Lucy and Ellory- Four months. ~ A Day with the De Jongs

Lucy and Ellory are four months! This was a good month. They are such sweet babies! I remember the first two months being the hardest with Norah, and I would say the same this time around too. I feel better as they are sleeping better, and we are all figuring each other out more and getting into a new normal. Not that it's easy, but more manageable. I told Kley that we need to treasure this time before they start becoming mobile. That won't be bad, but will definitely keep us on our toes more! They are cooing and occasionally giggling and it's the best ever! We took our first trip to Des Moines this month and they did great- way better than I thought they would!

Stats/doctor visits: I took them to the doctor to be weighed on 6/12, at 15 weeks, specifically because I wanted to see what Lucy weighed to make sure she was gaining. Ellory was 12 lbs 15 oz, and Lucy was 11 lbs 1 oz. Since their last appointment at two months, Ellory had gained 3 lbs 1 oz, and Lucy had gained two pounds, so Ellory is only one ounce shy of being a full two pounds bigger. Thankfully, Lucy is doing okay and she is just a peanut. She had remained in her same percentile for weight, so she didn't go down at least.

At their four month appointment, Ellory was 24” (30%), 13 lbs 8 oz (35%), and head circumference 16” (52%). Those percentages are for the “normal” babies, but her adjusted percentages (because she was a preemie), are about 60% for weight, slightly below 50% for length, and about 80% for HC. Since her two month appointment, she had gained 3 lbs 10 oz. Lucy was 24.25” (41%), 11 lbs 6 oz (4%), and head circumference 15.75” (32%). Her adjusted percentages are slightly below 50% for weight, slightly less than 90% for length, and about 75% for HC. Since her two month appointment, she had gained 2 lbs 5 oz. Adjusted age is based off their due date, so since they were born 4.5 weeks early, those percentages are compared with that age instead of their chronological age (so basically comparing them to other three month babies instead of four month babies).

Feeding: Their feedings vary a tad depending on how they sleep at night, but overall still the same with eating about every three hours during the day and sometimes once at night. So, they have an early morning, midmorning, early afternoon, late afternoon, evening, and bedtime feeding. They have an evening bottle, and an afternoon bottle if I have help (because trying to get Norah to nap, bottle feed, and pump by myself is a lot!), with fortified milk (my breast milk mixed with special preemie formula to make it higher calorie) to help them gain weight. They bumped up a little, and Ellory drinks 4 oz and Lucy drinks 3.5. Ellory drinks/nurses like a champion and never leaves any behind. Lucy nurses pretty well, but sometimes has trouble with the bottle. She will either drink it fine without issue, or have big problems and gag/spit the nipple out. We can't figure out why!

Diapers/clothes: Both are still in size 1 diapers and 3 month clothes. Ellory is about maxing them out, but Lucy still fits well in them. I put away all the 0-3 month clothes at 14 weeks, so they just have 3 month and a few 3-6 month things (at 15 weeks). The 3-6 month are still a tad big, but I put one on Ellory and it wasn't as big as I thought it would be. They are growing quickly! Hard to believe they were only five pounds when they were born!

Sleeping: They are sleeping much better and we are so thankful! Getting more sleep at night feels so amazing. It already feels shocking that we were up with them so often in the night not that long ago. The first time they slept through the night was 5/30 at 13 weeks. After a trip to Des Moines where they slept in their own pack and plays, we kept it going and put them in their own cribs at 13 weeks. They are usually asleep by 11 and sometimes sleep through the night (hallelujah!) until 7:30-8, with sometimes just waking once around 5. Most mornings they go back to sleep until between 9:30-10:30. We are not taking for granted what a gift good sleep is! Lucy is easier to get to sleep than Ellory, and seems to nap a bit more than Ellory during the day.. Ellory sometimes cries when we lay her down and needs more rocking/coaxing to sleep.

Developments: The smiles, giggles, and coos are the best! Lucy is more talkative and Ellory is more smiley. We heard Ellory's first giggle at 14 weeks and Lucy's at 16 weeks. They are starting to grab things more, especially Lucy. Lucy loves to blow spit bubbles. We've said that Lucy has more leg strength and likes to be more straight out, and Ellory likes to be more balled up and has more core/head strength. Ellory is still the more content baby, but Lucy isn't bad- she just likes to be held more! They are moving more too, and aren't in the same spot you left them. You cannot leave Lucy alone on the Boppy loungers anymore, as she digs her heals in and throws her head off the back, and has even flung herself off onto the couch a couple times.

Favorites: Ellory still likes her paci sometimes, but not as much as she used to. She started sucking her right thumb, especially in her crib, just like Norah. Lucy doesn't like her paci or her thumb. They both really like taking baths and being in the water. They, thankfully, like their car seats and almost always sleep in the car. Ellory especially likes to face outward now when being held. Lucy likes to listen to quiet music, and it seems to calm her when upset. They like to look at the animals on their activity mat, and love to watch the fan spin. They don't really have a favorite seat or spot to be, and seem to like them all. We love you both so much!