Four Months

Dear Sweet Anna-girl,

It's been just a little over four months since you made your way into this world.

Here are some of the things about you at four months: 

- You are wearing mainly 6 to 12 month clothes.

- You want to be standing or sitting/being held facing out almost exclusively.

- You are very, very happy when you wake up in the morning. You seem just overall tickled to be awake and to see your people staring down at you. 

- You are not so happy when it's bedtime. Lately you have been especially grumpy.

- You drool constantly and can just about fit your own whole fist in your mouth. I keep checking for teeth but haven't seen or felt any yet.

- You have started grasping and grabbing at things in front of you. It is so cool to see you use those muscles and work on getting your brain to move your arms and hands. 

- You love, love, love to take baths and be in the water. If you are grumpy or fussy a bath seems to really help you out of that mood (at least while you are in the tub).

- You rolled over twice last month and have not done it again since then.

- You went on your first airplane ride to visit some friends and did great on three of the four flights. The last leg was the toughest. You were tired. I was tired. We both just wanted to get home.

- You are just so fun. Love having you around.

You have made each of our lives brighter since making your appearance.
I admit that we were a bit nervous at first with such a big change, but you have made it so
easy. You are a wonderful companion on this journey. Life with four in our family is really, really good.

We love you so much and are so thankful you are a part of our lives.

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Tonight, as I capture these thoughts about Anna, I have these words from Mary Oliver running through my mind:

Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?

It's a favorite phrase, from a favorite poem, one that makes it's way often into my thoughts. One life. One precious life. It makes me take stock and re-evaluate. It makes me want to make some changes and make sure I get to the heart of the matter during my time here on earth.

It also makes me think of another favorite quote from Steve Jobs:

Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinion drowned out your own inner voice. Most imporant, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary. 

My one wild and precious life. Time to go live it.