This month you started laughing! On 11th July when we got home from town Mummy was tickling you and all of a sudden you started laughing! It was the most beautiful sound Mummy had ever heard in her life and made me feel very emotional.
You love to hold your toys and out them in your mouth. You're also always chewing yours and other people's hands. It's not teething, it's just a developmental stage that you're going through. You suck on Jacques the Peacock's beak which is incredibly cute and funny! You love to play horsey, and spaceship with Daddy where he launches you into the air and flies you around to the Superman theme tune.
This month we went to three 'Baby and Me' sessions at the children's centre run by the health visitors for first time parents and babies. You were the strongest (and cutest) baby there- everyone was so impressed how well you lifted yourself up with your arms when you were lying on your tummy.
On 3rd July we went to the BabyLab at Oxford University. During the study they wanted you to look at a TV screen while they tracked your eye movement, but you didn't want to co-operate! You also started crying when you saw a redhead boy in the video (and it's not the first time you've cried when you've seen someone with red hair!).
You met two of your great grandparents for the very first time this month. Mummy had been desperate to take you, but the nursing home had said I shouldn't bring you until you were 3 months old because of the risk of picking up an infection. Great Gran and Great Grandad were absolutely enchanted by you. Even though they both have dementia you seemed to really bring back the grandparents I remember. They were fascinated to watch you lying on Grandad's bed, kicking your little legs. Great Grandad said you would definitely be a footballer (like he was).
You had swimming lessons every Saturday and Mummy took you on some Tuesdays too. You understand what will happen when Mummy says, "T..., ready, go" (you'll get dunked under the water!). We also started Mummy and baby yoga this month. We knew some of the Mummies and babies from baby massage.
On 9th July we went round to see R and B. R was a bit fed up because she was 9 days overdue. Mummy and L cooked dinner for them. Maggie kept licking your feet! R went into labour that night (after we'd left) and F was born the next day!
On 23rd July you had your first trip to A and E. Mummy had put you on the floor in your bedroom underneath the open window. You had been there about 2 minutes and, just as Mummy was picking you up, a gust of wind blew a photo frame off the windowsill. You screamed and screamed. At first Mummy thought it had just scared you but pretty quickly a bump came up on the side of your head and it was clear that the corner of the picture frame had hit your beautiful little head.
You screamed for what seemed like ages but then seemed okay, apart from the bump. Just to be safe, Mummy rang the on call GP who told me to take you to A and E because of your age and the fact it had hit you on the side of the head. So we went to A and E (cutting short Daddy's first evening out since you were born!) and waited for 3 hours. Daddy was getting a bit impatient that we hadn't been seen, but I pointed out that we should have been grateful that you didn't need to be seen quickly- it meant that they weren't worried about you.
But over the next few days, out of the blue, you would cry inconsolably for about 30-45 minutes. This was completely out of character for you- everyone comments on what a happy little boy you are. Grandma also noticed that you seemed to be putting your hand up to the side of your head when you were crying.
So on 28th July Mummy took you to the GP, who sent us back to A and E in case you needed a brain scan. The doctor who saw you said that you had a concussion, but you would be fine after a couple of weeks. Then the following day Mummy took you for your 4 month jabs. My poor little man.
This month the first three cooling towers at the nearby power station came down. They were blown up at 5am on Sunday the 27th. The three very loud bangs woke Mummy and Daddy up and shook the house, but you slept through it!
You weigh 15lb 5oz at 4months old. The 4 month sleep regression started this month- at 13 1/2 weeks. Great.
Love you millions, baby boy xxxx
