The Janzens: Stella is 4 Months Old!

Stella Bella,
You are starting to show your personality a bit more this month which is fun to see. It looks like we've got another laid back, easy going girl in the family! That makes 3 easy going girls . . . oh, wait. To use one of Linnea's lines "that isn't true"! So maybe two laid back little girls and a laid-back daddy. Maybe that is why mama isn't as laid back ;p.

1 Week to 4 Months Old

You are often referred to as Stella Bella or Stellu (because Linnea is Neenu (nicknames are weird) so naturally, you would be Stellu).

Stats
At your 4.5 month well baby check up you weighed 5.782 kg (12 lbs 12 oz) and in the 14th percentile. You were 63 cm (24.8 inch) long which is in the 52nd percentile. Your head was 41 cm (16.1 inches) around which is the 52nd percentile.

Eating
You are eating 4-5 times a day. According to the Baby Sleep Solution book, you should be eating 4 times a day every 4 hours. But in the evenings you like a little bonus feed and you are pretty convincing. In fact, it seems you sleep better with the bonus feed than without and it only takes a few minutes so it isn't that big of a deal.

You are starting to get distracted while you eat. If you hear a loud noise, someone talking or singing you stop nursing and look around. It is cute but also leaves me a little exposed. Sometimes I have to remind your dad and sister to be a little quieter while you eat.

Sleeping
You sleep through the night about 50% of the time. The hardest part is that you wake up between 3-630 and since you are still sleeping next to the bed in the bedside crib I wake up when you wake up. You aren't fussing or crying you are just awake which means I am as well. I tried feeding you hoping that would get you to fall back to sleep but you weren't actually hungry. Towards the end of this month, I realized it was time for you to move into your own room.

You sleep with one arm swaddled and the other arm out. I've also tried leaving both arms out which seems to work okay. We bought blackout curtains and hung them up in our room because I was thinking maybe the sun was waking you up since the sunrise was around 4 am! It helped for a few nights but then you started waking up again. I'm anxious to get you into your own room. We moved Linnea into her own room at 4 months and it was really helpful!

Clothes
You are wearing size 62 clothes (with a few 56 and 68 mixed in). You are outgrowing size 3-month clothes and can wear some 6-month clothes. You've worn way more warm weather clothes than I thought you would. We had about 3.5 weeks of perfect (65-80 degree) summer weather and that was all before June! May in Stockholm is usually gorgeous and this year was extra nice! You are in size 3 Libero diapers (size 2 Huggies).

Playtime
You are slowly coming around to tummy time. I've been putting you on the couch on your belly and you seem to like that. You are elevated a little bit so you can see more.

You love looking at books and reading books with me just like your sister! You also like it when Linnea reads books to you.

You started grabbing toys this month and putting them in your mouth. You love the rings that are hanging on your stroller.

Your favorite toy has lots of curved pieces that fit into your mouth very nicely! I love watching you figure out how to play with something.

You love to swing your right hand at the rings on your stroller.

You've been playing in the bumbo while I do dinner prep or work in the kitchen. You seem to like it.

You went down your first slide on my lap and seemed to enjoy it. Linnea thought it was super fun and she also thought you were ready to slide down on your own!

Chewing on your hands and sitting in your bouncy seat are definitely favorite activities.

Our Days
We are starting to get a pretty good rhythm going. I will say I was much more strict with Linnea's eating and sleeping schedule. She was pretty much down to the minute which was nice because she was predictable. You think you need to eat at 7:15 and then again at 10:45 instead of waiting until 11:15. I've been ~~lazy~~ flexible with you and it seems to work but I've realized if I want to leave you it is harder to give someone your schedule since you get more freedom.

We've been keeping busy with grocery shopping, lunch dates, going to the park after we pick up your sister and doing other odds and ends.

Linnea was 3 months old when we moved back to the US so she doesn't sleep in her stroller as well as other Swedish kids. My goal is for you to be great at sleeping in your crib and your stroller. So far you rock at both! I can put you down for your nap and then run errands while you sleep. It is great!

You had another cough for a week or two this month but it didn't seem to bother you. You did spit up more but I think that helped clear everything out.

Activities and Outings
You turned 3 months old while we were in the US so we spent the first week of your 4th month hanging out with friends and family.

Playing with cousins

This is my Aunt Susan and Uncle John's family (my dad's sister). My cousin Danielle just had a baby 6 weeks after Stella was born. It has been so fun talking about all things baby in the middle of the night with her.

We spent some time at Jake's parents' house and my parents' house.

We had a roommates reunion with my college roommates and their families.

Walking to the park with our crew. In total, we have 8 adults and 9 kids. Emily's 3rd kid made us officially outnumbered!

I have tons of pictures of the girls but not many with me and the girls so I love when I have one!

I LOVE these girls, their hubbies and their kids. We had a great time. And the kids are actually old enough that all of us adults hung out outside while the kids were watching a movie and playing. Long distance friendships are hard to maintain but we've found a good groove and it makes me so happy to reconnect whenever we are home.

Then we headed back to KC for two days before heading back to Stockholm.

Stella did a great job readjusting to the timezone in Stockholm.

We had a great time staying with Jan's family. So thankful for her hospitality and her friendship.

The girls did a great job on the flight back. They both slept the majority of the flight. This baby bassinet is definitely a lifesaver with an infant.

Jon and Liz came to visit us from the US. We had a great time hanging out with them and thankfully you are easy going enough that we could still play tour guide with them.

We took Jon and Liz on a boat ride. This was Stella's first boat ride which was around 3.5 months old. Linnea's first boat ride was at 6 weeks when we went to the archipelago.

Firsts and New Skills
Month 4 is one of my favorite months. You can sit up and hold your head and body pretty well and you are perfectly content looking around. I don't have to try to entertain you much but you also doesn't try to get away. This is such a sweet spot in my opinion.

Sister Moments
I know I've said this every month but Linnea is so sweet with Stella. Still no jealousy at all. Linnea is caring and interested in Stella.

Linnea will read to her or sing to her. She also is repeating what we say to Stella. "Stella, do you like that?" "Stella, it's okay, Stella. Mama is coming back."

When we were shopping for double strollers. Linnea wanted a side by side one so she could sit next to the baby and she LOVES it!

Linnea New Skills
There is a park near us that we call the Owl Park because it has two big owls with slides coming out of them. The park has several sections with age suggestions. The owl part of the park with the big slides is for 6 year olds. Linnea can now climb all the way to the top of the owls and go down by herself. There is also a mushroom slide with a really tricky ladder and she can do that one by herself as well. Which only gives me a mild panic attack!

Linnea Funnies/Quotes
A few of Linnea's phrases:
"I love you wittle bit" while holding her thumb and pointer finger close together.
"Can I look at that on the puter?" = computer

When we are talking to Linnea we will often ask her "Do you know what ____ is?" or "Do you know what we are going to do?" and she responds with "Yeah, what is _________?" Or "Yeah, What are we going to do?" So she says yes but doesn't actually know. We are working on her saying, "No, what is ____?"

We were at the playground the other day as a family and Linnea wanted me to slide down with her. Another kid was blocking part of the slide so she told him, in Swedish, that her mom was going to sit down and slide. She's already fighting my Swedish battles!

It has been so warm recently that Linnea has been playing in the splash ponds around the city. It seems that kids in Stockholm either swim naked or they swim with long sleeves and sometimes long pants. Linnea would prefer to swim naked most days but I try to at least get her to wear bottoms.