4 Months!

Wow!  We have reached the 4 month mark!  A month that is sure to be filled with all kinds of exciting firsts.  It has also brought with it the wonderful, sleep depriving time known as Wonderful Week 19 aka 4 month sleep regression.  Yes, that time has come and sleep regression has made itself comfy and at home here in the Rush household... Emma is awake and eating/chatting/fussing most of the night, 15-20 minute cat naps during the day, demanding more attention, being clingy, with the rare and loved 1 hour nap (the nap is of course broken up by brief periods of eating for two seconds before going back to sleep squashing any hopes of mama sleeping as well.)  Not that I'm complaining, I love every moment!

These 4 months have been amazing, bringing so much joy and love with all kinds of new discoveries.   Not just for Emma, but for me as well.  I have learned just how much I can do when she sleeps, what can wait till later, what I can and can't do one-handed (pretty amazing just how much I can do with one hand while Emma is sleeping on my chest) and just how incredible being a mom truly is.  We are constantly learning what new things she likes and what things she does not.  It is such an awesome journey to be on!

 In the past 4 months Emma has learned to roll over, from tummy to back and from back to tummy, found her hands, discovered her toes, laughed out loud, tries to sit and stand on her own, is working on holding her bottle and has recently found her voice so she 'talks' non-stop.  She plays peek-a-boo, likes dancing and singing and loves seeing her reflection in the mirror.  She even tries to pet the dogs in her own sweet, I'm gonna grab as much of their fur and try pulling it into my mouth, kind of way.  All of her firsts have been so fun to witness!

Her first first of this month, trying mashed banana.  Such a great moment!  She seemed to enjoy it and mommy and daddy loved watching the expressions she made while eating it.  Next week, mashed avocado.  What other 'firsts' will happen this month?  Maybe her first word, maybe the first time she truly sits up on her own, maybe she will learn to scoot or crawl, the possibilities are endless and the anticipation of what each new day may bring makes it a wonderful adventure.

I will admit, while I look forward to each new discovery, each new ability, each new 'first,' the passing of each is also bittersweet as it means she is growing up.  Don't get me wrong, I love watching her grow and am excited to see who she becomes, but, as all parents know, these sweet cuddly days don't last for long.  I will do my best to remain in the moment, paying close attention, writing these days down on the tablets of my heart, recording her smiles and coos in my mind to replay over and over as she grows.

This month brings with it the realization that I have been back at work for 1 month.  Each day I leave is harder on me than the day before, but it must be done and I muddle through with the help of God.  Getting to come home is even more of a blessing than ever before.

This month also brings with it the realization that in just two short months we will be heading to Salem for our first visit with Emma's birth-mommy, Alison!   I pray it is a good visit, a time of joy and healing and getting to know each other better.  Our family would not be complete without Alison in it and I look forward to seeing her again.

And now I must get back to the sweet 4 month old who has somehow managed to get from one side of the rug all the way to the other side and is cuddling up to Samantha, and by cuddling I mean pulling on her ears and face lol