We’ve made it to 5 months old! The next month seems like a big milestone itself to me: dramatic reduction in the likelihood of SIDS, sitting up, playing and personalities. I just love 6 months and forward. Don’t get me wrong: I will undoubtedly miss the months of wee little baby, squishy and flexible and pliable. But this is when things will start to get fun.
And speaking of fun: some of it is beginning now! Coraline is actually doing some playing rather than simply observing. She is an expert at tummy time, far more than Jameson ever was, because she loves to be on her belly. She even sleeps that way now! She learned how to roll back to belly this month, and that’s all she does.
This also means that we have ended swaddling officially, pretty much shortly after she turned 4 months. I will probably miss that, and her little ear hairs on the side, going away the most. Speaking of sleep… this girl is trouble.
She will unexpectedly sleep through the night one night and turn around to be up most of the night the following… it’s been difficult, to say the least. I put up the mesh pads so she can’t get her arms and legs stuck through the slats just yesterday and she slept through, thankfully. This never bothered Jameson, but does seem to bother her. That, and getting frustrated when she does want to return to her back and doesn’t know how to roll that way yet. In addition, if she gets too frustrated, it’s near impossible to get her to sleep so we are always watching for that fine line of trying to get her to go back to sleep on her own without feeding her and getting too frustrated. I’m looking forward to the end of this stage.
Such is her strength that even while lying down on her back (which isn’t very often anymore!), she can lift her whole chest up like she is trying to sit up! She has terrible balance, but she loves when I grab her fingers and pull her upright into the sitting (or even standing) position. She gives the biggest gummy smiles when I do that, and when I kiss her cheeks loudly by her ear.
Coraline also found her feet this month, to the entertainment of all! She even occasionally chews on her toes, which I think is awesome.
She is okay in the excersaucer, which we started putting her in this month after her first time at daycare. She likes it okay, but I think will like it more when she can stand easily. Right now it’s harder on her with a pillow propping her feet up to the appropriate height.
Coraline is also practicing holding things with two hands and will give a funny face when she first puts her toy in her mouth as if she’s say, “eww what is that!?” and then… “mmm that feels good on my toothless little gums!”
Coraline is officially taking bottles consistently at daycare, but still refuses at home or anywhere else but nursing from me. However, we’ve all enjoyed being able to feed Coraline her first foods, which is fun. She got the hang of it quickly and while she doesn’t eat too much yet, she enjoys what she gets. And on those thankfully rare occasions now that she has trouble with the bottle at daycare, they are able to supplement with cereal.
We’ve enjoyed a lot of outdoor play this month, from her first time in the pool to tea parties with Jameson and Lily. The weather has continued to stay on the cooler side for August, but we do hope to get one more time or two on the water bouncer.
Coraline is a delight to be around when she’s awake and not tired. She rarely if ever cries for hunger, and only calls out when she wants to hang with her family or gets tired. She’s so very smilely, and we love that she has finally found that thumb (at least, most of the time). I’m looking forward to teaching her the sippy (hopefully — if she continues to refuse the bottle at home!), and beginning to explore more food, as well as rolling the other way, and… of course… maybe a bit better sleep. Pretty please?
