Dear Alyssa – Month 5

Dear Alyssa-

It’s time for another update! In case you missed any, check out the previous updates here:

• Months 1 & 2
• Month 3
• Month 4

Time is flying and you’re already 5 months old! I don’t want to jinx anything but I think we’re slowly turning the corner with your colic issues. I wrote this post on how to survive colic to share some tips with other parents who may be dealing with babies like you who like to scream. You still have your moments, but you’ve also had some days where you’re fairly happy all day and evening! I wasn’t sure the day would come.

I was looking back at your brother’s 5-month update and you guys continue to be quite different little ones. While he started solids at 20 weeks, you continue to be exclusively breastfed and I don’t think you’ll be ready for solids for a few more weeks. Which is fine! I’m looking to you to take the lead and show me when you’re ready.

I’m still feeding you on demand. You typically go to bed around 9:30pm and sleep until around 4 or 5. Then I feed you and most days you’ll go back to sleep for another hour or so.

Marcus loves you and always wants to be right by you when you doze next to me in the chair. Most days you take a short morning nap around 10 and another nap sometime in the afternoon, but you’re not super consistent. This month we’ll probably work on getting that afternoon nap to take place in the pack and play instead of on mommy’s lap…but we’ll see.

You tolerate tummy time better than your brother did and we’re trying to get you to spend a while up on your elbows each day. You’re starting to pull your legs in and scoot on your belly (you HATE sitting still) and I think you’ll be crawling before we know it. You also enjoy standing when someone helps you. You’ve recently started chewing on and playing with some of your toys. You love mortimer the moose.

Your favorite thing to do is watch your brother. You watch him like a hawk when he’s in the same room as you! You’re wearing some 6 month, some 6-9 month and some 9 month clothes and I just bought you your first box of size 3 diapers. I would guess you weigh about 16 pounds. (Comparatively, your brother was in 12-18 month clothes and weighed 19.5 pounds at 5 months).

You’re starting to find your voice and do a little less screaming and a little more talking and you do love to smile.

You love when mommy holds you and generally hate being put down or sitting by yourself. You’re even starting to let daddy hold you without crying sometimes!

Squish knows who you are and interacts with you occasionally, but for the most part typically continues to do his own thing.

We put you in the swing outside for the first time, which you seemed to enjoy and you’re almost big enough to sit in the stroller facing forward.

We took you in to get your hearing checked as a precaution this month, but everything was fine!

Mama loves you, sweet girl! Looking forward to seeing what next month brings!