Well, seeing as at this point we are 1 week away from her 6 month birthday, I should probably get around to posting about month 5, huh? Let's do that, shall we? On August 6th our tiny little Jekyll & Hyde turned 5 months old!
I am hesitant to put this out into the universe for fear that it will immediately become false- but I think her patience for car rides has really started to turn a corner. Of course, I'm about to drive an hour and a half with her to Conroe. So... like I said, I may regret this statement in the very near future. The fact remains though that in her fifth month of life, this sweet princess has demonstrated she can indeed ride in the car for longer periods of time and entertain herself. We still won't be taking her on a real road trip any time soon** though. :c)
*sigh* We're doing this again? So underwhelmed.
The real challenge this month, and you'll see a theme when I post about her sixth month, is that SHE. HATES. SLEEPING. I'm talking an intense kind of hate. Like what I feel for cheese. When you get to the "time to go to sleep" part of her bed time routine, things rapidly spiral out of control. She knows you're rocking her to try to get to sleep and she takes that as a challenge. If I didn't know better I would think she was sharpening some future bull riding skills. She start mountain climbing you, kickboxing your nether regions, clawing your neck and screaming. This can persist for anywhere between 20 minutes to 3 hours. Oh yes. Three hours.
I know what you're thinking. Sounds like CIO time, doesn't it? Tried that. Don't think we're ready yet. Why would I say that? Oh because the two nights we started trying it after 1 hour of patting, leaving, coming back, patting, leaving, coming back we gave in and found that the pack & play looked like a crime scene. Slobber everywhere. Sheets all disheveled. It then took a solid 20 minutes to get her to slow her breathing pace enough to where she could fall asleep. I am no expert, but I am going to say that is a sign we aren't quite ready to do that. I'll keep trying though!
Pssst, stuffed hippo. Are they still there?
That aside- it's been another really good month. You can see her learning things about the world around her daily and it is so, so much fun to watch! She is really digging her toys now. Anything in her immediate radius goes straight in her mouth as soon as she gets a hold of it. Her favorite toys seem to be a ball with a monkey in the middle of it that makes a rattling noise and these 3 bean shaped toys that have a weighted ball in the middle that makes them move funny. We also busted out the exersaucer this month which seems to keep her very entertained. Not because it makes noise or lights up, but because it's a real challenge to get things into your mouth when they are mounted on something else.
Her stranger danger reflex is really starting to ramp up. If you aren't Ryan or I, she's going to assume you are going to be the reason she ends up on a milk carton. She's not afraid to let anyone around know either. So when people come to visit, we try to talk to them for a while before handing her off. If you come over and think we're hogging out kid- believe me, it's for your hearing's sake.
In case you were curious, yes this was taken after a long day of work and no the boogie wasn't feeling it.
Personality wise my Dad made a very astute observation that I hadn't really thought about before. He mentioned how he thought she was sensitive. When I asked him why, he said because she looks at your face first before she decides how she wants to react. That's true. She's rarely the first to smile or to engage you. Maybe all babies are like that, but I thought it was interesting. She continues to display what I consider signs that she is shy. Makes sense because Ryan & I were both shy as kiddos too.
I know I sound like a broken record- but once again, it's been an unbelievable month with our tiny monster. We grow to love her more and more by the second. Even in the seconds that she is trying to ensure her only child status. Can't wait to see what the future months have in store for us, my yittle yovey!
** "soon" per her father is defined as any time in the next 18 years.
Well what do you know- there WAS a smile in there.
The School Stuff
This month her teachers have mentioned how "mobile" she is many times. A couple of times her morning teacher has turned her back for a second and found Emery clear across the room.
I can't remember if I've documented it on here before but Em's afternoon teacher likes to comment on how much Emery screams. (And by comment I usually mean impersonate.) The other day she remarked how Em usually doesn't really scream until her classmates are gone for the day. Sweet little girl misses her friends. This same teacher also mentioned how there's lots of screaming but never any real tears. Sigh. Yeah, yeah. We have the drama queen, I know.
On a very selfish note- towards the end of this month Emery finally started showing real enthusiasm when Ryan & I go to pick her up. It's about time! I know I show enough enthusiasm for the both of us, but it's nice to have it reciprocated with some big toothless grins and crazy arms!
If you don't mind, think I'll just see my way out. THANKS.
The Stats
- Height: 26.25" inches (95th percentile)
- Weight: 15 lbs 10 oz (50th percentile)
- Head: Apparently if someone does make me measure this I forget. SORRY!
- Diaper size: 2
- Clothes: 3-6 months. Had to officially retire most of her 6 month jammies though.
- Feeding: Still eats pretty much every 3 hours, give or take 30 minutes. She has either 3 or 4 five or five & a half oz bottles at school.
- Firsts:
- First time to roll tummy to back (July 10th)
- Four month shots (July 11th)
- First time notably picking things up easily (July 20th)
- First time getting up on hands & elbows (July 25th)
- First real tear (July 30th)
- Games: Practicing standing is still her favorite. She looks sooooo proud of herself. She also really likes to play on the ground with her toys and people. She will entertain herself for a while, but it always goes more smoothly if you are down there with her.
- Songs: I remembered one verse to Hush Little Baby one night and now I sing that a lot. I don't remember the real words but I have become pretty skilled at making sentences with no logic but somehow rhyme. Tell me "and if that little heart don't beat, mama's gonna buy you some stinky feet," shouldn't have been part of the original song!
- Foods Dripped on Your Head/Fished out of the Ergo Baby: Actually- since she will play on the ground by herself now, this isn't as much of an issue. :c) That doesn't mean we don't still drop things on people- totally still do that. Just don't have an excuse now. :c)
- Sleep: See above. Napping is a total disaster. Getting her to sleep is also a disaster. Her sleeping "pattern," has been completely erratic. Multiple moms have told me that this can be the case when they're about to hit a milestone or teething. Because I'm now a month removed, I know it's because she was about to hit a milestone (sitting). There really was no "normal," in month 5.
- Other Notables: She's starting to take a real interest in what people around her are eating.
My very favorite badonk.
