20 Weeks

You are such a beautiful little person. Lately we’ve really noticed how you are starting to have your own special personality – you are already such an individual. You seem to be very sensitive to your surroundings. You have already started noticing our cat, Winston, and you listen to everything that happens around you when we go somewhere else. If it is too noisy you don’t like it very much. You like to go on walks and look at all the leaves and trees.

Also, you seem to be someone who loves (needs!) to be close to other people. You do not like to sleep in your crib very much – in fact you can be impossible to lie down because you are so sensitive you wake up right away (except for the occasional nap). You’d much rather sleep in my arms or snuggled up right next to me and dad. You sleep in our bed and lately you’ve been waking up every 2 or 3 hours. I think it’s because you’re teething and have become so aware of your surroundings. I usually don’t get out of bed, though, I just snuggle you or nurse you and you go back to sleep. Sometimes it’s hard when you wake so much, but we’re usually rested and happy in the day. In the mornings you wake up early (about 5:30 or 6) right before dad gets up and you make funny noises and kick your feet. Sometimes if we’re lucky on the weekends you’ll sleep to 8 or even 9! It’s like you know it’s Saturday or Sunday!

You’ve started experimenting with all the sounds your mouth makes – raspberries, yelling, trying to make baby sentences. It’s hilarious to listen to – sometimes you look at me very seriously and “talk” on and on.

Let’s see… what do you like lately? You seem to love the book Goodnight Moon and will touch the pictures as I read it to you. You also love to grab my hair. You are teething now, and drool CONSTANTLY. When we lift you up in the air (dad does it best) you smile big and then a huge drool bomb comes out of your mouth, landing on our face or clothes. You chew on your fingers all the time – but won’t chew on toys too much. You don’t like pacifiers either.

Big milestones – you started rolling over when you were about 3 ½ months old. Most other babies don’t roll over that early. And you can do it both ways now, so you love to flip around. We lay you on the carpet with your diaper off and you squirm around, getting your knees under your little butt like you’re going to stand up. It’s so funny to watch. You really don’t cry all that much anymore. In fact, now that I think about it, over the past week you’ve hardly cried at all – maybe a total of an hour! You have started to realize that we’re here for you when you need us, anytime, so now you have a repertoire of baby “complaining” noises that you can use instead of crying, including “uh, uh, uh” “ahhhhh!!!” or breathing fast.

All in all you are so much fun and such an adorable, loving baby. I just love watching you, letting you grow how you need to, taking care of you, and listening to you.