Calum at Four Months

I can’t believe my baby boy is four months old! It makes me sad to think of how quickly this time has flown.

I have many things to share about Calum at four months (I kept a list this month, so I wouldn’t forget things, like I have on the previous month milestones), so settle in for a read.

Calum is still wearing size 2 diapers, but I think the next box we buy will be size 3. They don’t seem to be long enough on most occasions. They fit around his waist, but they don’t come up high enough, especially in the back. We have poopy accidents rather regularly. I think I am ready to try a new brand of diaper too.

Calum is wearing 6-9 month and 9 month clothing. His six month sleepers are too short. I am not a fan of baby clothing sizing. Calum fits well in 6-9 month outfits. He can wear 9 month sleepers, unless they are the fleece or terrycloth fabrics- those are too long (by a lot). I bought one nine month outfit that was too short the first time I put it on him! Much too short- but he wore it to church anyway! It was the first and last time that outfit will be worn by Mr. Calum.

Calum has had 18 weeks of breastmilk- 4 whole months! I am rather proud of myself for keeping up the pumping for my little man, but the time has come for that to end. I quit pumping and Calum is now drinking my stored milk (I have an entire deep freeze full) and a little formula too.

I am disappointed that much of my frozen milk isn’t good. I apparently have an excess of lipase in my milk, which has caused my earlier milk to become odd in taste and odor. What I have read says that if your baby will drink it, it will not hurt him. Well, I tasted it and it turned my stomach, so I just can’t bring myself to feed it to Calum, even though he hasn’t complained. My more recent milk is much better and he has been getting that in his bottles, along with a little formula to top them off (most of the milk was stored in 5 oz. increments, but Calum drinks about 7 ounces at each feeding, so we mix in formula to make up the difference and to get him used to drinking it).

Calum still sleeps about 7 hours each night, which is great, but down from his few nights of 9 hours that I was hoping would last. I have been trying to get him in bed at a decent time (around 8:30), but lately he isn’t down for the night until about 10:00 or later. Even when we get him bathed and in the bed, he will still wake up for another feeding. Oh well- some babies don’t even sleep 7 hours at 4 months, so I am counting us lucky.

Now, let’s talk about the fun and funny stuff!

Calum, my little wiggle worm, has started expressing his desire to sit up, instead of recline- meaning he fusses when he isn’t how he likes it. Lol! He now has to be strapped into his swing and bouncy/rocking seats because he wants to sit up and wiggle around a lot. We are even having issues at bath time with him wanting to sit upright, so we got him a bath seat (a lot like a Bumbo seat) so he can sit upright in the bathtub, instead of reclining in his baby tub. He hasn’t really gotten the hang of the bath seat yet. It might work better for him in the months to come.

So, Calum likes to sit up, with support, whenever possible. He has started bending and reaching out for things he wants. He loves his feet, playing with the TV remote, “texting” on the cellphone (have you gotten a sweet Calum text yet?), and scratching things. Yes, Calum loves to scratch the couch, the mesh of his pack-n-play, blankets, etc. He also LOVES Damon’s facial hair. Damon will rub Calum’s feet on his beard and Calum will laugh repeatedly! Calum likes to grab at Damon’s hairy face too!

In addition to sitting with support, Calum likes to stand. If you hold him upright, with his feet in your lap, Calum likes to do some booty shaking. Many times he will put one foot down and then stand on it with his other foot. I am not sure why he does this, but it often looks like he is trying not to pee himself, as he is standing with his legs crossed for the most part. It’s really cute. He also likes to “jump” in his doorway jumper. Really he just kinda stands there and turns circles, doing a little bunny hop every now and then. Damon jokes that he will be a ballerina.

Calum still LOVEs to suck/chew on his fingers and he loves to watch football! He enjoyed the National Championship very much, as did we all! He loves silver things too! Seriously. He is fascinated with bolts, door hinges, and the overflow drain in the bathtub. When on his tummy, Calum pushes up on his hands sometimes- always on his elbows- and has started trying to roll over; however, he usually just chills on his tummy, playing with anything he can get his hands on.

Well, that’s all for now. In the blink of an eye I will be writing his 5 month update. Too fast! It’s going by too fast!