Caroline is 5 Months Old!

Good grief - 5 months old!? Caroline, you are just getting too big, too fast! Please slow down, because Mommy just can't handle her baby girl getting SO BIG!!

You are chunking up, little girl! Finally! I swear, daycare always fattens my babies up!!  You weigh over 11 lbs. now...up 2 lbs. from just last month! If you continue to grow at this rate, then maybe you will be on the growth chart for weight at your 6 month doctor visit. In the meantime, I will continue kissing on your chubby cheeks!

You started daycare at the beginning of this month and are transitioning very well. I absolutely LOVE all your teachers....Ms. Angie, Ms. Diane and Ms. Elaine are just the best. Though you do not like to nap in your crib there, you will do it occasionally and are getting better every day. You sleep WAY better than Tyler ever did in the infant room...you usually rock 3 naps that last between 20 minutes and 1 hour. Tyler did good to nap 10 minutes ALL DAY!! They are working with you on tummy time (which you still hate!) 

We transitioned you back to eating every 3 hours at school and you are gobbling down (3) 6oz bottles a day! For your first 2 weeks, you got all breastmilk, but you are eating so much that I cannot keep up, so you got your first formula bottle 2 weeks ago. I was plowing through my freezer supply and I didn't want to not have any in case of an emergency. You now get 1 formula and 2 breastmilk bottles a day. PLUS, you eat 3 times a day, too - either rice cereal, oatmeal or a fruit/veggie. Little Piggy! I am still nursing you in the morning, after I pick you up from daycare and before bed.

You were sick this month with a cold that caused you to have goopy eyes, a hoarse voice and an awful cough. I'm sure it was a result of being at daycare for a few weeks. It was just pitiful to hear you cry and you woke up at 3a for 5 nights in a row! Boo! You actually lost your voice completely for about a 36 hours period, too...you would cry and nothing would come out!! I had never heard of an infant losing their voice, but the nurse-on-call said it was normal with drainage, which you had. It was the most pitiful thing ever!

You started spitting up a lot more this month than what feels like should be normal - huge amounts with no warning and one right after each other. I called the pediatrician and you are now on acid reflux meds that you take by dropper in the morning and at night. You tolerate them well and it seems to be helping. Tyler also had a bout with reflux and was on meds for a few months before he outgrew it, so I hope the same holds true for you.

Nighttime sleep is still going well once we got you feeling better.. I am waking you up for a dream feed between 9-10p and put you straight to bed. You don't eat very much, so I think you are about ready to drop this feeding...Mama is just scared because I don't want you to start waking up at 4a! You are still swaddled to sleep in 2 Halo swaddle/sleepsacks. I dread the day when we have to break you of the swaddle. You continue to be a nap champ in your swing, taking 2-3 naps for at least an hour or longer each day. You do wake up sometimes when big brother is too loud, but most of the time you can fall back asleep.

You did lots of NEW things this month:

• You had your first accident report at school already...your little leg got caught in the buckle of the bouncy seat, giving you a little bruise. Poor baby! 
• You had more first foods. You liked oatmeal and sweet potatoes (when warmed). You were not a fan of green beans and squash and prunes and bananas were just ok. Looks like we may have a picky eater on our hands - boo! 
• We heard your first giggles this month when Mommy threw you up in the air. It is just the sweetest sound ever.
• You rode in the jogging stroller for the first time without a car seat like a big girl!
• You have started squealing and "talking" a whole lot more this month. You also kick your legs when you get really excited.
• You went swimming for the first time. It was a chilly 78 degrees, so you were not really a fan just yet.

Other fun things about our sweet little girl:

• Mommy loves to call you "pudding", "pudding pie" and "princess".
• You are grabbing onto and reaching for things, especially the duck that hangs from your carseat. The chewing has also started and you love grabbing onto your shirt or dress and pulling it up to get it in your mouth. I am trying to give you a lovey or a small toy to play with instead. We can't have you showing the world your business!! Ha!
• You are the QUEEN of drool, little girl! The front of your shirt or dress is completely soaked almost all the time! Your brother did not do this nearly as much that I can remember. Maybe it's the acid reflux?? You also love to blow bubbles with all of that drool.

Time is moving so quickly and we are loving watching you grow. You are easy-going and sweet and are the perfect fit for our family. I cannot imagine life without you, precious Caroline. Here are some of my favorite pictures of you from the past month:

Getting some loving from Aunt Elisha and Aunt Kate.

Notice the large drool spots on the chair...

We have an almost identical picture of Tyler standing with Daddy...

Cruising in the stroller. She looks so tiny here not in the carseat.