four months old.

Wow. Four months old.

For some reason 4 months is a landmark in my head.

Like, by 4 months a baby is a full blown baby.

And Carly is definitely full blown baby.

My newborn is long gone.

And I'm loving it.

Carly, at four months old . . .

*you are starting to play with toys. You love your Olympic rings, your ball, your ocean, and of course LionHeart. Its so fun to watch you learn to play with things, and it gives me a bigger break now and then.

*you are grabbing at things. Toys, yes, but you especially like to grab mommy's hair and hold on to it for dear life. Another favorite target is daddy's face.

*you are a smiler. You are especially good at smiling at random strangers who smile at you, which the stranger always loves. You are also occasionally bashful when you smile, and you bury your face in my shoulder.

*you are still being breastfed! Ok, this one is for me. My ultimate goal has always been 4 months. I made it and even feel positive about continuing. It hasn't been an especially easy thing for me, so I'm grateful I've gotten this far.

*you are getting a tad mobile. If I put you on the ground and leave for a second, you are often in a different spot than where I left you.

*you squawk when you are excited or happy. Laughs are still rare and I've only heard all-out laughter twice (both times spurred on by daddy). But the squawk is the next best thing. When you squawk with extra excitement, it tickles your throat and you end up coughing.

*you show a preference for mom and dad. Its nice on our hearts to know that you know us and like us. However, with the holidays coming up, I hope you don't insist on being held by me the entire time.

*you are stunning. We can't get over how beautiful, smart, funny, and good you are.

Happy four months, Car. We're glad you joined us.