Clara: 4 months

Oh sweet girl, how are you already four months old? One third of the way to turning one. In some ways, it seems like you've always been here, been a part of our family. And yet I also feel like you were just born. Don't grow so fast, little one!

Height and Weight: At her appointment last week, she was 10 pounds 14.5 ounces (2%) and 24.5 inches (53%). Growing growing!

Sleep: Clara's sleep hasn't been great lately. Between fighting a cold and trying to transition her from the rock'n'play to the pack'n'play, there have been mulitiple wakeups. But I know we'll get to the day when she's sleeping through the night and I'll miss those middle of the night snuggles.

Naps are pretty inconsistent. If we have the time she'll usually take at least one long one, but a lot of time those naps are broken by us needing to go somewhere or do something. Thankfully she handles it pretty well- I just feel bad that there's no consistency.

Eating: At this point she's probably getting most of her food via formula. After about 10 minutes of nursing (only on the right- she refuses the left!) she'll then drink 2-4 ounces of formula. At her well check on Tuesday the doctor noticed her spitting up and suggested trying a reflux formula. Thankfully the doctor's office had samples, so we'll give that a try to see if that lessens the spit-up.

She eats about every 2-3 hours throughout the day, which usually looks like nursing/bottle before we leave to go somewhere, and then again when we get home.

Diapers/Clothing: Clara is still in size 1 diapers, and just this week, I pulled out her 3-6 month clothes. After getting rid of all the boy clothes I've been holding on to, it's hard to think about giving away newborn baby girl clothes. I know friends will use some, and my sister is getting some in hopes that she has a girl someday. :)

Social/Milestones: This past month has been full of cooing, smiles, and the beginnings of a giggle. She'll clasp her hands together in front of herself, and grip on to things with those tiny fingers. She blows lots of bubbles, has really good head control, and tolerates brief periods of tummy time. When she sees herself in a mirror (like above her swing) she'll often smile and coo at herself. She also sat in the Bumbo for the first time!

Likes: She still really seems to enjoy bath time and does well with the water being poured over her head. She still likes to be swaddled for sleeping, but those days will be over once she can roll over. She of course loves being held and talked to, as well as being worn in the wrap.

Dislikes: We still have car rides where she screams about being in the car seat, but is doing SO much better. Other than that, she really only cries when she's tired or wants to be held. I'm praying her easy-going personality continues!

Fun things we've done: This has been a busy month, but Clara was mostly along for the ride or stayed at home for the farm field trips. I took all the kids to Sharp's Farm with friends, and we went up to Grove City for homecoming. We had fun with friends at MOPS and during play dates. We got to enjoy a dinner with all four grandparents, and do some work on the house before moving in with my parents. It was definitely busy, stressful, but full of fall fun!

A few pictures:

Every Day Happenings

We've been rolling through October doing so many things, and the fun just keeps coming! Last week my friend Megan threw a play date baby shower for our friend, Hannah, who was due at the end of October. Well we saw her again on Friday afternoon, and she had her baby girl later that day! Baby shower just in time to stock her up on diapers and baby girl clothes! Of the friends that were at the shower, five have now had babies this year. It was fun seeing the June/July babies doing tummy time together. :)

Last Thursday, Noelle's school had their Race for Education. Each grade ran (or walked) for an hour, and Noelle pledged to run 20 laps. She made it around the little loop 24 times! Jonah, Clara, and I went to watch for a bit, and Noelle excitedly waved to us every time she came by. She told me later that when she was doing it, she decided it wasn't really her thing. But she did it without complaining, and surpassed her goal. It was pretty funny watching the kindergartners start their first loop, and stop at the water station before even making it all the way around. 

Sweet Clara is growing so much! She continues to be a mostly happy baby, but we have had a few rough nights since she has a cold. For being sick, she's still doing really well. And it just means mama needs more coffee! Also, I dressed her in the Oregon Ducks outfit someone gave us, and cannot remember who it's from. Maybe a Seattle relative? Our only connection to Oregon is that I was born there, but we don't know anyone who lives there now. Mystery outfit that was originally given to either Noelle or Jonah.

