2 Cocker Spaniels and a Doberman- 4 months

Happy 4 months to my little Ansley Sue (posted a week late)! Wow! What a month! I think this has been the toughest month since Ansley was born! I have never wished to stay home with my children as much as I did this month! I knew it would all work out, and Grant and I said we would look back and laugh! It has been tough though! I really thought Ansley being at Mother's Day Out would be perfect. She would be at the same place as Addison, and I knew the people who worked there. Well, Ansley had other plans! Her personality just wasn't a good fit there on top of her not taking a bottle. But it really wasn't a good fit at my work either. I finally came to realize, she just would do better in a home environment where it was more calm, and quiet once she started taking a bottle better. I was blessed to find someone that could keep her,! I re-read "The Happiest Baby on the Block" this month, and it made me feel so much better- hence the title of this post...My mom has kidded me about how 2 laid back people could have such an intense child! Well there is a little section in the book titled "What happens when 2 Cocker Spaniels have a Doberman". We thought this was quite funny! Ansley meets the criteria in the book for an intense and sensitive baby! Each month, she becomes a little more mellow, but she still has a strong personality. So what are some of the things that qualify her?

1. Cold air made her SCREAM not whimper
2. When laid on her back her arms would flail about not rest serenely at her sides
3. She startles easily at loud noises and sudden movements
4. When hungry, she wouldn't get fussier and fussier, but instead would accelerate immediately into strong wailing!
5. When eating, she is an all-you-can-eater (slurping mild down with speedy precision)
6. Once into a vigorous cry, it was hard to get her attention, and took a while to settle her down.

So 6/6 suggesting a passionate baby! She's not been colicky or cried a lot, she's just had her intense moments! But like I said, she is becoming more mellow. She is so sweet and likes to cuddle now. She loves being talked to, and loves to smile at you!

So Ansley, what are you up to at 4 months?
You have 2, side, bottom teeth that have barely broken the skin, but aren't all the way in. You drool A LOT! You have started blowing spit bubbles!

You are growing stronger, and sitting better with support! You will look at us when we are trying to get your attention, and you really watch what we are doing!

You have started sucking your thumb! We gave up on the paci. I didn't really want to push it, but wanted you to be able to calm and soothe yourself...well, you do that with you thumb and/or fingers now.

You take bottles with NO PROBLEMS!! Can I get an AMEN!!! Finally, the week before you turned 4 months old, Nana came and stayed 3 days. Your daddy was in SanDiego, so Nana came to keep us company. Taking bottles for 3 days straight really helped. We continued to give you a bottle after that every day, and now you take them fine. Now Grammy and Nana don't have to start all over each Monday!

You can sit in your Bumbo, but you really prefer to stand!

You smile when you get out of your bathtub because...

You really enjoy kicking and splashing water EVERYWHERE!

And you love touching the water. I love watching you learn about and experience things in your environment!

You reach and grab things now and put things in your mouth! You haven't rolled this month- you can but instead you just get mad!

You are sleeping for up to 11 hours at night! I put you to bed in the pack n play one night with just one arm swaddled, thinking I would fully swaddle you when you woke back up. Well, you didn't wake that night, and that is when you discovered your thumb! You slept 8:30 to 6:45 that night! The next week I just started swaddling you under your arms and you did fine. Then on August 20, you slept all night in your crib! Such a big girl!

I love you precious girl so very much! You make your mommy so happy!

Polka Dots and Rain Drops

On August 5, we were watching a light summer shower. Addison asked if she could put on her rain boots and go outside. It wasn't thundering or lightening, so I said sure. She had a blast! I let her dress herself, and I got tickled at the number of patterns she had on!

Murfreesboro Trip

On July 29th, the girls and I went to Murfreesboro for two nights. Grant had a project going on at work and was going to be working a lot. It was my cousin Nathan's birthday so we ate dinner with the whole family on my mom's side on Thursday night. It was good to see everyone! We stayed at my Granny Sue's house so we could spend some time with her. Addison spent one night with Mom and Dad and had fun! When we arrived, Granny had had someone make Enchiladas and they were awesome. The whole trip seemed like a mini vacation for me! I went to see my almost 90 year old grandmother, and she wanted to take care of me! Friday morning, Ansley and I got up. I immediately smelled coffee and bacon. Granny had prepared breakfast for me! After breakfast, I had a pedicure appointment. My dad surprised me by paying for it! Mom and Addison came to Granny's and played while I was gone. After the pedi, I did a little shopping. I had fun! Friday afternoon, we went over to a friend of my sister's house to swim. Addison did great!

