Four months old!

I know I say this every month, but I can't believe that Aubrey's four months old already! My sister pointed out to me the other day that she's one third of the way to her first birthday! Yikes! Slow down, kid! I can't keep up!

Some things she can do this month that she couldn't last month:

• Grab for her toys
• Hold onto them and get them into her mouth
• Sit up with support
• Hold her head steady
• Tolerate tummy time
• Rotate herself in a circle while lying on her back
• Put her entire fist in her mouth
  
• Get a haircut like a big girl (Yes, we finally did away with the baby mullet. All the hairdresser could say was, "She's only four months old? I can't believe how much hair she has!)

She sat in a special seat and wore a tiny cape while Chelsea trimmed her hair.

All done!

Dance Decital

Nope, that's not a typo. For weeks, Camryn has been asking, "Is today my dance decital?" Yesterday, we finally got to say, "Yes!" and thanks to Daddy, we have a compilation of her best moves to share. Click here to watch. Enjoy!

Fun at the park

What could be better than a sunny day at the park with friends?

Dance Recital

Today was Camryn's first ever dance recital. It was very informal...more of a "show what you know" exhibition, rather than a choreographed routine. We had a blast watching her show off her moves. She wasn't at all shy, and was so proud of herself! Of course I had to dress her like a little ballerina. She looked too cute, and she knew it! What a ham!

I'm cute and I know it!

My mama used to be a Dancing Queen!

Daddy's little girl

Stretching

First position, a.k.a. "Pizza feet." When asked after the recital what her favorite move was, she responded, "Arabesque."

Little sister had to dress for the occasion too!

Of course Aubrey tried to eat her tutu!

(More action shots are to come...Dad was in charge of the video camera, and Grandpa had the professional camera clicking away the entire performance. Much better I'm sure, than my one-handed photo-taking while holding a drooling baby. Will add more pics when we get them sorted out!)

Why didn't I become a neurologist?

Well folks, the dry streak has ended. After about three weeks without one, Aubrey started having her "episodes" again yesterday. We're up to about six or seven as of tonight. We were back at the pediatrician today, because of this as well as the fact that she was projectile vomiting all over me this morning. I do mean projectile, and I also mean all over me. What a way to start the day...

In any case, the doctor is still unsure exactly what's going on. Reflux is still a possibility, though her symptoms aren't exactly classic. She's recommending that we go ahead and see the pediatric neurologist to try and definitively rule out anything neurological. Of course it will likely take another month before we can get an appointment, but in the meantime the good news is that Aubrey appears healthy, is gaining weight well, is right on track developmentally, and doesn't seem particularly bothered by any of this.

I, on the other hand, may go crazy as I attempt to have the video camera ready at a moment's notice, and sufficiently capture one on tape. I don't remember signing up for this...

Hands are not for hitting

So, we've been having a bit of an issue around here lately. Well, a big issue, really. It seems as though Camryn has discovered a new way of taking out her "I'm 3 1/2" frustrations. She does it by hitting. And she knows that it drives me crazy.

By now it's no secret that Camryn's a bit of a spitfire. Perhaps she should have been born a redhead, because she can be sweet as pie one moment, and the next, something will set her off, and WATCH OUT! I guess you could say she has a "passionate" personality. She's not ho-hum about many things. She's got her opinions, she knows them, and she sticks with them. She either likes things or she doesn't.

The poor thing. Much of it is not her fault, after all. I mean, the cards were stacked against her from birth. Her very genetic code is an explosion waiting to happen. She is very much like me in that she is total control freak. However, she's got a bit of her daddy running through her veins too. Although it takes a lot to get him riled up, when he finally does, he blows like a cannon. So it seems as though Camryn's got both my high strung/low tolerance personality and Daddy's explosive reflex. Not always a good combo.

So we've been talking a lot about making good choices, about being kind to others, and we've been choosing our bedtime stories with purpose. Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi has been #1 on the list for awhile now.

I have several friends who swear that 3 1/2 is one of the most challenging ages we as parents must survive, and that it's much worse than the "terrible twos." I hope they're right. I hope this is just a phase that we will work through. That four will truly be as blissful as they say it will. And that if I can survive 3 1/2, then I can survive 13, because that's the age that really scares me.

PJ day

Friday was a special day at Camryn's school. To say goodbye to some friends who are graduating to Kindergarten, they held a "pajama party," which meant all the kids wore their PJs to school and brought their favorite stuffed animals with them. They had special activities and snacks, and Camryn was beside herself with excitement.

Well naturally, she had to take this opportunity to wear her "yeyyow" jammies. In fact, she wore yeyyow from head to toe that day (note the socks), and her orange kitty, Jack, was her honored guest. I wish that it only took a single color to make everyone that happy!