February 13, 2011
Happy five-month birthday!
Weight: 18.4lbs. You are wearing size three diapers and 6 – 9 month clothes.
If last month the word of the month was better, this month I think the best descriptive phrase is maintaining the status quo. Your eating and nighttime sleeping schedules have remained largely the same, and you are still experiencing some happy times during the day.
Your schedule varies each day, but you eat roughly every three hours during the day. You go to sleep around 8:30pm pretty regularly, and most nights you wake once during the night. We were blessed with a few lovely nights when you slept without waking for almost ten hours! Of course, those lovely nights were balanced by a few really rough nights. Just two nights ago you were up crying from 10:30pm – 1:30am. We finally gave you a dose of Tylenol since I thought for sure you must be in some grave pain and would likely wake in the morning with five new teeth. Alas, there were no new teeth when you woke, but the Tylenol helped you get some sleep. Perhaps it was a growth spurt?
While you are sleeping quite well overnight, the daytime sleeping is just not happening. We have been trying to swaddle you and put you down for a nap as soon as you start yawning during the day. Unfortunately, you don’t seem to be able to self-sooth at all and end up crying until we end up walking, bouncing, rocking, you to sleep. Yesterday afternoon the walking – bouncing routine took over an hour. I finally laid you in your crib and you slept for a total of 28 minutes! 28 freaking minutes!! You are killing me (and my back!) Everyday is like this and I don’t have any idea what to do. I’ve tried putting you in the swing to nap, and still, you only sleep for 30 minutes or less. A few days ago, you did take one nap for 41 minutes! Did I mention at day care you sleep for almost two hours? I have tried my best to replicate the daycare routine, but it just doesn’t seem to work at home. What’s up with that??
Let’s talk about something happier, shall we? You have the most adorable, sweetest smile! You are even laughing a little bit. I have started playing patty-cake with you and we do our own rendition of the ‘We’ve Got Spirit’ cheer from high school. Both of these bring huge smiles to your face, even when you are feeling grumpy.
Another sweet thing about you is your fabulous little peach fuzz head. Some days it appears to be light brown, and other days it looks almost blonde. You are also still holding on to those blue eyes. Wouldn’t it be fabulous to have a blonde haired/blue eyed little boy in the house? What a contrast it would be to your brother’s darker hair and eyes.
Speaking of your brother, oh boy is he in love with you. Each morning he comes into our room and wants to know if you are awake yet. He runs into your room and throws himself over the edge of your crib to lay his head on your belly. “Good morning, brover,” he says. He doesn’t quite have the “th” sound down just yet. You smile and coo at him, which just thrills him. Every night at dinner your brother gives thanks for you being in our lives.
You are just starting to sit up on your own, although you are pretty top heavy so you lean pretty quickly. You are doing great at tummy time and holding your head up. When I lay you on your activity mat you throw your legs around and lean from side to side. No rolling yet, but plenty of rocking.
We still aren’t getting out much, because you just don’t like to sleep on the go, and you get cranky quite easily. Your dad and I get to the grocery store each Saturday morning and your dad loves carrying you in the mei tai baby carrier. You usually fall asleep about 10 minutes before we are ready to leave. We haven’t been brave enough to try to go out to dinner, but we have had a few trips in the car where you aren’t crying. Things are definitely looking up.
Christian, you have been such a wonderful, but different addition to our lives. Your dad and I are faced with challenges we never even fathomed before you were born. However, we are so happy to have you with us, we are so happy you are a healthy little boy, and we love watching you grow. Sometimes when I go to sleep at night I wonder about what kind of man you will become. Will you be a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker? No matter to me, I just hope and pray that you become a man that knows great joy, smiles easily, knows God, and loves BIG!
With love and affection my sweet boy,
Mama
P.S. Becoming a candlestick maker is probably not the most lucrative career choice – just saying! ;-)