Sunday was sunshiny and warm, and since we didn't have anything going on after dinner, we decided to check out the new ice cream place on Main Street. They sell ice cream from South Mountain Creamery, and it was of course delicious! We wandered around Main Street a little bit looking in the windows and checking out the Halloween decorations.

And I just love us, and the fact that he's willing to share a cup of ice cream with me, even if it's not the flavor he would have chosen. 

On Mondays, we pick up Jonah from preschool and do some tummy time. Life sure has been hectic lately, and some days all I feel like I'm doing is giving my kids snacks, wiping butts, and cleaning up toys and all the art supplies. But I know this phase is short, and that one day I'll miss it!

Clara: Three Month Update

Clara Irene is 3.5 months and I'm finally getting to this. I really don't want to forget all the fun milestones and details of this precious girl's life!

Height and Weight: No doctor's appointment this month, but a rough estimate of her weight with me holding her on the scale is about 10 and 1/4 lbs. So big!

Sleep: I put her to bed between 7:30-8:00 p.m., she wakes up around 2:00 a.m. to nurse, and then I wake her up around 7:00 a.m.for the day (unless she wakes up on her own before then.) She is still pretty consistently waking up once a night to nurse, and even had a few nights in a row of sleeping through the night. She's great about nursing, and going right back to sleep. And I've been re-watching Hart of Dixie for those middle of the night wake-ups. :)

Naps are inconsistent with all the craziness of school, MOPS, and play dates. If we don't have anything planned after dropping off Noelle, she has time for a longer morning nap. But in general, there's a short morning nap, short nap around lunchtime till time to pickup Noelle, and then a somewhat longer evening nap. Thankfully she's generally pretty happy!

Eating: It seems like our nursing journey is coming to an end. She's been fighting nursing on the left side for a little while since that produces so much less, and I have so little time, pumping just isn't happening in any consistent way.  Some of the nights she slept through the night, I pumped in the morning and got 3ish ounces on the right, and droplets on the left.

We always nurse first and then do a bottle of formula- usually 2-4 ounces at a time. Even though I don't love nursing, I've been focusing on the good this time around and am disappointed we haven't made it longer. Life is just chaotic and busy, and I know all that isn't helping. BUT she's growing, and ultimately that's all that matters!

Diapers/Clothing: Baby girl is in size one diapers, and has outgrown newborn clothes! I can't believe it's already time to pack them/give them away. I think I'll give my favorites to my sister in hopes that she gives me a niece some day!

Social/Milestones: We're getting lots of smiles, and lots of cooing/talking. Most of the time when we lay her on the changing pad, she starts smiling at us. She hasn't rolled over yet, but she really has so little time when she's not in the swing, the rock'n'play, the carseat, or being held that there's not much opportunity to try. Hopefully soon we have more time to dedicate to tummy time.

Likes: She really loves baths and watching big brother and sister play around her. If she's in the swing, she's usually content in it as long as there is another person in the room. She's also usually happy when I wear her in the wrap unless she's overtired or hungry.

Dislikes: We're still working on the carseat. It's been better, but there are still quite a few drives where she screams through the whole thing. There are times when she wants to be held or fed right then and there, but I have to get Noelle and Jonah dressed or help with the potty, so she has to wait and will often fuss. But overall, she's pretty content!

Fun things we've done: She of course met her great-grandma in Seattle, got to meet her Uncle Caleb, Aunt Debbie, cousin Alyssa, Aunt Ruth, Uncle Max, Aunt Hannah, and Uncle Nathan. We made some trips to Larriland, had a few play dates, started in both MOPS groups, and watched the big kids start school. All very fun and full of blessings!

some pictures:

Noelle starts kindergarten and is too busy for us

Clara joins the after church snapshot!

the three littlest Perrault cousins on a Dunkin date

reading with Jonah and Clara ("ok mom, I'm done with her")

not sure about whatever we're doing

Grove City College: 10 Year Reunion

After we picked up Noelle from school on Friday and ran around packing things last minute, we headed up to PA to Grove City College's homecoming. It was our 10 year reunion year and we were excited to see who all we would run into. And Luke and I could not stop talking about how old it sounds saying that we were freshman 14 years ago!

