Can You Believe It...

Is this not the sweetest baby face?!

Yes! Correct! You don’t have to check your calendars again…she IS four months old TODAY! This little girl knows it too! She knows she’s no longer a newborn. Just try to lay her down when she is fully awake and she’ll let you know she wants to sit up like a big girl…and she is a big girl! Four months into her life and she’s already doubled her birth weight! Julip was born 6 lbs 14 oz and now weights 14 lbs 5 oz! (I am regularly shocked when other mothers tell me their baby is older than Julip but she is so much bigger.) With all this eating, Julip has developed some rather cute creases! Her chubby legs have thigh rolls and her sweet arms and wrists have “invisible bracelets”, as my friend Bethan calls them! How precious! (Don’t we all wish our “creases and rolls” were considered cute?) She is also taller! She was born 19.5” and is now 25” long! She just might have those long-legged Jernigans genes in her!

Little Cheese! :)

Modeling her rolls, dimples, and creases!

Usually the first thing Dustin asks Julip’s visitors is, “Doesn’t she look like me?” To which they always reply, “Sure…” but, being the proud momma I am, I must report that many friends have recently told us that she’s beginning to look a little like me! But don’t worry, Dustin is far from sad. He wants a mini me running around here. Me? I know how much trouble I was as a kid… I don’t know if I can handle TWO of us! J

Already trying to dress like a teenager...geez!

Julip is so considerate! While we were visiting Mississippi for Molly Beth and Blaine Crouch’s wedding, which was FABULOUS!, I heard a sound I had been anxious to hear for so long! My mom was tickling little girl and for the first time we heard a REAL laugh! She’s always responded to tickles with drawn out sighs, but this time was different. The sighs went from “ahhhhhh” to “ah-ha-ha-ha”! Her laugh melted my heart for sure! And it was the perfect gift for my mom’s birthday! Driving home from our trip, we were kindly invited for dinner at Bobo and Mimi’s house. While there, Julip was on the floor kicking and coohing. Then she started turning her head into the floor and after a few minutes of us encouraging her to roll, she ROLLED (from her back to her tummy)! For the first time! In front of Dustin and me, Bobo and Mimi! We were so thrilled, Mimi and I could not hold back our tears, to which Dustin replied, “Is it really that big of a deal?” haha! Now, he understands the huge deal this is and has been “working out” with her daily! It is surly a work out for our tiny girl! Another wonderful gift given to Bobo for his birthday! How considerate!

Dustin was encouraging her to push up! What a great daddy!

She has also realized why she has hands! She has been reaching out for little things…mostly her momma’s hair and daddy’s cheeks, but also her toys and even her feet! She’s also been chewing on her fingers (Does this mean she’s teething?) Sadly, she’s been pulling out her own hair. (Has anyone else’s baby done this?) Soon she’ll be reaching to pull herself up on things…oh time, slow your roll...

One hand in her mouth, the other holding her foot!

She escaped her straight jacket! She has learned how to defeat velcro!

This picture is of the first time I noticed her holding the ball!

We have put Julip in her bouncy jumper, a much anticipated event! She didn’t quite jump, but I do think she enjoyed it. She would stand up and then bend her knees suddenly, and then she would laugh! Which of course made me laugh! And then she’d laugh some more! J How sweet! Much fun in the near future for this Jumping Julip!

WOW, this is new and fun!

What are you laughing at momma?

Many people ask me if I notice any of Julip’s personality coming out! From the very beginning, she’s been very content. She is a very easy baby and sits with us happily, just pleased to be loved by her family! But she’ll definitely let me know when she’s hungry, but thankfully just with a little bit whiny crying. She wakes up with a beaming gummy smile and goes to sleep by just closing her little eyes. Recently, she has shown us that she doesn’t think too fancily of her car seat (she’ll push her legs down, lifting her booty up and her face turns so red L), but I don’t think I’d like to sit in a hard, hot car seat either, ya know? And Julip has a new friend…her reflection! I take her to visit her reflection every day and it makes me laugh so much! She’ll find her friend in the mirror, talk a little, look at me, and then bury her face in my arm as if she’s bashful! Then repeat. Maybe our little girl has some bashfulness in her! I think she likes her little friend, her reflection. I do too!

This picture is FULL of her personality! :)

Baby has met many new people, friends and family and experienced so many things! (She finally met her Uncle Brian, who bought her high chair! How generous, huh? Julip is loved!) She has been to two weddings, traveled to a few states, and has even been away from momma and daddy for a few hours (being watched by grandparents, of course!). Soon, she’ll go to her four month check up, which means shots L. Keep little girl in your prayers, if you will please. I’ll update you on how it goes!

Muttie, Uncle Brian, and Aunt Tammy! Julip wishes she could have a taste of wiener schnitzel!

What a nice high chair! Julip is such a loved baby! And we are so thankful for that!

Thanks for reading! I really only write so much for grandparents and family, but if you're neither of those, I hope I didn’t blab on too much!

With love,

The Jernigans, all three!