4 months old~Baylor Jace

Our sweet Bay Bay is now 4 months old. I am so in love with this little guy, I melt each time he smiles at me. I remember being in the NICU with Baylor, and feeling robbed of so much of his newborn weeks, not getting to hold him, bathe him, feed him, just be with him. However, now I feel like I was actually more richly blessed by Baylor coming early and being so tiny. I feel like I've had a "new" newborn for almost 4 months!  He is just so tiny, he still isn't even where Weston was the day he was born! He loves to be cradle-held and snuggled close, whereas when my other two were 4 months, they were squirming and starting to want more independence and freedom. Isn't that just like God to take something hard and devastating and turn it into something even more beautiful than we could ever imagine?

This picture cracks me up, this is how he likes to sleep!

Baylor weighs 7 pounds, 4 ounces and is starting to really fill out. He wears newborn clothes and size 1 diapers. He eats every three hours around the clock and takes about 2.5 ounces at each feeding. I'm exclusively pumping (with a nursing session here and there)with Baylor which is something new for me. With my others, I was able to breastfeed and nurse, but with Baylor being in the NICU and so small, I haven't been able to do that. I've had to pump my milk and then give it to him in a bottle. Again, at first I was just devastated about this, but now I find that there are benefits to pumping and bottle feeding.  Christian and other family members get the privilege and joy of feeding and bonding with him and it enables me to do more with my other two out in public and feed Baylor at the same time.

Making it work! Gotta do whatcha gotta do!

Baylor is becoming much more aware and responsive. He is quite a ham and loves to coo and smile. He is hilarious when he really gets to laughing. He is starting to grab at toys and enjoy playtime and music.  He still adores Aubrey and she spends lots of time trying to get him to smile at her.

Baylor loves to sleep on my bed (which is where he naps 90% of the time). He still sleeps in our bathroom in his rock and play at night.  He is an amazing sleeper and by far my easiest at nighttime. He hates his swing and mama-roo, but loves to be on the floor on his playmat. He also tolerates sitting up in his Bumbo seat. He still prefers to be in the wrap on me every waking moment, but my back is starting to plead for a break.

We are so in love with this boy and he just brings nothing but delight and joy into our family. He is my sunshine when things get chaotic and that smile can bring tears to my eyes. He really is a miracle boy and I am so amazed at how far he has come. Look out world...this little guy will be a world changer!

It's amazing how much they all look alike. I think Baylor and Aubrey really favor each other. Weston was my chunky monkey for sure!!