Watch Me Grow: 4 Months

So I actually had to go back and read the 3 month post from last month.  This baby is growing and developing so fast I can't remember what's new and what he's been doing for a while.  Here's what's new in Carter's 4th month of life.

Eating

• Carter's been spacing out his eating a bit.  He's averaging three hours between feedings;  sometimes eating every two hours and on occasion going four.
• He spits up all.the.time.  I thought that breastfed babies aren't supposed to spit up as much, but that isn't the case here.  Most people use spit-up rags for their babies.  We use spit-up ponchos.  I used to change whenever Carter unloaded his lunch on my shirt, but I gave that up after realizing I was going through more than four shirts in one day.  Oh, and his spit up stains too.  Lovely.  It's leaves these grease like stains.  Usually they come out with some pre-wash stain treatment, but that's only if I remember to do it.

Sleeping

•  Carter has started sleeping longer stretches at night.  He'll consistently sleep 6-8 hours at a time!  Woo hoooo!!!  It took a while for my body to adjust to his new sleeping/eating schedule, but after about three days we were good to go. 
• During the day he'll do one of two things.  He'll either take several shorter naps (30-45 min) throughout the day or take one long nap (2+ hours) usually in the early afternoon and then take short cat naps (15-30 min) the rest of the day.  It's a bonus if he and Brooks both nap at the same time.  Carter's favorite place to nap is still in my arms, but sometimes I'm able to lay him down in his bed, or nurse him to sleep in our bed.
• Carter usually goes to sleep for the night around 9pm.
• He loves to ride in the van and it's almost guaranteed to put him to sleep.  He's taken several naps in his carseat.

New Discoveries

• Toys!  Carter is grabbing at and playing with toys.  Usually they go straight into his mouth!  He loves to play on his monkey floor mat.
• Ceiling fans.  We don't have one, but we have friends who do and it is oh so entertaining.
• The mirror.  Carter loves to look at himself (and anyone else too) in the mirror.  That's usually good for a few smiles.

New Abilities

• Rolling Over.  Carter is the master at rolling from his back to his tummy.  To me that seems to be the "harder" way to roll, but he figured that one out first.  When he first rolled over, he looked at me and gave me the biggest grin!  "Look what I did, mom!"  Now he doesn't mind tummy time as much since he can get there himself.
• Rocking.  We have a blue rocking chair that Carter will hang out it sometimes and he's learned how to pump his legs in sync to rock the chair himself.  Brilliant!
• Talking.  And cooing, and laughing and screeching.  This baby has found his voice.  He loves to talk to his toys and to us.  And his newest thing is screeching.  It sounds like a baby dinosaur.  And to anyone else it would sound like he's crying, but he's not.  Carter just wants us to remember that he's here.