Isla Rose, 4 months old

Not to put too fine a point on it, but it turns out this baby is a little high maintenance. When everything is just right she is happy, talkative, silly, and lots of fun. But, if she's too tired, a tiny bit hungry, or bored, she gets to be complainy. When she gets complainy, she bosses me around like a tiny elfkin dictator. I go around trying different things to make her happy, until I land on the right answer. I see other moms with their laid-back babies. "Oh, so you just put the binky in her mouth, and she stops fussing and falls asleep?" Isla spits that binky back out at us with force and says "How dare you put that fake, non-functioning plastic nipple in my mouth!" Isla doesn't like it if you aren't paying her enough attention, you can't leave her to entertain herself with toys on a blanket for more than 3 minutes. She requires frequent position changes, and changes in scenery. If I want to be hands-free in a sling or baby-carring device, Isla will only cooperate if she can face out, and she'll give me 15 minutes tops. Oh, and the stroller fan is not working. So, I ordered a special back-cooling insert for her to lay on in the stroller so I can do my stroller exercise group. Isla is just a little bit particular, and likes things 'just so'. And before you beat me to the punch line.... "I wonder where she gets that from?"

Isla has gotten really good with her hands. She reaches right to the toy she wants and grabs it. Then she puts it in her mouth, and eventually gets mad that she can't actually eat it. Rolling is still not consistent, but when it happens, its always from tummy to back. She has a whole repertoire of sounds and squeaks, and she sometimes gives us a taste of her little girl squeal to

come. She does her baby dinosaur talk "arararar" and B- bubble sounds. Some

times she does these little soliloquies with changes in tone and facial expression. Isla has started to notice the dog. At 4 months she weighs 12 lbs 14 ounces and is 23 inches long. She is very snuggle-able. We're going to wait a little bit longer to try solids.