Mommy's Best Birthday

Dear Tatum,

Yesterday we had beautiful weather again, so we started off the day with a walk. You fell asleep shortly after we left the house, just after Mommy told you that it was her birthday and that you were the best gift she could possibly have received. I can remember wishing that I would find out I was pregnant on my birthday last year... and now you are here and already almost 5 months old.

For my birthday, I received several nice gifts. My favorite is a birthday card from you. Yes, I am sure your Daddy had something to do with it, but he claims you did it all on your own. Inside there was a handwritten poem in which Daddy said you wrote:

Love you for the diapers you clean
Love you 'cause you're never mean
Love you for the sleepless nights
Love you for the toys with blinking lights
Love you for the milk you give
Love you 'cause you make me live!

It made Mommy cry. When I asked if you had help from Daddy, you just smiled.

There seemed to be a Tatum theme among all of my presents this year. I received a few nursing tops so we are more comfortable nursing in public and in front of others. A sewing machine so that we can work on our secret Tatum project. A beautiful mother and baby pendant with your birthstone from Daddy (again this also brought tears to my eyes). A picture bracelet, a Tatum charm and a picture purse.
I love all of my "Tatum Gear."

You truly are the best present I could have ever been given. I am thankful for you every day. You made this birthday a very special one, thank you.

I love you.
Love,

Mommy

4th Month Milestones

Dear Tatum,

It has been over a week since I have written last. Your feeding schedule is once again extremely demanding. You did give me one full night of rest after my last letter... thank you! I thought maybe you were going through another growth spurt, however, we went to the doctor on Friday and you only gained 7 ounces and grew an inch taller. Daddy and I were very shocked when we saw the scale. The doctor expressed some concern and advised us to start giving you some formula after each feeding. I'm not sure how I feel about this yet, but I have been doing as the doctor said. Most of the time you just push the formula away and a couple of times you took it. Mommy plans to continue to nurse you and will be looking for another doctor for second opinion. Your overall weight has more than doubled in 4 months and that is still really good... actually great! Maybe it was because you were sick with an eye infection or maybe it is a result of low milk supply because Mommy was tired or even stressed. I'm not sure, but I am going to continue to nurse you for a while yet.

You are beginning to smile more and more. Last week your cousin Michael came for a visit and when you noticed him, you smiled. It was such an exciting moment. You also have begun smiling at yourself in the mirror.

We have also had the pleasure of hearing you beautiful voice more and more. You are making new sounds daily and I could listen to it all day long. Today you talked yourself to sleep for your afternoon nap. That was a first.

The TV has become a significant source of interest for you. This has me a little concerned as it is not recommended that children under the age of two watch any TV. Studies show that TV time before this age is linked to ADHD. I used to keep the TV on during the day while we played on the floor, until you found Martha Stewart more interesting than Mommies singing. So... off it goes.

You are now using your hands to grab just about anything you can. You study things for a while and then you go for it. You play everyday with this ferris wheel type rattle. You have figured out how to make it spin and make lots of noise. It's fun to watch you play.

In the past couple of weeks you have become quite upset whenever you are held by anyone but Mommy. This has happened several times and it takes a lot of work for Mommy to get you to calm down. It makes me feel just horrible inside, both for you and for the person holding you. You and I spend a lot of time together and I know you are just used to me more than anyone, but we are going to try to slowly teach you that it is okay to be held by other family members. Believe me when I say it is just as hard for me as it is for you. I don't want to leave you any more than you want me to. It tears my heart up to hear you scream when others hold you. I absolutely can't stand to see you so upset. There will be times that I will need to leave you with your Grandparents or other family members and I want you to be secure. We will work on it slowly, I just wish you could understand that it is not to hurt you and that I love you more than you will ever know.

Here is a picture of you in your Bumbo seat. You are still a little small for it, but you sit it in it pretty well.

We didn't read a book today, however, you did have your first bedtime massage. Mommy learned today that a nightly massage will help you grow as well as help you sleep better. It will become our nightly ritual.

I love you baby girl!
Sweat dreams.

Love,
Mommy

Drooling Beauty

Hi Tatum,

You have begun to drool and gnaw at your hands quite intensely. So much that it might be time for you start wearing a bib. We have some adorable slobbery pictures of you... this is my favorite. Daddy was playing airplane with you as you were drooling on him.


