Baby LaTour: Crazy Baby!

I think we may have hit the supposed "4 month sleep regression" unfortunately! This week has been up and down in terms of Gabriel's sleep habits. Some nights he wakes at 3, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, and 6:50am. Other nights he sleeps through till almost 6am and I have to wake up him at 7 to get ready for the day. I will not even pretend to admit that I enjoy the former set of wake-up times! But, though he is frustrating in terms of sleep, he is still as cute as ever!

It was another weird week of double "birthdays"... Gabe turned 17 weeks on Saturday and then 4 months on March 1st.

Gabe's 4 month pediatrician appointment is this coming week. Craig & I are taking bets on his weight. I think at least 11 lbs, but he thinks more like 10 lbs 8 oz or 10 lbs 10 oz. His last weight at home was 9 lbs 15 oz, and that was about 3 weeks ago if I remember correctly. All I know is that my arms get TIRED when I hold him, haha!

This next tidbit is both kind of cool and kind of irritating: Gabriel is super-crazy for Mommy & Daddy. When we go over someone's house, he tends to cry when other people hold him. Not even strangers! People like his Grammy and Aunties. (Though his Godmother had no trouble at her house!) Mommy & Daddy have to come to his rescue (after we let him cry a little so he learns that we're not going to immediately take him back and he has to get used to other people holding him). So for those that think he's a happy baby all the time - I swear he has his grumpy crabby moments and others can now attest to that!

Soliciting a smile from this little guy has become an Olympic event! He is just so interested in observing the world around him that you can't just "ask" him to smile like before. You have to sing, bob your head, and grin like a crazy person! (Daddy does this especially well, haha!)

Ready for church

Pajamas from Teresa

"Who me?"

Romper from Auntie Deb

A lot of folks are asking about when Gabriel is going to start eating baby/solid food. The American Academy of Pediatrics (and other associations) recommend that babies have exclusively breastmilk (or formula) until 6 months of age, and then encourage using "food for fun" before 1 year. That means that babies can try foods but that breastmilk (or formula) should still compose the bulk of the baby's diet (and that's where the baby will derive most of his/her ingested calories). I'll be honest - I don't want to be trying out solid foods until I'm done with work for the semester, which will land approximately when Gabe's 6.5 months. Craig would prefer to give him cereal or something now because he feels that Gabe seems hungry. We know Mommy will probably win here, right? Haha! Plus, I'd like to try something called "baby-led weaning" which means that you skip baby purees altogether and go straight to solid foods in small pieces (obviously under supervision).
Gabriel has been enjoying an Italian musical toy from Nonno & Nonna (thanks!). It's a really easy way to get him to smile instead of cry when he's moody during diaper changes. The toy sings about a little monkey (La Scimetta) who eats all the bananas so none are left, all in Italian of course!

We made it successfully to 4 months with breastfeeding! I'm really happy that we're 33% of the way to our goal of 1 year. It's now become an easy routine (aside from a baby who's getting more distracted...) for us. I really enjoy this time with Gabriel, especially when he's just woken up or is getting sleepy for bed/naps. We get to stare into each other's eyes (no, that doesn't sound too creepy, haha!) and spend some quiet time together.

More photos from the week: