Five Months!

Rachel -- you are FIVE MONTHS old today!

How did THAT happen???

You are STILL wearing size one disposable diapers although technically you could be moved to size 2s. We'll probably do that in the next month or so. You only wear size 3-6 month clothes. You still don't wear many of your clothes very often because you have so many different outfits :) However I did discover today that we'll have to buy some 9 month sleepers since we only have four of them! You didn't gain a lot of weight this month either although you are now solidly past the 12 pound mark. You weigh 12 pounds, 10 ounces and you are 24 1/2 inches long.

You have stopped sleeping well, sadly. You now wake up three to four times a night to nurse. I think you are getting hungrier and Daddy and I have talked about starting you on solids earlier than six months. You are still a night owl and like to stay up until 11 or midnight but then you wake up between 9:30 and 10 in the morning. This is only a problem because your big brother, Sam, wakes up around 8:30 or 9 so I don't get to sleep much anymore. Oh well. I know this is just a phase. You still have your late evening nap although last night you skipped it but still didn't go to bed earlier. You still want to sleep for a bit about two hours after you wake up, sometimes only for one hour but sometimes for two. You are still pretty good about going to sleep on your own if you don't fall asleep when nursing. And you have outgrown your swaddle blankets so we've been trying to improvise with receiving blankets but they don't work as well.

Your nursing hasn't been as great lately. You get really distracted and I have to go into a quiet room and not talk to anyone for you to nurse well. But when you are done nursing and I hold you up to burp, you suck on my cheek. You are either giving kisses or trying to nurse some more and it is so sweet :)

You only pooped twice this entire month. As of today you haven't had a good sized poop in 21 days. That's a little long my dear! You did have a small amount this past Monday so we know your bowels are working. For some reason you just seem to be using EVERYTHING you take in. Mommy and Daddy keep waiting for "the big one" to hit :)

You are generally a pretty happy baby Rachel. Except when you want something and then you let us know! You like hanging out in your bouncy seat and playing on your play mat. You don't like your swing as much but you still like hanging out on Mommy and Daddy's bed or in your Moses Basket. I think you like being able to move around. And you have really started to play with toys. You get such loud squeaks out of Sophie! And you like playing with a blanket.

You also like to scratch on things -- our blanket, your Moses Basket, your bouncy seat, Mommy and Daddy, EVERYTHING! And you have started to suck on your bottom lip and blow raspberries. You are becoming one noisy baby Miss Rachel! And you still smile and laugh a lot. And you have started to "talk" and "talk!" You approach the world with your mouth wide open and it is so funny! I hardly ever see you with your mouth closed :)

This month you had your first visit to Ontario. This trip included a lot of firsts including your first airplane ride (you did awesome!) and your first visit to Waterloo. You met lots of people and had so much fun. Everyone wanted to hold you and you never complained. I think you are a people person!

This month you started rolling over all the way. You have rolled front-to-back and back-to-front. You rarely stay in one place anymore. This month you have also really enjoyed when Daddy does library rhymes with you especially "Today is the day they give babies away" and "Five bees." You laugh and smile at him. This is especially helpful because you are STILL teething without any visible results. You cry loudly sometimes, drool a lot and are always trying to stick your fist in your mouth. Mommy and Daddy say, "Come on teeth!"

Rachel, Happy Five Month Birthday! We love you so much!