4 month checkup

Cooper had his 4 month check up with the pediatrician today. He did very well and only cried with his shots. He was very interested in the bright colors on the walls and loved both the nurse and pediatrician. We found this new pediatrician through one of AJ's advisors who has been going to them with his kids for years. I was very pleased with the pediatrician and his interaction with Cooper. He was very friendly as was his staff.

Cooper's 4 month statistics

height: 24.5 inches (25%)

weight: 13 lbs 5 oz (25%)

head circumference: 16.25 inches (25%)

I had very little concerns going in for this appointment as Cooper has been progressing well with his milestones. He began rolling on Sunday, his head control is very good and his tummy time is great. I'm very pleased with how he is progressing and tonight he rolled over 2 times from tummy to back. I was a very happy momma.

I brought up with the pediatrician regarding Cooper's flat head in the back. I believe this resulted from Cooper hating tummy time early on. But now since Cooper spends a majority of his awake time either in the bumbo, exersaucer, tummy time or being held, he rarely is on his back unless he is sleeping or on his playmat. The pediatrician says Cooper's head is very flat. He recommended we get a cranial unltrasound as a precautionary to make sure there is no fluid in the brain. Then if that is negative (which we are hoping and believe it will be), we will have a follow up with the doctor in 3 weeks to see how Cooper's flatness of his head is, and from there, Cooper may need to get a helmet for his head to prevent any more flatness.

Flatness of a head has increased in infants as babies are required to sleep on their back. Therefore, they spend much of their day on their back where their head is pressing up against a flat surface. As babies get older, they spend a majority of their time upright (once they gain the head control) so the flatness will improve.

Cooper has changed so much these past few weeks. He is becoming such a babbler and a flirt. He smiles and makes sounds at anyone that talks to him. His new favorite thing is to look at himself in the mirror and smile and talk to himself. We have this game that we play where I stand him in front of the mirror, and i move him in and out and he punches the mirror. It's very cute.

Another game Cooper loves to play is superbaby. I put him on my shits and lift my lower legs up and down. He loves it and has the biggest smile on his face.

Tonight, he has begun laughing when playing games. I was getting him ready for bed and blowing raspberries on his stomach and he was laughing so much. It was adorable. I can't wait for him to continue to laugh more.

Cooper continues to sleep 8-11 hours per night. He goes down for bed between 7 and 8 pm. He still is being swaddled in a sleep sack. He will stop being swaddled when he can no longer fit in the sleep slack. He has white noise playing all night, which is our life saver and the only thing that will make him calm down. I think he realizes that when that goes on its either time for nap or bedtime.

We are still struggling with napping. He like to nap on me, but we are working on getting him to nap in his crib. Today, he napped in his crib for about 45 minutes until i had to wake him up to head to the doctors.

Since I just started this blog, I'm going to post all of cooper's stats from previous doctor's visits.

Birth:

weight: 5 lbs, 4 oz

height: 18.5 inches

head circumference: 12.75 inches

12 days

weight: 5 lbs 7 oz (3%)

height: 18.5 inches (3%)

head circumference: 13.25 inches

1 month

weight: 6 lbs 5 oz

2 month

weight: 8 lbs, 8.5 oz (55)

height: 22.25 inches (25%)

head circumference: 15 inches (20%)

3 month