March rolled on in, Laelia turned 4 months old, and life got better and better! She mastered her head control in February, which meant sitting in the walker/bouncer, facing forward, Johnny Jump Up and more! She continues to love the mirror, giggles a lot, and is starting to engage people she meets more and more. On March 9th (Uncle Ted's Bday!) she laughed her first deep belly laugh. It was great! It was during our music class, and we were singing a song called "Frosty Weather" (it was snowing out) and it's a circle dance, and you follow the directions of the words. Part says, "we all come together," and every time we came together she laughed and laughed. My friend Kate said, "Let's keep singing so we can keep hearing her laugh!" So we did!Very fun. :) For about 2 weeks in March Laelia stopped buzzing her lips in favor of actually vocal talking, but then she went back to buzzing, although now it's more of a tongue trill, which even surpasses my abilities! On March 25, (4 months, 3 weeks old) she weighed in at 15lbs, 5 oz and measured 24.5". The weight is about the 75th%, and length is less somewhat, but I can't remember for sure. She's a very healthy girl!! Four months old + good head control means facing forward in the front carrier for the first time. She was smiling at the ladies at the bank and was looking all around as we walked!
And this was the result! It's tiring to face forward!
Four months old meant time for the Johnny Jump Up...trying it out for the first time. She liked it and so did Rekawae. Yet another baby device putting Laelia at Rekawae's level!
With Mia on the winter beach at Flathead lake. They drain the reservoir about 8 feet every winter to allow for the spring snow melt, and it results in this lovely 6 mile long beach.
This is my first loaf of gluten free bread. For those who don't know, I went dairy free when Laelia was 2 weeks old and gluten free when she was 4 weeks old, in an attempt (a successful one) to help ease her colic. Just now at the end of March beginning of April am I starting to reintroduce small amounts of the banished foods again. This means cheese, the love of my eating life, and WOW, does it taste good after being absent from my diet for almost 4 months! The bread was dense, but really yummy!
Smiling on the big girl chair. She can no longer be left unattended on said chair, though. She would wiggle her way off!
Yep, it was still cold out, but juussst warm enough after about 20 minutes of running to take off my long sleeve shirt. But then I was cold the rest of the day!
Found the toes!
This sucking on the lower lip is her new thing. It makes her cheeks look even bigger!
Yay! Floor time with Mommy and Daddy :)
She's starting to really enjoy Rekawae...smiling when Rekawae comes into the room, and of course, loving to lounge together!
Doing a little sunbathing on the rare sunny morning. She was without clothes for about 5 hours this Wednesday morning and loved it!
This sweater used to be mine, but I can't imagine being as cute as her in it!
Hmm....the elusive foot...she has now found it (left hand and left foot, that is) and is pretty much constantly holding on to it when on her back.
Her attention span for listening to guitar is growing daily. Also, she has started to 'play' the piano when she's sitting on my lap during piano lessons. It's good practice at putting together cause and effect! "Oh, I hit the white thing and noise comes out! Fun!" She has strummed the guitar too, but not as much as playing the piano. And I think it's nice she's exposed to these instruments, but we also need to show her something Jeremy and I don't play so that the Pappenfus Family Band will have a wider variety of instruments!
And here's a little look at a reenactment of the laughter from "Frosty Weather."
So for a long time (since Laelia was born) I have wanted to take her skiing with me. Well, the day finally arrived last Sunday, April 3, 2011. 160 days had passed since the last time Laelia and I skied together, which was on October 26, 2010, one week before she was born. If you haven't read it, there's a post about that day too! We strapped her into the front carrier, and I clicked into my skis. 
It started snowing as we were skiing, here we are coming down Home Again. Laelia was giggling while we were skiing. :) 
And now a video for your viewing pleasure!
