four months today

Hello world. It's me, Jonah, again.

Today I turned four months old. Can you believe that?

I weigh 12 lbs, 15 oz, and I'm about 23 1/2 inches long. My head has made it up to the 25th percentile, and I'm staying on a really good growth curve. I'm thriving and steadily gaining weight. Mom and Dad are so thankful to God for the way He continues to protect me and helps me thrive. They still attribute so much of that to the hundreds of prayers that go up for me every day. So amazing.

Eating is still a struggle for me. Sometimes it's because of my acid reflux, and sometimes it's because I'm just so tired. Mommy says it's because I need so much energy to heal and regrow skin, and so I sleep a lot. Unfortunately my deepest sleeping occurs between 7pm and midnight, so I'm still waking up a lot at night. I'm now waking up two to three times a night and only eating about an ounce when I do wake up. Needless to say, Mommy and Daddy are really tired. Mommy's starting to put rice cereal in my bottles, and she's also switching me to a really smelly new formula that's supposed to help me. I'm not so sure about it yet, but I'm going to keep trying it.

I'm even more fun now than I was a month ago. I smile and coo regularly, and I'm starting to have whole "conversations" now. I love it when you say, "Ah-Ah-Ah-CHOO" and "SHOO... Stinky Feet." That makes me laugh out loud. I still love to lie out flat on the changing table and have Mom and Dad talk to me and play with me. Mommy thinks I'm just the cutest thing in the world, and I'm pretty sure Daddy agrees.

I'm also starting to like tummy time, and I really like looking at myself in a mirror. I don't know that it's me that I'm looking at, but I sure do like to talk to that other baby. He's one good looking little fellow - that's all I know. My favorite books are Peek-A-Boo I Love You and Old MacDonald Had A Farm that has finger puppets. If I can get my burp cloth on my arm just right, I'll play Peek-A-Boo with whoever is holding me. I'll bring the cloth up to my face while you say, "Where's Jonah?" and then bring it down, so you'll say, "There he is." Then I smile so big.

I like it when Mommy sings "Crazy" by Patsy Cline, and I also like "You are my Hiding Place" when I'm trying to go to sleep. I still like when Daddy sings the Star Wars theme song, and Daddy says I'm starting to like the Superman theme.

And see what chair I'm sitting in?

The one I didn't like last month. It is my new FAVORITE place to be. I wake up happy these days (well, at least after a diaper change) and I'll hang out in this chair and smile at mommy while she makes up my morning bottle. (It helps that she's usually singing and dancing around like a crazy person). It's some of mine and mommy's favorite time.

I'll also hang out for as long as mom will let me watching Noggin. My favorite shows are Max and Ruby and Wonder Pets. Or maybe those are just Mom and Dad's favorites, so they're making them my favorites too. But I'll also watch whatever else is on TV too. Daddy and I watch the Braves most every evening.

I'm still liking my bath most of the time. Sometimes if I'm grumpy and tired, it's not so great, but mostly I'm pretty content. What I DON'T like is the getting out part. I just scream and scream and usually it takes a bottle in my mouth to calm me down. But back to the bath part - I dig it.

See?

I told you.

I especially like getting kisses from Mom and Dad. Don't be fooled by my crazy eyes. Daddy kisses are delicious.

Mommy's always all over me like this. I think she loves me a little bit. She sure does smoosh her face up against mine like this a lot. I'm starting to think I better just get used to it. I don't think she's going to stop any time soon.

Mommy and Daddy started unwrapping my hands a few weeks ago. So far, things are going pretty well. I'm getting blisters on my fingers, but they are not swelling any more, and they are not usually blood blisters. Mommy is so happy to see my fingers and that now I can hold her finger and touch her face... even if I do get her all greasy with Aquaphor.

I'm not reaching out for things yet. I'm a little behind in this since my hands were wrapped up for so long, but I always try to hold my own bottle. Grandaddy seems to think I'm going to be a lefty. Dad would be so pumped. Baseball here I come.

Today has been a big day for me. This morning, I got to meet so many nice people at a special fundraiser they did just for me. Miss Helen and Mommy both started crying, and they said a prayer for me.

Then, Daddy gave me my first video game lesson. True, I slept through it, but I'm sure there will be many more to come.

Then, Mommy, Nana, and I went to the mall. And guess what? I got recognized by four different people in about a two hour period. It's pretty crazy, but just makes me realize just how many people are praying for me and love me. Mommy and Daddy are so overwhelmed at all the love. I don't really get it yet, but I will someday. Mommy says she's got a lot to tell me.

Mommy says she's starting to think more about my future, and she's able to look ahead instead of living in so much fear. Mommy tends to worry a lot. I try to tell her to chill out, but she doesn't really listen. She's a little bit of a control freak, but it's her only vice, so I try to cut her some slack.

Anyway, life just gets better and better, and Mommy and Daddy say they feel so blessed to have me - living, thriving, enjoying my life. I feel pretty blessed too. I know God made them just for me. And not only do I have a great family (that includes so many grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that love me so much), but I also have so many strangers out there praying for and loving me too. And I'm so thankful. I can't wait until Mommy tells me my amazing story. She says I'll be blown away. She is.

Thank you, Jesus, for the life you give me, the breath that sustains me, for giving me yet another day. I can't wait for tomorrow. I can't wait for more living. More living for YOU.