Bubby Joe (4-Months Old)

Let me explain the title of this post before I go any further.

A few weeks ago I took Syd to the doctor to get a school/camp physical.  Since we are new here, and her pediatrician hadn't officially "seen" her yet, his greeting to us when he walked into the room was, "Sydney Jo!  I've never had a Sydney Jo before!  Where did you get that name?"  (His comments/question were totally good-natured -- I love this new pediatrician.  He loves children, and makes you feel as if your kids are his favorite patients.)  Sydney wasn't sure how to answer that, other than grinning like a fool (I mean that in the kindest, most loving way), so I told him that she was named after her grandma, Dixie Jo.  He asked where Dixie Jo lived, and I didn't let him down with my answer: Texas.  Because a lady named Dixie Jo belongs in Texas, not somewhere squirrely, like Maine.  (Maine is not squirrely.  I love Maine.  But Dixie Jo fits in better in Texas.)

Then, Dr. P asked Sydney what her brother's name was.  Her answer: Bubby.  (I'm a little afraid that this nickname is going to permanently stick.  Ford will be writing "Bubby W." on his papers at school, and "Bubby" on the line where it asks if you prefer to go by anything other than your given name.)  Anyway, Dr. P immediately retorted, "Bubby Joe?!"  We all had a good laugh about that, and Chet laughed too when I relayed the story to him later that evening.

Anyway, here is Bubby's, er, Ford's, 4-month picture:

4-Months Old

Here's the 3-month picture for comparison:

Not a drastic difference (other than losing the deer-caught-in-the-headlights look), but he's definitely older and wiser one month later.

 

And here are a few more for your enjoyment:

Sticker Application

Sticker Inspection

Flapping (sticker approval?)

Looking at the Camera

Looking at Chet (wondering why Daddy is snapping his fingers in the direction of the camera)

Finally, a captured smile!

Ford's well-baby appointment went fine.  It was scheduled for May 5th, the day he turned 4-months old.  He weighed 14 lbs 7 oz and measured 25.4 inches.  He had a bit of a dip in weight (he didn't actually lose weight, he was just a little below his own growth curve), and a spike in length.  He's in the 45th percentile for weight, and the 73rd percentile in length.  His head circumference is also in the 73rd percentile, up from the 68th percentile (I told you he was wiser).

I waited until Sydney and Lorelei were 6-months old to start feeding them "solid" food (although we all know that baby food is anything but solid).  However, my mother's intuition was telling me Ford needed to start earlier (as in, immediately).  Dr. P gave me the go-ahead, and Ford had rice cereal that very night.  He did so well; it was as if he'd been eating from a baby spoon for years.  He's since added bananas, apples, peas, sweet potatoes, prunes, and pears to his diet.  And a little bit of watered down apple juice, because all that rice cereal and bananas stopped things up for a while (too much information?).

Here are some more Ford facts, in no particular order:
--He sleeps in his crib, on his back in the sleep suit.  I ordered him a blue one (in addition to the pink), so now he has two.
--Lately he wakes up three times a night, which feels like a lot to a tired mama.  However, he goes right back to sleep after nursing.  However, if he wakes up soon after I put him back down, I transfer him to the swing (he has a small baby swing -- one that sits low to the floor, and doesn't take up much more room than a bouncy seat -- in his room).  I think he will be a belly sleeper once he figures out how to roll over, because he just doesn't seem entirely comfortable flat on his back.
--Speaking of rolling over, he doesn't.  He can scoot around on his back, but I need to work with him a little more on rolling.  I don't give him tons of time on the floor, so not knowing how to roll is partly my fault.  As long as he walks into his kindergarten class on his own accord, I'm not worried.
--He takes several naps a day, but not at specific times (it's hard to have a strict schedule when you have two other children hanging around).  My rule of thumb is to put him down two hours after he last woke up.  Sometimes it feels like there is always someone sleeping around here (except for Chet and me).  A car nap also suffices as a nap, so sometimes I plan to run an errand right as he's getting tired.
--I think he's been teething for two months.  My children tend to get teeth early, and I would be pretty happy if all of his drooling and hand gnawing would result in a tooth or two.
--He LOVES books.  He flaps his arms like a crazy man when we read to him.  He's so smart.  I'm calling Harvard right now.
--He's easy going, not that he has a choice.
--He's also a little high maintenance, if it's possible to be both easy going and high maintenance.  He's high maintenance in that he loves to be held.  Which is fine, because he's fun to hold (albeit a little heavy).

I think that's it for now.  We love you Ford Bubby Alan (which is what Sydney truly thinks is his full name)!