Addison and Kane doing puzzles...

Ansley getting some loving from Granny Sue

Bathing Beauty#1

and #2

It was nice getting to spend some time with my family!

Nursery Rhyme Time

Addison's Rendition

Mary, Mary
Quite Contrary
How does your PARTY GO
With Silver Bells and
TACO SHELLS
and XXXX all in a row!

High Tech Cutie and Imagination

"Hey Mom! You need to get your laptop and go to www.pillowpets.com. I want the unicorn one." OK so when did she learn that vocabulary??!!

"Addison, I am so proud of you for pooping like a big girl. (We've been having some drama-not wanting to go and holding it!)" "Mom, please don't take a picture of my poop and put it on facebook!" Um don't think I would've...

"Addison what are you doing with your phone?" "Oh, just texting Nana about my day."

She just cracks me up!

Her pretend play is amazing! She has an awesome imagination, but today it went a little too far. She came up to me holding baby Sidney. She said baby Sidney was going to fly with her daddy and be gone for 18 WEEKS. Can you hear the drama and stress of 18 weeks? Well, I looked at her and thought she looked a little teary eyed. She then said I'M GOING TO MISS HER SOOO BAD! She burst out in tears. Seriously- major melt down! I had to try so hard not to laugh! She calmed down, but was still a little down and out! Luckily baby Sidney is cuddled next to her, and not on a plane to who knows where!

Breastfeeding and a Not so Toothless Grin!

I just found out that this is World Breastfeeding Week! I read a great post on Danya's blog about her journey and thought this would be a good time to talk about some changes with Ansley. On Ansley's birth post, I talked about how she was nursing 30 minutes after her birth! I couldn't believe how easy things were going with her! We had such a difficult time with Addison eating and gaining weight, I didn't know breastfeeding could be easy! Well, Ansley nurses for food. She's not a big comfort nurser, and once she was past those first few sleepy weeks, she hasn't been one to nurse to sleep. Now at night she does, but, for the most part, during the day she stays on the eat/play/sleep schedule. That's why the whole bottle issue really surprised me! I got a phone call from MDO last Monday. Ansley had had a rough morning :( She was crying, wouldn't sleep, and wouldn't take her bottle. I went and got her, and brought her to work with me. It was a rough day, and I ended up leaving early. Long story, short- Ansley is now going to work with me on at least Mondays. She has been doing good with the bottles from my mom and MIL, so it is just a relief when they have her. Mom ended up staying with her Tuesday and Wednesday this week, and plans to continue 2 days on her weeks until Ansley is a little older. She even took 17 oz yesterday while I was gone!
So why did I decide to talk about this during Breastfeeding Week? Whether or not to breastfeed was not an option for me. This is a decision that Grant and I made, and we feel this is best for us! I was amazed at the people who asked me if I was going to just quit breastfeeding since she wasn't taking a bottle well. I thought this was crazy! There have been some hard days, some really low days when I have been discouraged about doing what was best for my baby, yet her crying and not eating when I wasn't there. I have spent a lot time reading suggestions, talking to lactation consultants, and praying! I just felt this was our difficult time, where we just had to cross those hurdles that so many have to face when breastfeeding is a priority! We didn't have the hard time at first, and I am so thankful for that. I feel now, we are on the downhill slide, and we have worked through this difficult time!
On another note, during all this, Ansley starting biting me! We have finally figured out that she is teething! She has a tooth on the left side coming in, and the same tooth on the right side is on its way. Her gum is white and swollen! I feel this didn't help the bottle situation, either!
So for now, we are trying to give her bottles more often. It's sooo hard to do during the week though! She seemed to do fine this Tuesday with mom even though she hadn't had one since last Thursday. I am just hoping she will transition to a cup, and we can just start using one in the next couple of months.
I love that sweet baby!