It all started with his first bath. You've all seen the video of it back a few months ago. Billy didn't utter a peep. He loved every minute of it, from sitting in the water to having cups of water poured on him. He was good to go. We then moved him up a level to the jacuzzi tub to see how he'd like that and the response was quite the same. An initial shock and unsure look, followed quickly by a very cool, calm, relaxed attitude.
Well, today marked Billy's 4 month birthday, and since he could now use sunscreen, we took advantage, threw some on him, and took him to my former boss' swimming pool. There were only a few people there, as it was a fairly overcast day, so we basically had the whole pool to ourselves. He loved it. Nearly half asleep by the time we got to the pool, he quickly exhausted the remaining energy he had left with about 15-20 minutes of straight kicking/swimming and wore himself out so much that he nearly fell asleep in his mother's arms while still in the pool. Now that is one relaxed kid. Clearly he loves the water, which is both a good thing and a bad thing in Florida. With water everywhere, he should have the time of his life living down here if he loves the water, but while young, we will need to keep a strict eye on the little guy.
As I stated earlier, today is Billy's 4 month birthday, and this date marks a whole host of changes with his life. In a week or two, Billy will visit the doctor for his 4 month checkup, and assuming everything is good, he will be allowed to progress in several important ways. For one, which we already covered, he can wear sunscreen, meaning the entire world outside is about to open up for him. Just in time, too. Babies at this age, can typically now see much greater distances and many can see in the full range of colors. This is clearly noticeable with this little guy when you see him watching you from across the room. Another major leap for him will be the introduction of solid foods into his diet. With doctor's orders, Billy will begin to supplement his meals with rice cereal. Sounds absolutely disgusting, but I guess babies like it. Billy can also hold his head up in a solid pushup position at this point. Within a week or so, we will be taking advantage of this new physical ability by purchasing one of those little kids play spinning seat things. I'll talk more about that once we add it to his arsenal of toys.
For the bad news. The 4 month mark also means the admission of another round of vaccinations. In case you don't remember how that went down last time, let's just say not very well at all. Billy took it up a few decibels until his Mother could calm him down. When I find out what he'll be having, I'll update the blog that week with the details. In other good and bad news, this is the earliest age at which babies can begin to cut their first tooth. Billy has begun teething weeks ago, highlighted by his increased saliva (drool) levels. Typically a sign that his teeth have begun working their way through the gum line toward the outside world.
In other "only parents care" news, Billy has begun arching his back now. While this sounds relatively unimportant, it really isn't. Since he hasn't figured out how to roll over from his back to front just yet (still can't get around that arm), he makes up for it by this back arching nonsense. Essentially, he's learned he can push off with his feet and uses this new skill to propel himself 3-4 feet from where he started in just a matter of seconds. Its a fast paced little scoot from his back that has taken the place of a roll, I guess. The back arching also occurs when you're holding him and he wants down. Most of you parents know this feeling. Feet push, back arches, arms go up, and the babies seem to become slippery like Jell-o. He seems a bit young for that, but oh well. We'll work our way through it.
His growth is still solid. He's now 26 inches long, which puts him in the 85th percentile in length for a 4 month old child. Billy remains a very content and happy little baby. We certainly can't complain. I hope you all enjoyed the picture and I'll update with a video tonight or tomorow morning.
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