Well, the day we have all been dreading is finally here…P is
teething. She is drooling everywhere, chewing and nawing like crazy, and just
down right miserable to be around these days. Though I know that this is just a
part of her development, but I can’t help but lose my cool every once in awhile. I
have been having bouts of the baby blues lately, and I don’t think that is a
coincidence that this comes along at approximately the same time as P’s
teething. I am finding that dealing with a teething baby is about as stressful
as dealing with a newborn. It is just not fun!
Truthfully P was an amazing newborn, and I felt rested most of the time. Now, I have gotten used to my 8 hours of sleep at night, and I am less than thrilled about her waking me up at 6:00 every morning instead of sleeping till 7. Yes, I know it is just one hour, but I need that hour so much! I feel guilty that I get angry when I hear her crying before the sun comes up. I am frustrated that she seems to be regressing with her eating--causing her to regress with sleeping. How dare she undo all of my hard work.
We have tried hurricane gel, tylenol before bed, frozen teethers, and massaging her gums. Nothing is working yet. UGH! ok, rant over!
Nevertheless P is 5 months old, and it is a time to
celebrate. It’s summertime, and she has
experienced a lot of new first this month. She has rolled over, and
started say Ba-ba and Da-da! She is quite the vocal baby lately. She enjoys
examining the extremes of her voice. She squeals, squeaks, and moans
constantly.
This month she has experienced the pool for the first time,
and she took her first ride on a boat. She loves the water. Her little legs are
kicking constantly while she floats along. I cannot wait to see her reaction to
the ocean in two weeks! It should be interesting to see her reaction to sand
between her perfect tiny toes.
She also rolled over for the first time this month, but she
hasn’t done it since. I have been trying to give her a lot of practice on her
tummy, but she protests after about five minutes. Toys have become a big
favorite to her lately. She has taken a liking to her Sophie the Giraffe
teether and her o-ball. However most days she would be happier with an empty
water bottle. She loves textures, and is constantly running her chubby fingers
along any new fabric or object that interests her. She is able to sit up for several seconds at a time unassisted.
Entertaining my little one is a lot more challenging this
month than in the past. She does not want to lie down on her activity mat for
very long, and would much rather be sitting or standing in my lap. She loves
her bouncy seat and her walker. She still loves to swing and watch Baby First
TV. She still has to be swaddled to sleep, and she is growing out of most of
the swaddles that I have found. I am a little bit at a loss for how to
transition her to sleeping without a swaddle or wearable blanket. Her legs and
arms are still very active and she will wake herself easily. It is challenging
to say the least.
Feeding time is about the same as nap time—she is very
active. Her arms and legs are constantly moving. She is punching, slapping and
clawing me and her daddy the whole time. Ultimately, I am happy with just a few
ounces at a time. This has led to a nasty snacking habit that Babywise warned
me against. However, I have tried to fight it for so long, and at this point, I
am just trying to get the ounces in at any time I can. I know that if she doesn’t
eat a certain amount by bedtime, that she will wake at night. So I guess this
is just one of those pick your battle type things. Ultimately, baby girl can
still put away 30 or more ounces in 24 hours if I let her snack all day long.
I have cut my pumping schedule down to 5 pumpings a day
instead of 6. This means that I am now pumping every four hours instead of
every 3—allowing me a lot more time to get things done. This has led me to a
greater quality of life. I can leave the house for date night without having to
pump while we are out. I just pump in the car on the way to dinner and then
pump when we get home. It’s because of this fact that I will probably continue
my pumping after 6 months.
Speaking of the 6 month mark… we are very excited to be
starting solids in just a few weeks. I am looking forward to doing a hybrid
Baby Led Weaning and puree type deal with P. I want to give her some finger
foods that she can naw on, but I also want to make some purees for her. I don’t
know that I am quite ready to let go enough to let her feed herself entirely
(as BLW traditionally recommends). I want her to be more dependent on me than
that. I’m CRAZY!
Overall, I think the last five months have been some of the
best of my life. Piper is a happy chunky little angel that I love oh-so-much!
Happy 5 months baby P! I am so lucky to call you my Piperoo,
Piperdoodle, but most importantly—my daughter. Mommy loves you so much!
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