It has been unusually nice outdoors for the past couple of days. Record breaking temperatures of 73 degrees allowed us to take you outdoors for your first walk with Mommy and Daddy. The first walk was on Sunday, we stopped at the Corner Store to pick up some cool drinks and then off we went. By the time we hit the sidewalk you were sound to sleep. Up until that point you were very alert and looked around quite a bit. We went for second walk on Tuesday and again you enjoyed it until you fell asleep. We had a very nice time and I look forward to spring so that we can walk everyday.

Here is another picture of you from Tuesday. It is absolutely my favorite, I just love it and plan to display it in our home. You are a beautiful baby.

You are possibly going through another growth spurt as you have been waking up throughout the nights again. Your naps only last about 15 minutes as well. This means Mommy hasn't had much sleep in the past couple of days either and I am feeling extremely tired as I had already forgotten what it is like to go 2 days without sleep. I'm going to bed now and praying that you are able to get a full nights rest so that we can play tomorrow.

Sleep tight my little angel. You are the world to me.

Love,
Mommy

Four Month Update

Dear Tatum,

It is hard to believe that you are four months already. Time seems to be going by so quickly. You have grown into a real little baby. Not that you weren't to begin with, but given that you were a preemie, you started off so fragile and tiny. You now look like a regular size baby, just not as big as the other four-month-old babies. You are very petite for your age.

Your fun discussions with the ceiling fan take place several times per day. Since the ceiling fan seems to be one of your best friends I decided to give it a name. We now call it, Blade. You have lots of fun with Blade and he makes you laugh quite a bit. Blade puts a smile on your face each and every time you awake.

Your sleeping is becoming more and more consistent. You usually go to sleep for the evening anywhere between 8:00pm and 10:30pm. For the most part you sleep through the night until 6:00am. There is the occasional middle of the night feeding here and there, but not that often. Your routine now consists of waking at about 6:00am, playing for maybe 45 minutes, letting out a whine or a good cry for a couple minutes until I rock you back to sleep. This continues all day long every two to three hours. This is allowing Mommy to get more and more done around the house. Every once in a while you will stay awake between two feedings. I will usually strap you to my chest in the baby carrier and you help me with whatever needs to be done. You have helped make several lunches and dinners this week for Daddy and me. This week you made Chicken Tortilla soup, shrimp and pasta, turkey sandwiches and much more. I walk you through it step by step.

We also experienced your first public tantrum last weekend. We went to dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Carter for Grandma Rhonda's birthday. We arrived to the restaurant at 4:30pm and that was a good thing considering we were their first customers of the evening. You woke up and began to cry. It was definitely your, "I'm tired and I want to sleep right now" cry. Grandpa Dale took you for a little walk around the dining room to sooth you. By this time the restaurant was beginning to fill up. We decided it would be best to package you up and leave on our own before we were asked to leave. (Note to Grandma Vicki and Grandpa Larry: I know what you are thinking... I deserve it. After the standing ovations you received when leaving restaurants when I was a little girl. It's my time to experience it and I am happy that you can smile about it now).

You are using your hands more and more. You actually used your fingers to rub my arm today. You were very focused as you made the connection that you could feel my arm. It was really a cool moment for Mommy as well.

Crying the Blues is something Daddy came up with. We discovered when it sounds as if you have the blues while you are talking, that it means your diaper is dirty. It is a funny little way that you express your emotions. Your language development is really coming along. We have lots of conversations together now. You are beginning to make many more sounds. Here are a few other changes as well... Your belly button has gone down significantly and is almost an inny. This means your stomach muscles are developing. Your eyelashes are growing longer and curling. You have such beautiful eyes and the color is changing too. Your cheeks and chin continue to plump up. You look like a very healthy baby.

Today's book: Baby Einstein's "Baby Noah World Animals"

Mommy's favorite book of yours is, Baby Einstein's "Baby MacDonald on the Farm." We have read that one several times now. The fun way in which it is written, makes it lots of fun to read. Here is a sample of it:

Pretty pigs,
Important pigs,
Splash-in-puddle sloppy pigs,
Smiling-like-they're-silly pigs!
Pink-as-cotton-candy pigs,
Spotted-white-and-blackish pigs,
Perfect, muddy, oinking pigs
With little eyes and bellies big,
Stinky, sweetly smelling pigs.

I never thought I would have this much fun. I love you.
Goodnight my baby girl.
Love,
Mommy