The Peanut Post – Month 5

Stats: At your 4 month appointment (a week after you were 4 months) you weighed 14lbs 4.4oz and were 24 3/4 inches long. You saw the Nurse Practitioner and she said that you were in the 60th percentile both in weight and height and that you looked great. She said that you were proportionate for your height and weight as well. She was very pleased.

Wearing: You’re wearing 3-6 and 6 month outfits for the most part. There are a few 6 month outfits that are too large for you, but for the most part you’re wearing 3-6 month outfits. Diapers are still size 2. Shoes… well you still don’t like shoes nor do you like socks. Shoe size is like a 2-3 for what I put on you but again you don’t keep them on so I don’t fuss with them much, yet.

Sleep: Your nightly routine is shower, food, bed. You’re sleeping about 7 hours through the night for the most part. You fight sleep, especially for nap time and I’m not sure why. A lot of times you like to try and do cat naps (10-20 minutes) and they seem to make you more cranky than if you sleep about an hour. When you get tired you start crying, a lot, and you get mad at poor effelhump (your elephant) or your binky fink or a towel or whatever is in your way. What I’ve read said you should be sleeping just shy of 16 hrs per day right now and we’re not getting there sadly.

Behavior: You’re not afraid to let us know when you’re hungry or tired. There is a difference in the screams too. You still love to kick your legs and even stick them straight up in the air if you’re laying on your back. I think your feet are your favorite toy. You love to sit up and you also love to play with the baby in the mirror although the other day I think that baby made you mad. lol.

Eating: The nurse practitioner gave you the go ahead to start trying to add solids to diet. You eat about every 3 1/2-4 hours. We’ve started you with the rice and you’re just okay with it. We’ve also tried sweet potatoes. You seem to like the taste but don’t seem yet to know what to do with it.

Appearance: Your daddy found a stork bite on the back of my neck so finally you and I have something in common. The nurse practitioner verified you have the stork bite. You appear to be long legged like your mommy. Your hair is still bouncing back and forth between the red/strawberry blonde/blonde. Your eyes are still blue and at times almost a steel gray color. That was the color of mommy’s grandpa’s eyes.

Likes: You like the outdoors. You like to smile. You like car rides for the most part. You like playing with your feet. You like sitting up. You like to be a part of the group. You like Christmas music. You do like to chew on everything in sight. You like the baby in the mirror (when she isn’t upsetting you). You like your swing. You like the new play center grandma got you. You like to help mommy with homework or at least help her push buttons. You like to be held all the time (even when we can’t).

Dislikes: You don’t like to lay down all the time. You don’t care for new people at first. You don’t like to be by yourself. You don’t like playing by yourself after a short while.

Milestones: You rolled over on the floor (although mommy missed it because I walked around to the other side of the bed for just a minute… dang it!). Standing in the new play center you got and playing with all the toys. You can almost hold yourself up in a sitting position. The nurse practitioner said you might be an early developer… we’ll see.

Mommy: I can’t stand when you’re upset but I’m having to let you try and self sooth which is killing me. I still feel like I’m doing things wrong all the time. People are trying to make me feel guilty for the way I raise my baby but you are mine and I am the one around you. You are mommy’s shuggy bear! Mommy isn’t a morning person but you smile at her and it makes her morning much better, even if it is 5:30am.

Daddy: Daddy loves spending time with you. He loves to snuggle with you and lately you guys have been playing, especially right before shower time a lot. You stick your tongues out at each other and spit at each other (don’t know the best way to describe this… it’s where you have your tongue stuck out and blow air across your tongue and out of your lips…). Sometimes when you are upset, daddy is the only one who can calm you down. You are still his baby squirrel.

Other: I think you got mommy’s hair when it comes to being crazy but it grows a lot like daddy’s hair. You have this swirly area on the crown of your head where one part goes this way and another that way and yada yada. You’ve cried bloody murder at your Aunt Liss and at Memaw. I’m not sure why… When you’re eating, you like to rub your head on both sides and run your fingers through your hair. You’ve been known to sleep with your hand in your hair and the other with on your foot which is up by your face. You really like your feet.

Letter: 

Dear baby girl,

Tomorrow we’re getting ready to celebrate our first Thanksgiving with you. It just brings tears to my eyes when I think of all the first we’re about to experience with you. You break mommy’s heart every time you cry and cry and won’t quit for anything. You’ve stayed the night with grandma and grandpa a few times and I miss you when I wake up in the morning and you aren’t at the house. While we’re kind of on that topic, you need to learn that sleep is okay. You dream a lot and sometimes whimper in your sleep. I’m not sure why. I would really like to know what you’re dreaming about.

I can’t imagine you not in our life. It’s crazy how you go from a life without you to a life with you in no time flat. But I guess I better go because this crying thing we’ve been addressing, you’re doing it. Oh it’s hard to be tough but you need to start self soothing. You’re really tired, I wish you’d take a nap. Stay sweet and remember that mommy and daddy love you!

Love,
Mommy