4.5 months

Sonia had her 4 month well-child appt this week. She weighs 14 lbs and is 25.5 inches long. The nurse tried to tell me that she's in the 80-something percentile for height so she'd probably be tall. I told her that I had no faith in her charts as predictions. Jack is now in the 3rd percentile for height but I am fairly certain he will be taller than 4'11. Likewise, Sonia is not going to be 5'11. Those charts are annoying. They feel like grades.

Sonia is starting to have a schedule. She still wakes up twice a night to eat. This is a reminder that Jack and Sonia are different people -- I fight the urge to compare them. Jack was sleeping 11 hours a night at this point. It's good to fix this fact in our minds now. We're working on it.

Lately, it's been hard to get a good picture of the wiggle-worm. She is rolling over, prefers to be on her tummy always.

9's and 1's

A while ago a friend told me about an article on salon.com about raising children. The author said his life had gone from a daily rating of about a 7 to daily ratings of 9 and 1.. that was the difference between his pre and post children life.

I would agree with this right now. Having an infant and a 3 year old is a challenge every day. I am very grateful for the time I have with both of them. I enjoy being with them and knowing everything about their daily and nightly routines. I have never felt like my work was more important. At the very same time, it is hard. Jack is having more tantrums that seem like they are unprovoked. I never know when they are coming. Sonia's sleeping schedule is a little more fixed which keeps us at home more than we used to be. Jack and I both like to be outside and lately, we've been stuck inside.

One of the cool things that has happened is one of our neighbors bought a trampoline. Jack loves it. It's only 2 doors down so we go in the hour or so window we have between sonia's naps. We even go when it rains. This works until Jack is soaking wet. Here you can see he has lost some steam.



There are two houses under construction across the street. There's lots of major excavation going on. Jack and our neighbor Adam love to watch the "digger." Adam and Jack get together more now that we are home all the time.





We are doing lots of book reading and pretend play. Here is Jack as a ghost:

Sister Sonia

Sonia is already developing her little personality. To quote an old movie - nobody puts baby in a corner.. she does not like it. I can't put her in her swing and walk away. I can't hold her and talk on the phone. She wants undivided attention and she doesn't like to be alone. She is also very chatty.. and at the rate she is growing she'll be bigger than Jack by the time she is 9 months old.