Monday, December 19, 2011

5 months

Not really sure how it is possible for baby S to already be 5 months old, but today she is.



This has been a month of ups and downs for sure. The dreaded 4 month sleep regression hit hard and furious and lasted for weeks. Then, as soon as we thought we were through the worst of it, she started teething. I can already tell teething is going to be a long and arduous process for her, which makes me feel awful. It seems like she's just had the toughest time with EVERYTHING in her little life. MSPI, tummy drama, massive gas, acid reflux, fevers from vaccinations, sleep drama, early teething... anything a healthy little baby can have issues with, she's dealt with it. You might think that would make me more frustrated and have a shorter fuse with her, but really it has been the opposite. I feel like we are SUCH buddies and she's spent more time in my arms than not. I adore this baby, I am amazed at the amount of patience God has given me over her care. I don't even get grumpy when she wakes me up 4 times a night, which is really unlike me. I just want to comfort her and let her know how loved she is. I am so thankful for coffee.

She's squealing and making all kinds of adorable sounds. The smiling is never ending, she loves her sister so much I cannot stand it. There is a smile she reserves specifically for Little L and when I see her flash it, my heart stops. I never even dreamed that seeing the 2 of them together would be as marvelous as it is. I know when she gets old enough to get in to her sister's toys and be a pest and they start fighting and having all kinds of girl drama, I'll look back on this time and remember how sweet it was.

We tried cereal a few times this month. The first time, when it was REALLY runny and more breastmilk than cereal, she did marvelous. But as I began to thicken it up in the following weeks, she struggled with tummy pain and gas... TONS of crying after eating. So I'm done with it for now. We'll try again at 6 months. I think she's ready and very interested but her body isn't.

This weekend she found her feet. It occurred to me she hasn't had much time in just a diaper or onesie because it has been pretty cold lately. She's usually in clothes with footies or socks... so I left her on the bed after a bath in just a diaper and a towel for a while and she went BANANAS over her toes. The cuteness killed me and then I died.

I haven't weighed or measured her but she feels and looks bigger. She's just about too long for her 6 month clothes but still kinda swimming in the width of them. I can't believe how skinny she is. The cheeks are adorable and chubby, though, so I'll take it. I sometimes wonder if it is because I'm not really eating much fat without milk products in my diet? Or maybe this is just the way she is. I still haven't tried formula.... continuing to take this whole thing day by day.

Sleep is what it is. I'm not getting any expectations up about this baby sleeping through the night anytime soon. The end.

I cannot wait for her first Christmas and part of me just wishes I could slow time down... but at the same time, I know how much more fun each month gets so I am excited for her to grow. I just want to savor the sweet and quiet snuggly baby moments as much as I can.

3 comments:

  1. So, twinkie, I just finished a blog post set to publish this evening that sounds so very similar to this one. I love to watch my boys love each other - and it's so amazing to see you love your girls the same.

    And ::clinks glass:: to babies waking up eleven billion times a night. Gosh they're adorable at 2am. And 4am. And...

    Good grief your post gave me chills, I am thinking the same things. <3

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  2. We tried solids for five days at six months (three of banana, two of blueberries) and then just stopped because E. was clearly having all sorts of trouble (MSPI contamination as well). We restarted a couple of weeks ago, when he was getting close to seven months, and he is having a blast! Trying lots of different things (pears and eggplant are favourites), all as finger foods, and no tummy problems whatsoever. I think it was so worth waiting even longer than the magic six months for him- think he just needed a bit more time to get everything settled.

    E. started to get really long and lanky between five and six months, but now he seems to be chunking out again. I wonder if the fact that I was still contaminating his diet affected his weight gain (not that this would be the case with you and baby S.).

    With night sleep I am currently an advocate of Weissbluth's 'two feeds per night until 9 months is normal' opinion. Not that I subscribe to CIO. But it makes me feel better to think that someone said this is normal when I get up twice every night. I seriously think E. will never sleep through the night.

    xoxoxo
    T.
    PS. love all the pics. So cute!

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  3. love the pics!! there is NOTHING Like that sibling love hey!?! soo awesome. i hope it sticks around :)

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