4 months.

Willow is 4 months old now, which is so hard to believe! It seems like only yesterday we were driving to the hospital for my c-section, so nervous about returning with a baby that we could barely breathe. Fun Fact: I was close to having my c-section cancelled. For whatever reason, I thought it was okay to drink water the morning of my surgery. The nurses told me that if any anesthesiologist had been there that day  other than the one I had (his name escapes me, but the amount of the bill he sent me certainly does not) my surgery would have been cancelled. There would have been some very annoyed grandparents!!

We feel we have finally graduated from the newborn stage! We are getting regular sleep, at least 8 hours each night, and Willow has developed the sweetest little personality. She loves to be tickeled, especially if you make a "tickling noise" while you do so. It gets a big smile every time accompanied by the gasping sound that we love so much- her first attempt an an actual laugh. When we put her in her swing, she talks to the mobile (a little cow and chicken) like they are talking back to her. We have the most precious video of this that I will try to post soon. Willow generally only fusses when she is sleepy or hungry, with a few exceptions when she is just feeling grumpy. We have seen her roll over 4 or 5 times, and she can fully support her head. We are cherishing these sweet days of smiles from our STATIONARY daughter, because as I have warned Brennan from my experience with nannying, when they can move it is a game changer!! One pleasant stranger issued this warning to us recently: "Your baby is cute. Enjoy her while she can't talk". Honestly, I really look forward to all of her development milestones and being able to have conversations with my little girl! Every day is a new adventure!

The last four months have taught us so much. Here are a few lessons we have learned.

1. Rooting doesnt always equal hunger. In the first few weeks, after a feeding, if Willow still rooted, we would continue to feed her in bewilderment that she could still be hungry. We learned this lesson when she threw up all over herself, ourselves, and our bed. We felt terrible for overfeeding the poor girl!

2. Always check for poop explosion when you change a dirty diaper. Nothing is worse than lifting that onsie up her back and pulling your hand away covered in fresh poo.

3. SWADDLE SWADDLE SWADDLE

4. Babies are not easy to travel with. Willow and I have left on a jetplane together 3 or 4 times, and it is an unbelievably challenging task to fly alone with a baby. TSA is particularly annoying. I promise, Willow isn't smuggling drugs in her diaper!

5. Willow doesn't like crowds. After two weddings that left her an emotional wreck, we will be getting a babysitting for all future events!

6. Babies come with a lot of gear. We have already sacrificed our coffee table to accommodate her things, and our dining table could go next.

7. Having Willow has taught us patience, compromise, sacrifice and most importantly, how to love more deeply than we ever thought we could!

My sweet angel is stirring in her crib, so now I am going to enjoy my favorite part of the day with her...she is most happy in the mornings!