Clara at 4 mos.

1. You are a really happy baby - always smiling or chatting. But when you get upset, it happens fast. You really only cry when you are hungry or tired but you go from 0 to 60 almost instantly. I'll leave the room and you are happy and cooing and then, bam!, inconsolable. Luckily, you are super easy to soothe (the boob is usually the answer) so it doesn't last long.

2. You have found your feet. You love to play with them, especially when you are nekked or in your swing. When you are going for your feet, or even just laying around, you try desperately to sit up. You must have the strongest abs because you are doing crunches all day long.

3. You have also found your hands. You go to town sucking on your fingers. Even at night, you sneak your little arm out of your swaddle, knock your binky out and suck like crazy. You like our fingers too and have enough control of your hands to grab our fingers and jam them in your mouth.

4. You are still swaddled at night. We had a week long unswaddled experiment and you went from getting up once a night to getting up 2 or 3 times a night. So even though you can usually get at least one arm out, we're keeping you swaddled for the foreseeable future.

5. You are now in your own bed, in your own room. You seem to really like it because you have a mobile and a window right there and no snoring daddy laying next to you. You usually wake up happy and will stay in there while I run around without crying. I find this so weird since it's been hours since you ate so it seems like you should be starving. I think a big part of the reason you are so happy in there is that your big sister usually comes in to talk to you, turn on your mobile and "read" you stories. Or she's following me around demanding that I get you out.

6. You have two of the weirdest little cowlicks in the back of your head. There are two swirls going in opposite directions so your hair is ALWAYS sticking up. And now that the hair in front is getting longer you've got this adorable Kate Gosselin look going on. Consequently, we call you "Rooster". We also call you "Googley" for some unknown, unrelated reason.

7. Mommy has been obsessed with finding a carrier that both you and she like and the Baby K'Tan has turned out to be it. You are really happy just floating on my chest as we go for walks, play at the park or do chores around the house. And mom is really happy to have her hands free and still be able to snuggle with you.

8. You have discovered toys and you can now control your hands enough to sort of play with them. It's mostly just shaking or getting them near your mouth but you love it!

9. You LOVE to stand up. You will not snuggle or cuddle anymore and don't often like to lay down. You just want to be standing up.

10. The perfect solution to #8 and #9 is the exersaucer (and the jumparoo and the play table). You actually love to be in there because you are standing up, you can play with your toys and I even think you like the little bit of independence. You love it so much that we have to rescue you after a few minutes because you get sooooo worked up about it. Can you say over-stimulated?