:: Mr Willem at 4 Months ::

 

I remember saying to mum when I was younger that babies were the cutest at 4 months old. What do you think; yea or nay?

 

I don't know about them being the cutest (I have a feeling there is a lot more cuteness to come) but they sure start developing in leaps and bounds at this age, and become a lot more fun.

 

It's amazing the subtle things you notice as a mother. You notice, well, everything. I was thinking one day while I was sitting at the table with Willem on my lap and a hot cup of tea in front of me, how it felt strange that Willem wasn't reaching out to grab the cup. I usually think of babies as a 'grabby' species. But he wasn't up to that stage yet. That got me thinking about the transition. What did that look like? From a little bub that just stares blankly at a toy, to one who will grab, tug and slobber everything in it's reach. As many siblings as I have, I couldn't recall the transition. Until I witnessed it myself about a month ago. I was routinely holding a colourful toy up to his face, when his tiny hands suddenly verrrrry slowly, completely involuntarily, rose up toward it - then dropped back down. I was so excited. My friend Fiona was staying at the time, and I'm sure she can testify to my giddiness that only a mother could understand, "Look! He's never done that before!" He still couldn't quite grab it, but his hands would ever so slowly rise up towards things after that moment, until his eyes left the object and his hands would return to his sides. Now of course he can grab anything and I'm quickly rethinking my excitement at this new 'skill'.

 

 

 

I'm also facinated at the strange motherhood tendancy to think when something bad happens, that it's going to keep happening. Like when one day Willem wouldn't feed from me (or at least only a couple of sucks) and then reject me, squirming. I panic and worry that I'll lose my milk because he won't drink from me anymore. And worry that he hasn't been 'getting enough' (umm, hello rolls of fat?!). Of course the next day he's drinking fine. Or when he wakes up a bit more frequently at night, including one 2-hourly-feed-marathon. Oh, it's always going to be like this now! Followed by a night with a consecutive 7-hour and 5-hour sleeps. So it's not the end of my life after all. We all know to expect bad nights - what's with the "it'll always be like this!!" panic mode in the meantime, when I know better? Maybe it's just me.

 

But 4 months is a great age. You can flick them on your hip and do some one-handed-wonders in the kitchen. You can sit them in your lap and watch TV and know they'll be content to watch with you for a good while longer (Willem had his 3rd visit to the cinema last week. He watched for the first hour, slept for the next 1/2 hour and was happy-but-had-to-be-held-up-the-back for the last 1/2 hour of "The Lone Ranger"). They also LOVE their daddies being silly at them. So much laughter and joy. Today we even sat outside in the sun together for lunch for the first time. Love the little bits of extra freedom that multiply with each week.

 

 

 

Each stage is so short. If you have a little one, dear mummies, don't fear that your current handicaps are there to stay. Appreciate it for today!