when we dropped you off. At least pretend to miss us!
Babies, I have to tell you a secret. Going back to work was not as hard as I thought it was going to be. Many friends told me that I would be sobbing in a corner in my office by 9am and that just wasn't the case. I mean, I miss you guys, but I also LOVE my job and where I work. I'm finding that I am enjoying my time with you a whole lot more at nights and on the weekends because I actually have a chance to miss you. I suspect the same is true of you as you both adore your sitter. Plus, it doesn't hurt that I have a relatively flexible schedule (Friday afternoons off! I can't wait to take you to the pool this summer!). At first, I felt guilty that I didn't hate going back to work because Good Moms (again, capitalization intentional) miss their babies when they go back to work. But slowly I've found more and more moms that have admitted the same thing. And you know what? I think it's great! Happy mom (and dad!) = happy baby(ies).
The other exciting thing that happened this month was that your dad started a new job! Yep, we are pretty proud of him - it's an amazing position with a great company and very well-deserved. Your dad is kind of a rock star there. Suffice to say, it's been a little crazy around here with all the changes, but I think we're all rolling with the punches pretty darn well. Except for the cats. They seem increasingly upset by your presence and incredibly needy. Ernie frequently tries to sneak in the middle of mommy-baby snuggles and sometimes we let him. Right now they have the upper hand over you due mainly to their mobility, but once you can move, well - I think both cats will go into hiding.
I have to tell you, guys, some kinda yucky stuff has happened in the US these last few weeks. It's probably part of the reason it took me so long to write this. It just occurred to your mom recently that the world is a Very Scary Place and your dad and I can't protect you from everything. I also just realized recently that a really bad thing happened on the day you were born. I knew this really bad thing had happened, but somehow I didn't realize it happened on the day of your birth - what was one of the best days of your dad and I's lives. How is that possible? All of the sudden, I see danger everywhere we go. I considered never letting you leave the house, but that seems impractical. And besides, then how would anyone ever see all the cute clothes your grandma buys you?! So, I guess I'll cancel the order for the ginormous bubble I purchased to put you in and instead hope that we can honor the moms and dads that have lost their little ones by enjoying our time with you that much more and giving you a few extra hugs and kisses.
Up first this month is Ellie, because she wins the prize for most weight gain (and coincidentally, most delicious baby legs - I'm sure these two items aren't related)...at your four-month appointment, you were 16 lbs 10 ounces! I can't remember how long you were because I was so blown away by your weight gain. Considering what a little peanut you were at birth, this is great news! You are in the 98th percentile for weight and I think your length was pretty average. Although your head size was above average, so obviously you have an extra super big head for those awesome brains.
Likes: Sitting up (with help from a bumbo or a willing friend), snuggling with Mommy before bed, Daddy getting you dressed in the morning, bathtime splashing, working on your musical masterpiece via the kick and play piano, and increasingly..."talking" and smiling! Your smile is so funny - you smile with your whole body - from your toes to your nose to your eyebrows. The word that comes to mind is "gleeful". You also love to nap in your swing and the car and you are still taking a long nap in the afternoon (sometimes as much as 3.5 hours!) and this month you edged closer to sleeping through the night.
Dislikes: Basically, the opposite of all your likes - laying down, being put straight to bed at night, being reigned in from splashing, etc. However, your personality keeps showing through more and more. I suspect you have a wild streak of independence...don't know who you get that from!
Nicknames: Ellie Belly, Little Girl, Little Bits, Pretty Lady, Future President of the United States AKA F-POTUS (that one's kind of a mouthful and it hasn't caught on like I had hoped)
Jack - you continue to be our charmer. You never met a face you didn't like and you'll smile through even the worst cold or teething pain. You are also beginning to show a flair for the dramatic, as your ability to thrust your abdomen up in anger or disgust is getting thrown around a lot more. You were 16 pounds, 1 ounce at your four-month appointment and had grown a lot in length from your two month appointment.
Likes: Um, just about everything. But, in particular - you love faces, eating and getting your diaper changed in the middle of the night.
Dislikes: Pain, poopy diapers, teething. You are still waking up in the middle of the night, but rarely to eat - usually it's just a diaper change, not feeling well or you just want someone to talk to. At first it was bothering me that you weren't getting closer to sleeping through the night like your sister. But then I realize how much I cherish our little late night "talks" and how much I will miss them. Now, each night that it happens, I think to myself "this could be the last time" which makes me grateful for the time with you and also a little weepy. I'm a mom. That's what we do. Weep.
Nicknames: Jack Stack, Buddy, Jack Jack
Pictures from this month!
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Showing Grandma your cool hat.[/caption][caption id="attachment_828" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Charming Great-Grandma Jeanette[/caption][caption id="attachment_826" align="aligncenter" width="225"]
This picture proves how hard it is to get a photo of both of you being cute simultaneously.[/caption][caption id="attachment_831" align="aligncenter" width="300"]
Daddy went crazy with the Mizzou gear while Mom was out. Can't blame him![/caption]
