Looking Back: 4 months

My (not-so-little anymore) Caterpillar,

You have turned 4 months old over the weekend when we were in Thailand. As I'm typing this now, you are seated on my lap with your little fingers tugging at my sleeves every now and then.

You are exactly 4 months old when this was taken

Such is an example of the physical proximity that we have whenever you are awake lately. When we are out, you prefer to be straddled on either Daddy or Mommy in your BabyBjörn to be pushed in your stroller. At home, you like to be seated on our laps or have one of us lying next to you playing with you or reading the bible to you.

Even when you are in your "recliner" with your favourite mobile gym over you, you refuse to pay attention to the mobile unless we are within your sight. As a result, your nap times have become especially precious for Mommy. Whenever you are down for a nap, Mommy would charged around the house like an Energizer bunny to finish up household chores. While it can get a little tiring at times having you sticking to me like a little leech (Occasionally, I even hoorayed in my head upon your Daddy's arrival from work to take over!), it feels good more often than not to be so needed by someone, especially when you seemed to know exactly when to break into your silly toothless grins to remind me of how thankful I am to be by your side.

"Mommy, are you still there?"

Speaking of your mobile gym, you are a little expert with it now. You will stretch out your arms in anticipation when you see me carrying it towards you. You know exactly how to "operate" it, your fingers deftly pressing the dials & your little fists punching the 3 dollies. Gotta thank Aunt Hx & Uncle SY for this lovely gift!

Besides your mobile gym, we have also identified a few specific toys that are your current hot favorites. They are namely your squeaky lion, your rattling penguin & all your nine little ducklings that you bathe with every morning. The similarities among your favorites? They all emits sounds! Your face would lit up without fail every time we squeak / rattle these toys in front of you.

Just last night, in preparation for doing up this post, I asked Daddy what he thought was your biggest progress in your 4th month. Without much pondering, he promptly replied: "Expressions!". Indeed, you are now even more expressive than you were in your third month. These days, there can be a variety of facial expressions whenever we look your ways, some examples are cheeky smiles, coy smiles, widened eyes & mouth apart as you concentrate at a toy in your hand, silly grins, imploring gaze (at us), faraway gaze as you make funny noises while blowing bubbles of saliva and more.

Very often, we will find you staring at us, trying to catch our eyes. And when we look your way, you will break into a smile and pump your feet while your arms fly wildly about. Sometimes, while looking at us, you will raise your eyebrows up & down (Think Cadbury commercial). This expression, as if you are in some conspiracy with us, amuses Daddy and always made him smile.

There were a couple of times when you were startled by my coughing or sneezing. Your immediate response was to look at me for comfort, and then you would start sobbing. While I did not capture that moment in picture, the image of your sad helpless little face with two wide fearful eyes has been etched in my mind forever.

These days, you are a little Miss Talkative. You "talk" non-stop during playtime even when you do not have an audience except for Muffin, your fursister. It amazes me how you managed to vocalize even with your fist in your mouth.

You have yet to flip, but you are sure ain't far from mastering it as you will always arch your body to form a "C" when lying on your back. The maximum that you have managed so far was to turn from lying on your back to your sides. The funny thing is after you turned to your sides, you had difficulty turning to your back again and you would start whining & yelling for somebody to rescue you. Still, there's really no hurry, my little one! Take your time to discover the works of your body. :)

Turning to your side & got stuck

This month also marked your first visit to the GP. This was due to a diarrhea that you are still recovering from now. I had brought you to my trusty family doctor who had commented that you look like Daddy (What else?) the moment she saw you. Because of the diarrhea, we had to change your milk formula to a soy-based one instead and we are now on our second try to re-introduce the cow's milk formula to your sensitive digestive tract. Although the GP & PD has assured us that soy formula are equally nutritious, Mommy somehow still feels that you will be shortchanged. Thus, I'm praying against lactose-intolerance and that your stomach can slowly adjust to the cow's milk again.

One little milestone that you have crossed this month is that you have learned to put yourself to slumber land without our help at nap times. While it is not 100% hit rate yet(you still need a bit cradling & patting now and then), it is definitely frequent enough to mention it.

This is how it goes: When you show signs of sleepiness, Mommy will put you in your cot on your tummy & give you your dummy. You would "talk" to yourself with occasional shrieks which meant that you have lost your dummy and i would locate it and put it back into your mouth. The "talking"may last as short as 1-2minutes and as long as 15 minutes and then, out of a sudden, there will be absolute silence whereby you have dozed off while sucking your dummy rhythmically. Occasionally, you would wake up shortly after you dozed off. Again, it is usually because you lost your dummy and once I have replaced it for you, you will gladly continue your snooze.

Just last night, we brought you to the PD for your second vaccination. You are now weighing 6.52kg, almost doubling your birth weight! Other than your diarrhea & a bit of sensitive skin, she pronounced you healthy & right smacked in the middle of the growth chart. This bit of news is music to our ears. After all, isn't that what Daddy & Mommy pray about every night during your bedtime blessing? - that you will always be healthy, thriving, happy, secured baby who will grow up be a God-fearing, righteous & joyful child.

Your second vaccination in Daddy's arms

You are the same size as Lad1, the teddy bear now!

I thought I should pen down the progress of Muffin's attitude towards you here too as I had not done so in your first 3 months entry. I recall the initial 2 weeks when Muffin would ignore your presence and whoever it might be who is cradling you. She would even heave with disdain before running in the opposite direction when we tried to get her to familiarize with you by letting her sniff your soiled diaper or clothing.

And then, she slowly showed signs of acceptance. Into the third week, she would wag her tail ever so slightly when you are in the same room as her. Gradually, it progressed to taking a few hesitant steps towards you to sniff you out. Under our enthusiastic & continuous encouragement, she finally broke the ice on the 4th weeks where she ran towards you (you were in your "recliner") when she thought no one was watching & kissed / licked you right on your lips. This little act, a sign of affection, had Daddy & Mommy heave a sign of relief after which, I promptly fetched a wet wipe to clean your face.

Muff's first sign of affection for you

These days, a lovely scene replays every morning after you have woke up. We will release Muffin from the kitchen & she will totter up to your bed in your room where you are still lying on. There, she will stand on her hind legs and propping her front paws against the bed for balance, she will lick your arm & fingers(which you will stretch out towards her), her tail wagging happily throughout. This is her way of showing that she has accepted you to be part of the family.

A goodbye pic with Muff before flying off to Bangkok

As what Daddy & Mommy talked about before you came into this world - your arrival would multiply the love in this family and yes, indeed, we have experience even more love & blissfulness with the addition of you.

Happy 4 months, my baby!

Clad in a suit inherited from one of the "gor-gors", you look like a jailbird on the run here.