Announcing Little Sister Collins: January 2015

Danica is truly an amazing little girl. She has such a happy demeanor and sparkling personality. She is in love with Charli and is already so vibrant in her actions and reactions. There have been a few glimpses of sleeping through the night but she is up to eat usually around 1:30 am and then around 5am. Daddy has done an amazing job of late night feeding duty. Our eating schedule is around every 2 hours she will eat 4.5oz. At our 4 month appointment on New Years Eve Danica weighed 16lbs and was 90th percentile for both height and weight. HOW EXCITING! Danica's first food was mashed up bananas(4months) and we worked on open and close while she would spit the bananas out, laugh, and I would scoop them back in. Grandma gave her a little bit of Culvers custard which she loved, but Charli let Grandma know that was " bad Grandma." Rice Cereal has not been such a hit; with her actually sealing her mouth shut. Talk about a baby who knows what she wants. With her being such a good eater this means that we had to skip over 3 month clothes and are on to both 6&9 month outfits. This goes for her feet too, they are so cute and so big. Miss Kathy who has been watching her since 3 months old gave her a little blanket personalized with "Porkchop," because that she is!

Her hair has lightened to a soft/auburn brown and she has lost some of it so it has a style of its own. Her cradle cap is almost gone and the baby acne she had so severely, at 4 months old is gone. Her eyes are a dreamy blue with such long eyelashes. She continues to have 2 dimples, a round face, and big cheeks. Her nose is the same as Charli's and as much as their babies pictures were like twins, Danica has started to take on a look of her own.

Her favorite time of the day is bath time. I think she would live in the bath if she could. She just splashes and kicks and gets her hands to be in rhythmic motions to splash the water. It is really amazing to see how coordinated she is at 4 months. When we take her out of the bath that is when the tears come. Danica isn't really a cryer she is more of a wimperer and its strictly for attention because she will laugh as soon as you approach her. She is already trying to sit up and can roll herself from side to side. If I have to step away from her changer (which she is also in love with) I have to buckle her in just in case. Danica is definitely a baby who wants attention, wants to be busy, and wants to be around people. She loves to be held and be entertained. She loves when Charli sings Frozen songs and plays patty cake and peek a boo. She is also already jumping away in her jumperoo. I didn't know a 4 month old could be so active and so strong. She is really trying to sit up on her own and can sit up and play in her seat from Aunti Mimi which I can't believe she can do at this age. She reaches for you, grabs hands, hair, fingers, anything she can and she has a very firm grasp. She has a woobanub pacifier that we cannot live without- it is truly a soother to her and well as moaning sounds she makes to comfort her to sleep. On her car seat she has 2 hanging toys she also loves to play with. One being a soccer ball taggie which she hits like a punching bag and the other a zebra which if you pull down it will vibrate back up to its original position. How she can manipulate both is truly amazing to me. She is definitely a drooler although no teeth are on the horizon but we will see if they come before Charli's did at 16 months.

She also loves to get her diaper changed. She lights up like a Christmas tree and stretches and kicks. She is definitely vocal when it comes to eating and being changed which is a bonus for us to know because that means happy baby. She is a good napper and loves to be swaddled in her rock and play. This may have been because I never put her down in the hospital and if she ever whimpered once we brought her home I held her, so I guess I have held her the majority of her life. However I do put her in her crib when Charli and I are playing in her room and she has napped in there for 20 minutes so that is huge strides for me as a Mom.

She is definitely her Mother's daughter and a talker. She just talks and talks and talks and Daddy swears she has already said mom and dad. Talk about a proud Father. She is also aware that her family consists of Mom, Dad, Charli, Grandma, Eric, and GG as well as Reilly and River. If the get in her face she smiles and if they bark she doesn't even hear it. There is something about babies and dogs, if you are going to have pets its the perfect time to do so they simply co-exist.

Danica has already had her first fever, first cough, and first virus. She got RSV while we were in Florida and it took almost a whole month for it to pass but she remained a happy eating and sleeping little baby which shows just how strong she is. I feel so blessed to have this angel in my life and she brightens up every day.

She has already been in the pool at 3 months old and just loved it, she was also wearing Charli's 2T suit! Siesta key was the perfect vacation for her. She was amazing on both flights sleeping for most of them and smiling for the rest. On the plane ride home it was an evening flight and the Captain came on towards the end of the flight letting everyone know arrival time and Charli yells out, SHHHH you are going to walk up Danica!" obviously the plane erupted in laughter and Danica just kept on sleeping.

At Disney I submitted a joke on Danica's behalf at the Laugh factory/Monsters Inc and they used it both saying Danica from Palatine IL and the joke as well as using Charli as "Boo" in the production itself. My Hollywood star bound little girls!

I can't say enough about just how happy she is and how much when she stares at you it feels like she stares in to your soul. She has such a calmness and kindness about her. Grandma always says just how sweet she is, she truly is so sweet. She has amazing eye contact and expressions and I just love her to pieces. Time has already flown by so fast and she is already on the path to mobility. God continue to bless my little miracle and keep her healthy and safe, there is no doubt she LOVED LOVED LOVED!