4 Months Old and FULL of JOY!

Jeffrey is so much fun! He's been laughing for a while now, but in the past week or so, he's become very ticklish. He laughs when I wash under his chin and under his arms in the bath. He usually hates getting dressed but laughs while I'm putting on his onsies. He laughs when taking his disgusting medicine too! I guess he's learning that when life gives you lemons, make lemonade! The best is when he smiles at me when I kiss him goodnight. Or maybe his smile when I go in to get him out of his crib in the morning or after a nap. We now have numerous videos of him squealing with delight! He is so, so sweet. He is a very easy going, calm baby most of the time. A very happy little dude.

He's been reaching and sucking on his fingers and just yesterday, his thumb. I'm ready to ditch the binky and the swaddling, so this is good news to me.

Apparently, exclusively breast feeding for 4 months has given Jeffrey a year's worth of protection from ear infections and respiratory diseases among the many other benefits. We have overcome so many obstacles together, but he is still feeding so often that I can hardly do anything by myself! (I can't even go get my hair cut.) He's still waking twice a night to feed, which other breastfeeding moms tell me is normal. Because of this I thought I'd try a bottle. He refused many times, (at first laughing at me like it was a funny game, then complete refusal.) He finally took about an ounce yesterday. I thought I wanted a little freedom, but it made me a little sad! (It also upset his tummy, so I don't know if we'll do it again.) As my mom has said, each day a baby becomes a little more independent and it's a good thing. My job is to make him independent eventually and it starts so soon! I'm still planning to breast feed for a year. I would miss the way he stops and "talks" to me quietly then smiles and goes back to eating.

We are going to Babytime at the library every week and La Leche once a month. It's nice to have a place to chat with other moms and get the babies together. I made a friend at the library today that lives right around the corner from me and has a boy one month older than Jeffrey, so that's exciting! We're going to join the play group in our neighborhood once a month and I'm looking into Gymboree, Little Gym or Kindermusik too. Suggestions are welcome! : )

Good times ahead!