Cate at 4.5 months (19 weeks)

Baby Cate is already 4.5 months old. She is changing so quickly and I think she is going to keep us very busy! She rolled over at an early age; front to back was at only 5 weeks old (a couple of times when she was really mad) and back to front was at 16 weeks. Now if I set her on the floor, it often isn’t long before she has rolled a couple of feet away. She is so strong and enjoys “standing” with our assistance or in her exersaucer. She loves to be held but does get wiggly and wants to be held standing up or sitting up so she can observe her surroundings.

Cate has recently discovered her hands and feet and also has started reaching for toys. And of course everything has to be brought to her mouth for inspection.

She is the only one of our three kids who has been interested in a paci. She is also a big drooler and spitter-upper.

Now that the big girls have a bunk bed, we have moved the crib into the computer room which is now officially Cate’s room. She has been sleeping great at night in the crib, for which I am thankful. I will put her down around 7:30 or 8:00 each night and she goes right to sleep after nursing. I then sometimes wake her up around midnight or 1:00 a.m. when I go to bed to feed her again. Then she sleeps again until 4:30 or oftentimes until 6:30. If I am lucky, she will sleep after the 6:30 feeding for another hour. If not, I will bring her back to bed with me and often she will fall asleep with me there.

Cate took a nap in the crib today and yesterday, which is huge progress because napping during the day has been problematic so far. (She would sleep in her carseat in the car often but wasn’t a big napper at home.)

She is exclusively breastfeeding at this time. Though Greg was able to give her a bottle once or twice when she was younger, the last two times he has attempted to do so, she refused it. I am thinking I’d better try pumping and try the bottle that way to see if we can get her to take it again so I can get away by myself once in awhile.

Cate loves watching Adrianna and Bree and the big girls seem to adore her right back. Some of Cate’s best laughs come when they play with her. Cate is so sweet-natured and is the smiling-est baby I know. She charms everyone she meets with her gorgeous grin.

I am enjoying life with three little girls. I feel so amazingly blessed by our little family of five.