Julian had his four-month checkup yesterday:

Weight: 16 pounds, 6 ounces

Length: 25.5 inches

Head: 43 cm around

Overall he is in the 75% percentile for all three categories, perfectly proportional and big for his age (bigger than 75% of all other babies). Dr. S was commenting that he is unusually strong and well-developed. He is almost sitting by himself, can stand unsupported with something to hold for balance, and he is very social. Yay! So glad to have a healthy, strong, beautiful baby.

I told Dr. S that I was worried about him refusing a bottle, and also not napping well on his own. He naps fine if I nurse him, rock him/walk with him, or lay down with him, but not otherwise. Both of these factors really worry me...I am going back to work in a little over 2 weeks ! She said that I shouldn't worry so much...experienced daycare providers tend to have *lots* of experience with these issues, and he may cry a bit at first but will rapidly adapt...he *will* take a bottle if he gets hungry enough and he *will* nap when he gets sleepy enough. She said in many cases the baby takes a bottle and naps fine in daycare, things that they will refuse to do at home. So here's hoping for the best.

I'm still not convinced that he will *need* a bottle, as I will be going to spend my lunch hour with him, and only four hours on either side of my visit. He routinely goes that long without getting hungry at home, though he does like a warm breast to take a nap with.

Everyone's asking me when I'll start feeding him solid food. Pretty much whenever he asks for it! He watches food go back and forth from our plates to our mouth sometimes, but otherwise he hasn't tried to grab at it or any of the other classic signs. So whenever he wants to eat solids, he can. I'm not really in any hurry, he has the rest of his life (well, until extreme old age, I guess) to eat solid foods, and also, I'm not looking forward to big smelly food poops.

Julian also has two little tooth buds...his two bottom teeth are coming in.

I was looking around in the New Mom Support Group today and lots of the babies that I thought were newborns were just a few weeks younger than Julian. They still looked so newbornish, had that sort of pinched, undeveloped look and were laying back cradled in their mamas' arms. Then I look down at my Little Man and he's doing a Tarzan yell and beating his chest and trying to stand up. The thought of him being mobile someday soon is a little scary.