Spring-ish Pictures Despite the Snow

Springtime in Montana is NOT the wonderful spring of the South. Nothing is blooming yet except an early tulip or 2. It's been really windy and we've had snow on the ground the last few mornings. It typically melts throughout the day but overall it's pretty damp and muddy. There are still no birds around except for the arrival of the bald and golden eagles which are often spotted this time of year and the ducks and geese that return from their migration south. So we celebrate spring...indoors.

In this picture notice she's missing a sock. Baby socks never stay on their tiny feet. Why is that? Is it because they don't have ankles? She had one set of booties that would stay on because it had an elastic band around the ankles but she has outgrown them now. I can't believe she's still so tiny and yet so much bigger than she was.

We're at the stage now when EVERYTHING goes in the mouth...hands, fingers, pacis, toys, bunnies, and more as you'll see further down.

Our baby bunny

And Another Trip to the Doctor's Office:

The poor baby has impetigo on her face. Apparently this is a common bacterial infection babies can get and it has to be treated with antibiotics. I kept thinking she had baby acne and when we were at her 3 month check up the doctor told me to look out for impetigo because it could get worse. It cleared up for a while and then got worse again so it was time to take her back. We also found out she has thrush and diaper yeast. I asked the doctor why she got these things and it has nothing to do with her living environment but Ph imbalance in her body for whatever unknown reason. 3 prescriptions later and we're doing fine. It's actually amazing how resilient these babies are and how quickly their fresh skin heals.

In the next pictures she is wearing one of my dresses from when I was a baby. You can't find Feltman Brothers dresses in Montana. She looks like such a doll I can hardly stand it.

This weekend for Easter we are going to Stevensville. MamaV can't wait to show off her new grand baby. She remembers last Easter when another grandma got to show off her new grand baby and since then she's been looking forward to this occasion. Katie Rose will be the cutest little bunny ever! I'm also debating whether or not I should have her picture taken with the Easter Bunny at the mall. I'm thinking yes.

Updates

I am so sorry I haven't been a good blogger for the last month. I can't really say we haven't been up to much. say that not much has been going on. Nor can I say that too much has been going on, although my little girl keeps me very busy. The biggest change is that as of March 1, I am only working 4 days a week. I have every Monday off to spend with Katie Rose and to get things done that are better done during the week: clean the house, take baby and animals to appointments, pay bills, etc. I love having this day for ourselves. Robbie has Fridays off so this means she only goes to daycare 3 days a week - Tuesday through Thursday. I'm so thankful for this opportunity.

Last week I took her in for her 4 month check up. She is healthy and well weighing in at 12 lbs 9 oz putting her in the 24th percentile for height and weight. She's a bit of a small fry, but her head circumference is in the 80th percentile which means 1. She has big brains and 2. She could be a star. Mimi told me she read that celebrities usually have big heads which look better on camera or on stage. The doctor also politely acknowledged that Katie Rose is indeed an expressive child.

We talked about her sleeping or rather lack of sleeping. She naps well during the day but she wakes up 2 times a night to eat. She wakes up usually between 12 and 1 and again between 4 and 5. The doctor said, "You know, many 4 month olds sleep through the night." Uhm, wow, really? I've heard of these children and really and truly thought mine would be one of them, but she's not. But I love her anyway. Last night she slept 5 hours before eating and then slept 5 more. I hope it's a growing trend. At 4 months old she can roll over stomach to back and back to stomach. She's getting better at grabbing things intentionally. Last night she fell asleep on her play mat and had rolled on her side with the bug leg still in her tight little grip. She got a bumbo seat so she can sit up and play with her toys on her play mat. She kicks her legs alot more especially in the bathtub splashing water everywhere. And she's eating rice cereal every night and loves it. I am hoping it will help her sleep better. She loves being carried around in her snugli pouch. The other day I put her in her pouch while we threw the ball for Shuge. Last weekend we went for a short hike at the Lewis and Clark Caverns trailhead.

A side story on the hike last weekend:

People make fun of me because my car is usually full of junk and really, it is full of junk. However, if you ever need anything, you can almost always find it in my car. When we went for our hike it was a little cooler and breezier than I anticipated, but it wasn't cool enough for the jacket I brought. In my car were 3 bags of "junk." One bag contained maternity clothes I never wore where I found a light weight sweater perfect for the hike. Another bag contained a bag of baby clothes I meant to take to Sak's (local thrift store) 3 weeks ago. Inside the bag was a zip up fleece for baby to wear. My car may contain alot of stuff, but I like to think I'm just prepared. Catherine Kelly said it well when she called my car a treasure trough.

Robbie's parents have been over twice in the last month. This past weekend was especially nice because they brought Grandma Rose and Grandpa Bob. We stayed at the house most of the weekend visiting, making fry bread, eating, playing cards, and oohing and ahhing over Katie Rose. I wondered what the world must look like through her eyes. Everything is so new. I thought how bizarre it must seem for everyone around you to be in your face making funny noises and acting like a fool just to make you smile.