mamatots: Norah Grows: 4 months; and Mama goes back to work

My sweet baby, you will be 4 months old on Thursday, which is my first day to return to work after these glorious months home being your mama, exclusively. I cannot put my gratitude for this time into words, but know that in just these few short months I have grown more as a human being because of watching your life begin in front of my eyes. You are taking on your own characteristics and beginning to become the little person you are destined to be, and it's amazing to watch. While I feel that your Daddy and I choose to do lots of things regarding how we will raise you that I hope will help you grow into an honest, caring, kind person, you will also carry your own spark and I hope that we can just help you ignite it when you are ready, and remind you about who you are if your flame falters someday.

I am going to miss these precious hours with you so fiercely while I'm away at work, but I do feel comfort in knowing that you will be spending special days with your grandparents and your Daddy, and those will become irreplaceable memories for you, too. I want you to know that you are always surrounded by family who loves you, and I hope that this time will be the foundation for that. As hard as I anticipate it will be on me to be working full time, I hope that it is a piece of cake for you!

At 4 months, you are getting stronger and stronger every day, and have started to work on sitting up. You still definitely need full support to do so, but you are much more stable and your abdominal muscles are getting stronger every day. You are starting to have much better dexterity when reaching for toys and pulling things you want towards your mouth. You can grasp objects with your hands, you love to reach out and grab the toys on the mobile over your swing or the toy bar over your carseat. You have found your toes, and pull them up to your mouth and suck on them whenever you can! Daddy thinks this is especially funny!

You have the brightest eyes, and they are still blue as can be! I love the way they light up when one of us gets you to smile :) You still LOVE the bath, too! Sometimes, we even take your tub outside and let you have a bath on the deck!

You make such silly faces sometimes, and you get us all to laugh all the time! You are starting to giggle yourself, and we can usually get you going with a round of peek-a-boo or some silly dance moves. It's really fun to see you so happy.

The drooling...oh the drooling. You are a full fledged drool monster lately, but still no teeth. It's early and we don't expect any to show up super soon, but you are in serious bib-mode now, or else we have to change your outfit several times a day! You are constantly putting your fingers, or ours, in your mouth, and everything has a slightly sticky sensation around here from all the slobber!

Notice...the drool.

Eying those fingers to chew on!

You enjoy the water, and we've had a few fun beach days and pool days this summer. You are a little sun-baby, and I hope you take after your Daddy and don't burn like a lobster like Mama as you get older!