The 4-6 Weeks Project

The 4-6 Weeks Project

When I was one month away from my due date for my second child, I started a new project. The 4-6 Weeks Project. I figured that if this pregnancy was anything like my first (which went fifteen days past the due date), that was about the length of time we had left as a family of three.

I decided to document each day with a photograph and a few sentences for my daughter Eleanor. I wanted to help her remember her last days before becoming a big sister, and before becoming part of a family of four. The series will be bound into a book at the end for her to keep.

Original Posts: { Introduction • Week One • Week Two • Week Three • Week Four • The End }

Week One

originally posted January 12, 2011

Today, we are one month away from your little brother’s due date, and soon you will be a big sister. You and mama played with your pink and brown Connect Four set while daddy was at work. You’re very serious about putting the pieces in just so, and you’ll only use the brown ones. You gave all of the pink pieces to mama.

originally posted January 19, 2011

Clementines are in season and you love them. You kept asking for more, pointing up at them and saying “ball”. Later, mama cleaned out all of the kitchen cabinets while you helped. You loved it because normally we have to tell you NOT to take everything out!

originally posted January 19, 2011

You played with your cousins while mama went to the doctor for a checkup. Mama is 36 weeks along now and very uncomfortable, but she and your soon-to-arrive baby brother are doing well. You’re going to be the only girl out of seven kids on daddy’s side of the family (so far, at least).

originally posted January 19, 2011

We all went to your great-great-uncle Bill’s eightieth birthday party today. His cake said “Congratulations, you’ve made it to the halfway mark!”, and a lot of family members were there that we don’t see very often. Everyone thought that you were very cute, and so well behaved.

originally posted January 19, 2011

Pre-dinner dance party! Daddy was cooking his pasta dish, but you brought your baby doll over to him so that he could make her dance with you. You love to spin around until you’re dizzy, and then you bust out the breakdancing moves.

originally posted January 19, 2011

This picture cracks mama up! You’re such a little cutie. Your mama and daddy both wear glasses sometimes, so you want to wear them too (but yours are just for fun). You call them, along with everything else that goes on your head, a “hat.”

originally posted January 19, 2011

Your grandparents gave you a lot of cooking toys for Christmas, and you’ve been having so much fun with them. You come up with some interesting combinations (cupcakes and ketchup, anyone?), and then you bring them over for mama and daddy to eat. You like to share with the dog too!

Week Two

originally posted January 26, 2011

Eleanor, it is such a pleasure to watch you grow into the person you are becoming. You are sweet, inquisitive, funny, and bright. Every day you make mama and daddy so happy, and so very proud of you.

originally posted January 26, 2011

Your hair is getting really long in the back and you’ve been sporting a baby mullet for a while now. You haven’t had a haircut yet, and it’s starting to bother you when your hair gets in your eyes. You do love to have your hair done though, often in pigtails or with the front held back by a barrette.

originally posted January 26, 2011

Today was one of the coldest days of the year so far. The high temperature was 4˚ but the windchill brought it down to -20˚. Brrrr! You weren’t outside for long, which is good because you don’t seem to enjoy the cold and snow very much.

originally posted January 26, 2011

Mama and daddy are having the basement finished so that we can make room for your new ‘big girl’ bedroom. You love running around down there and checking out the progress. Hopefully the basement will be done before your little brother arrives!

originally posted January 26, 2011

The Bears played the Packers today to see who would be going to the Super Bowl (the Packers won). Everyone on daddy’s side of the family gathered at Aunt Portia’s house to watch the game and cheer for Chicago, but you were more interested in the dogs than the Bears.

originally posted January 26, 2011

You were a bit out of it this morning. You probably weren’t feeling well. Lots of rest and some chicken soup for lunch seemed to help though, and you were back to your usual sunny self later in the day.

originally posted January 26, 2011

You’re getting better and better at drawing. You used to just make dots, hitting the crayons against the paper, but now you scribble and draw lines. You also like to have other people draw things for you that you can name. Cats, dogs, birds, hearts, and stars are all popular choices.

Week Three

originally posted February 2, 2011

You love to take your stuffed animals on adventures through the house. You talk to them and have conversations that nobody else can understand, but you’re very animated while doing so. It’s really cute.

originally posted February 2, 2011

You went to the store with mama to look for a birthday present for Aunt Ashley, but you came home with a new friend. You hugged your lion and gave him little kisses on the nose, then showed him off and made him roar. He instantly became your new sleeping buddy too.

originally posted February 2, 2011

These pink poufs are supposed to be seating for your new play table, but we don’t have anywhere to set it up yet. That doesn’t matter much to you though. You’re perfectly happy that they’re in the living room where you can climb around on them and try to balance, or just moosh your face into them.

originally posted February 2, 2011

Today you are twenty one months old. Every month on the 29th, mama takes your picture in the same outfit and in the same chair. It’s fun to see how you’ve grown, and how your personality has developed. It definitely shows in the photos!

originally posted February 2, 2011

We had a party for Aunt Ashley’s 24th birthday and everyone gathered at our house. December, January, and February are busy months for our family with many birthdays to celebrate, and soon your little brother will add one more.

originally posted February 2, 2011

You’ve been getting good at making funny faces! You puff out your cheeks, or you scrunch up your lips, or sometimes you make a fishy face. You’re a bit of a goofball, just like daddy.

originally posted February 2, 2011

Staring out the window and making spit bubbles makes you happy. Ah, to enjoy the simple things in life! The snow had just started falling as you watched, and it soon went from light and fluffy to blizzard conditions.

Week Four

originally posted February 10, 2011

Snow day! Chicago had its biggest blizzard since 1999. You went out to play in the snow after daddy had cleared a path, and you loved it! You weren’t a big fan of snow before, but maybe you just needed it to be nearly as tall as you to really appreciate it.

originally posted February 10, 2011

You love to snuggle and read books. Mama and daddy both love books too, so they’ve been reading to you since you were a tiny little baby. You sit and cross your legs daintily, and you listen with great interest through even the longest stories.

originally posted February 10, 2011

You grabbed your sock monkey and sat him down on mama’s desk chair, then ran behind to spin him around. The whole time you were shouting “wheee, wheeee!” while spinning the chair as fast as you could.

originally posted February 10, 2011

The basement isn’t done yet, but we’re getting closer. Grandma and papa came over to help bring things down from the studio so that we could start working on your new bedroom soon. There’s still so much to do and the house has been a mess with boxes of furniture everywhere.

originally posted February 10, 2011

It snowed again, so daddy and mama pulled you around the neighborhood on a sled before the sidewalks were completely cleared. And doesn’t mama’s belly look crazy? She’s less than a week away from your little brother’s due date here.

originally posted February 10, 2011

Nobody can make you laugh as much as daddy can. He knows just the right funny noises and silly faces to get you giggling. You were hiding your face behind the chair, and everytime you popped up he gasped and made a startled expression. You thought that was absolutely hysterical.

The End

originally posted February 16, 2011

You and mama were napping together in your room when mama’s water broke suddenly! She quietly got up, moved you into your crib, and then called daddy to take her to the hospital to have the baby. Your little brother, August Ray, was born less than three hours later.

originally posted February 16, 2011

You came to the hospital to meet your little brother, August, for the first time. You kept saying “baby!” and pointing to him. You sat on the bed with mama and pointed to his nose, stroked his hair, and shared your stuffed piggy with him. You were so sweet.

originally posted February 16, 2011

Mama and daddy love you so much, and they can tell that you’re going to be a great big sister. Congratulations, Eleanor!