Luke and Megan: the college dating days

For the drive up I grabbed a shoebox labeled 'junior year' that contained all sorts of memories from (mostly) our junior year. I read the notes and emails Luke had sent me and we laughed at all the drama I caused us in our dating relationship (thank goodness we can do that now!) I found a note that my then 13 year old sister must have written my sophomore year when Luke and I started dating. It's hilarious, and so something Becky would have done back then. And there was also an email from Luke saying that when he told his sister Ruth that we had started dating she said "it's about time!" Oh how our families knew! :)

We drove up to Cranberry, PA to spend the night in a hotel, and Noelle and Jonah were SO excited.  Like jumping around, bouncing  off the walls, yelling  exuberantly  excited. We got there around 8:30 and thankfully got everyone in pajamas, teeth brushed, sound machine on, baby nursed, and everyone in a bed by 9:30. (Except for Luke who still had to do some work to do.) The baby only woke up once to nurse and Jonah only crawled into our bed once.

The next morning, we made the 40 minute drive up to Grove City and grabbed breakfast at the student union, aka the Gee, where we happened to run into some friends. I took the kids and showed them our mail slots, which Noelle was especially excited to see.

We joined in the 10 year reunion class picture and saw lots of familiar faces. Megan and Joe were there and we all watched the parade together, where Jonah shoveled candy into his mouth as quickly it was thrown out. We ran in to our friend Ryan and chatted for a bit before we headed back to the Gee so I could get the grilled chicken wrap for lunch (just as delicious as I remember!)

Next stop was the quad where I got to catch up with one of my freshman year roomies while Luke took the big kids to play in the kid zone. It really was so fun seeing people, catching up, and laughing about ridiculous college memories. (Like when my roommate and I walked out the door after 9 p.m. setting off the alarm, and me being the goody goody was like "what do we do??" And my roommate was like "run!" So we did, and we did not get caught.)

After the kids played for a bit, we walked over Rainbow Bridge to lower campus where the Greek Village was set up, and briefly stopped by the ABT tent. We threw some rocks into Wolf Creek and then headed back up to the quad for some more fun in the kid zone. We saw more friends and chatted while the kids played for awhile, and then headed back to the car to start the drive home.

It was a whirlwind trip, and the turnpike now costs $18.25 each direction (it was around $6 when we started at Grove City!), but it was SO worth all the craziness to see friends and feel all nostalgia on campus. Those four years were some of the best of my life, and the worst for all the drama I caused in our dating relationship, but I'm choosing to focus on the many good memories! And hey, it all turned out just right with Luke and I together, and friendships that will last a lifetime!

Showing Noelle the chapel

Noelle is unimpressed by the ABT tent

Watching the parade with my college boyfriend ;)

10 years older and yet we look exactly the same ;)

Smiles and Coos

Today after all the craziness of running around to drop off Noelle and Jonah, you sweet girl, laid in my arms cooing up at me and smiling SO big. The melt your heart kind of smiles that make your mama turn to mush. The kind of smiles that make every hard moment worth it.

You were supposed to be nursing and then going down for a nap. But instead, we just looked at each other, smiling and sticking our tongues out at each other.

I couldn't help but wonder if you'll be a talker like your brother. Or maybe you'll be the one to have a beautiful voice, and you'll sing your heart out like your big sister.

There are so many things you can do, sweet girl. And I love watching just who you are unfold before us.

Yesterday, I woke up to the sound of you cooing in the rock'n'play next to me. And as soon as I stood over you and reached down to unswaddle you, you smiled so big at me!

I love being your mama. I'm thankful you're in our little family, and a part of our crazy crew. Clara Irene, you are SO loved!