what do you do with your 4 month old? aka is mine normal?!

[RillaBlythe]

So 4 month old DC2 spends most of her time propped up in a corner while we get on with stuff around her, sitting on my knee while I read/do arts & crafts/play with DC1, or in the carrier while I do housework. She doesn't hold toys yet, nor roll over. She's easy really, very little trouble. Now I know that other mums can sometimes be boasting, but a recent conversation has made me really anxious about what she should be doing at this age, & how much other parents seem to be doing with their DC! Wondering what others were (honestly) finding with the same age.

Nearly 4 month old ds3 does very similar, and seems pretty chilled, but does love it when one of us talks specifically to him - babbles away etc, so am trying to make sure we do that regularly.

Ds2 was similar too and went quickly from crawlng to walking as I think he had decided tht he wanted to join in properly.

Most second children seem to do things earlier than the first, so I think i does them no harm to do a fair amount of observing in the early days .

Pretty much the same here, DS is nearly 6 months now and DD 2.9 and he has spent his life pretty much trailing in his sister's wake. He gets taken to her gym class, toddlers etc where he will either snooze in the pram or cadge cuddles off some of the other mums if he is lucky!

at home he spends time lying on his gym til he gets grizzly then will sit in my lap while I play with DD. recently he is getting more interested in watching her play so I don't feel quite so bad, it's like he's getting something out if it as well.

He can hold toys now and stuffs them in his mouth, and has just in the last few days learned to roll onto his tummy ( but can't get back so just wails once he's had enough). If I'm busy in the kitchen he sits in his highchair with a teething toy.

I really have to make a conscious effort to do something one to one with him but just simple stuff like singing row row your boat or humpty dumpty with him on my knee amuses him.

DS was very different to this! Very demanding, hated being put down, had to be constantly jiggled and distracted: he got bored so easily, I spent most of my time outside with him in the sling as it seemed to be the only thing he liked doing. There's no way I could have read a book or done anything else except keep him happy. BUT I do think he was quite unusual (got told he was by friends with babies) and most 4 month olds are a bit more like yours, a bit more placid!

It just seems so easy! I look back & wonder what on earth I was doing with DC1 at the same age that seemed so fraught & meant I didn't have enough time for housework. maybe they did just have totally different personalities.

But OP, remember that your DC2 is being entertained just by watching whatever is going on with you and DC1, whereas with DC1 you were the sole source of entertainment. My DC2 was the same. I used to take her to DC1's swimming classes and she would just sit in her car seat for half an hour watching while I was in the pool with DC1 - am sure DC1 wouldn't have done that! (DC3 was the same too for the first few months - then got a bit more demanding!)

I've just started to become a little concerned about my 4 month old. She squeals, and babbles ALL the time. Wakes at 5am squeals non stop for and hour then babbles herself to sleep. She is just very easy to care for. If she cries and I ignore her she'll just start squealing and babbling. I am fairly confident that this squealing is happy not upset.