Hickster Happenings: Walker-4 months

Walker's three month post is still in my drafts- I never got any good pictures with his three month tie sticker and kept wanting Paul to be home to help me get some good ones and it just never happened. Anywho, here I am with a detailed post about our sweet boy who was four months a week ago today. He went to the doctor on Friday for his well visit and his weight percentage had dropped significantly on his curve. The doctor was concerned and of course Mama was too. I knew he wasn't looking as big to me and he's started spitting up really, really bad over the last 3-4 weeks so I knew that had to be affecting his weight gain. We have started him on oatmeal and will introduce other solids soon too. The doctor thinks the solids will help his milk stay down and also add some extra calories. He spits up almost every single time he eats now and it's almost always a lot and several times after each feeding. It's SO frustrating and it's hard not to feel like every feeding is a waste. He definitely won't be going off the Prevacid anytime soon either so I'm hoping the solids will help his tummy issues and not make them even worse.

Weight-15 pounds, 1 ounce-38th percentile, down from the 75th at his 2 month visit

Length-26 inches-81st %tile, up 4.5 inches since birth! Gray was exactly 26 inches at his 4 month visit too.

Head measurement-42.5 centimeters-73rd %tile

Wears size 6 months (some 6-9!) clothes and size 2 diapers

Eating Habits-Still takes Prevacid for reflux and likes Mommy's diet to be free of dairy and all kinds of other good things (you are so worth it sweet boy!!). He nurses 7-8 times a day and takes 5-6 ounces when he has a pumped bottle. He has been nursing great until the last couple of days and today he even screamed, arched his back and refused to nurse twice. I had to thicken a bottle with rice cereal in order to get a full feeding in. It hasn't been that bad in a long time. Acid reflux, please go away and leave my sweet baby boy alone!!! We are going to the chiropractor tomorrow and I am hoping it does the trick like it has before. I can't imagine going down the road we were on two months ago. We gave Walker his first oatmeal over the weekend and he wasn't sure what to think of it but by the second feeding he was happy to see that spoon! I am hoping he will take to other solids as easy as Gray did and his weight gain will speed up again.

Second oatmeal and happy about it!

Milestones-Rolls over both ways consistently now. As if we don't have a fussy enough boy on our hands, now he is teething! I thought he was but didn't want to even speak it and the nurse said she saw white on his bottom gums the other day and to expect his first teeth soon. Gray was a very early teether (his first two teeth were all the way up at 5 months and he had 16 teeth by 13 months) and I was hoping for the opposite with Walker.

Sleeping habits-We transitioned him to his crib pretty soon after we moved and he has done pretty good. We have had and still have a few "cry it out" times during the day but doesn't cry at all at bedtime. He takes 3-4 naps a day, depending on how long he sleeps. He sometimes still takes a nap in his swing but usually doesn't sleep as long as he would in his bed. He slept 12 straight hours one night and has done 9-10 several times, but usually he goes down at 8:00 and is up anywhere from 2:00-5:00. The doctor said he really didn't think he was keeping enough ounces down during the day to get him through 12 straight hours consistently so I have to keep feeding him when he wakes up. Major bummer, Mama's tired!

New discoveries-Has started reaching out and grabbing objects and is able to hold onto things longer. He has also found his feet and loves playing with them and putting his toes in his mouth.

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He started sucking his thumb several weeks ago. For the most part he can only do it when he is in the laying down and/or nursing position. It's so sweet! He seems so excited about it that he will often stop eating and put his thumb in his mouth-feedings are sometimes taking quite a while these days. He has figured out how to do it a time or two in the car and I'm hoping this will make car rides more enjoyable.

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He has also really started paying attention to Gray and Sophie (our dog). In the car he tries to sit up and look at Gray the whole time which is so precious to me.

Likes-being held, his playmat, his swing, lights, ceiling fans, facing outward so he can see everything, his thumb, being outside, his hands and feet, usually likes his bumbo seat, watching Gray and Sophie

Dislikes-the car (though the car hasn't been as bad the last week or so-hopeful for a positive change here!), his bouncer, being restrained, being up on your shoulder looking over your back (he gets mad bc he can't see what's going on in that position), his exersaucer (I sure hope this changes soon!) being put on his tummy unless he is going to sleep, being put down

Special places/memories-Walker was dedicated at church on September 14th. It was such a special day as we committed to raise him in a Christian home, pray for him and hope that he comes to know the Lord at an early age.

Overall temperament/mood-We continue to be on our toes with this sweet baby! I am SO thankful he doesn't scream through feedings anymore but I hate to report that if he isn't sleeping, eating or being held, he is crying pretty much all of the time. It's wearing on me and starting to really bother Gray too. I just hope and pray with each new day that he will become more content and independent. Despite the fussiness, we are so in love with this boy!