Little Brother

I have been thinking it's time to share JUST about Little Brother. Off we go!

  Little B turned 4 months on January 7th.  It is amazing how much personality has come out in the past 4 months.  He has been smiling quite easily since about 3 months old and he most recently started the to roll from back to tummy which only serves to frustrate him since he hasn't quite mastered rolling to his back yet.  I have found him sleeping on his belly when I go to nurse him in the middle of the night during the past week or so.  He has mastered moving his hands to grasp things and has started to discover his feet.  He enjoys having his fist in his mouth just like Big Brother (still does!) especially when something is exciting or startling to him.

He came into the world looking for food and he hasn't stopped looking since!   We remember the nurses all remarking about how strong he was during his first 2 days of life.  This continues to be true of Little Brother.  Little B is very easy to read.  He gets really mad really fast when he wants something but as soon as he gets what he wants he soothes very quickly.  He has strong opinions about when he doesn't like something and he's physically very strong.  He is very good at pulling my hair out and grasping at shirts, blankets, etc.  Yesterday I was attempting to buckle him in his car seat to go to the library and he made his body stiff like a board so that I had to physically push him down and make him bend.  He was also yelling at me at the top of his lungs.  Once buckled and realizing we were going somewhere, he turned off the crying and gave me a big smile.  SERIOUSLY?!  He has been exploring his vocal range, too, with squeals, baby laughter and lots of sounds.  I love listening to him vocalize!

Little Brother is definitely an outward facing babe.  He does not really cuddle (unless you count how he snuggles for feeding).  He likes to face out, taking all of Big Brother's activity in and who can blame him?  He's very different from Big Brother that way, though, as BB was an 'arm pit' child as my Mom calls him.  He really wanted to burrow into you and snuggle whereas Little Brother's favorite soothing position has been the football hold where he lays on your inner arm facing out and frequently nods off in that position.  Another funny Little B fact is how he prefers the car to be moving at 50 mph or faster.  When slowing down for a stop light or going at a slower speed, he frequently gets fussy, although I think he's getting a little better about traveling in his car seat at all speeds (see - he really likes to be always on the go - already ... ).

At his four month well check on Friday, our doctor remarked "I think you are going to have your hands full with this one."  Yes, I have thought that ever since he began rolling, kicking and constantly moving inside my belly.  He weighed in at 15 lb 3 oz and he is now 25 inches long.  I asked her about some very prominent veins by his eyes and she said they will fade as he grows but right now they look like a baby tattoo - and it's true - they really do! :) She said we can start him on solids as he seems ready which I honestly think he is ready I'm just not sure I am ready for all of that to start.  Sigh.  I'm adjusting to this 'new normal' of time going by twice as fast with the second child.  I feel like I blinked and he became 4 months old.