what to expect.......

I was perusing my baby bible - aka what to expect the first year- and I found the what your baby may be doing section in the fourth month. Shay is really on schedule. First I will tell you all she can do, then I will tell where she needs improvement.

She can laugh out loud. This is hands down the best sound I have ever heard!

She can follow an object that I move from one side to the other and up and down. This is how I entertain her sometimes at alysha's orthodontic appointments. She has this caterpillar teething ring that I will just move around and she will watch it for like hours.

She can roll over. Interestingly, she does not do it much anymore. I think she realized how much she hates being on her tummy and she cannot roll back over, so she just stopped. who knows?

She can hold her head steady when upright, no more bobbly head. Her head is really strong now.

She can grasp a rattle or object with her fingers when I put them there, although she has no idea she is holding it. lol.

She turns in the my direction when I call her name. It is so sweet that she knows mommy and sissy so well.

She recognizes strangers. She cried when she saw meemaw last week. She cries when strangers come up and speak to her if she cannot see me too.

She says agoo or similar consonant vowel sounds. That baby's sings all the time.

She can bear weight on her legs when held upright. She loves to stand and her legs are very
strong. She likes to be upright and she has since she was three months old.

She squeals in delight. She has this butterfly thing over her changing table that makes her just soo very happy. I wind that thing up and she will lay there and squeal at that thing for twenty minutes, or as long as I will stand there.

She cannot:

raise her chest supported by her arms while on her stomach. She still HATES being on her tummy. She still cannot raise her head while on her stomach, cause she cries after two minutes of being down there. sigh. I do however, faithfully put her on her stomach once a day.

She does not reach for objects. She does grab them sometimes, but is purely by accident.

She cannot sit without support. I do prop her up and she can sit there, but not on her own. Her head it ready, but her body is not.

she does not object if you take a toy away. She still is in that "out of sight, out of mind" stage, which I love. I remember when alysha got to where she realized the object was still out there somewhere.... haha. It is easier when they don't know.


Babies are amazing little miracles!! I just love the feel of that little body in my arms. I look at Alysha, who is twelve, and I am amazed thinking that Shay will be that big one day. (or that alysha was ever that tiny baby....) They grow up so fast, enjoy your babies as long as you have them. My advice for the day.