Stats

Brees Elizabeth is 5 months old!

I really can't believe another month has gone by, and what a busy month it has been!  We have watched our little lamb grow more this month than ever before and her sweet little personality shines brighter everyday, making all of us happier than we've ever been.  

Here are her stats:

Feeding:  Still exclusively breast feeding, eating every 3-41/2 hours.  I plan to start her on rice cereal at 6 months and the thought of that makes me sad.  Sounds ridiculous, but I love the fact that my body is her only source of nutrition right now.  That bond is priceless, that feeling of accomplishment as a mother.  I am sad that she will be venturing out, but ce la vie.  I am so grateful for how successful we have been and hope to continue nursing for quite a while.

Sleeping:  Her sleeping habits changed yet again this month.  I've read in several places that it is normal for babies to go through a "wakeful" phase, and we have definitely experienced that this month.  Teething doesn't help, either.  She naps wonderfully during the day, taking about 4 naps at 2-3 hours each a day.  At night, however, she has started to wake up at around 2 every morning, talking and babbling in her bed, sometimes getting very fussy.  I have started the terrible habit of nursing her to get her to fall back asleep and so now she is regularly waking up for a 2am feeding again.  Bad Mommy.  I can't say that I mind terribly being able to cuddle with her as we both doze in and out of sleep, though.

Health:  She has not been sick at all this month.  She is teething, though, so we've seen a little more drool and a need to put everything in her mouth.  She has two little teeth at the bottom and seems to be a little more comfortable now that they have broken the skin.  Her reflux is under control and her spitting up has decreased considerably.  

Play:  She is so active!  She rolls both ways now and scoots her butt into the air in an attempt to crawl.  She loves her Exersaucer and her new baby swing we added to Isabelle's swing set.  She loves being outside more than anything and we love taking long walks in the afternoon.  Her favorite place to be is in her Ergo, nestled in close to Mama.  Isabelle and Brees adore each other and Brees watches her big sister like a hawk, following her every move.  Her Soothe and Glow Seahorse is her favorite toy and she sleeps with him pressed up against her face every night.  She is a big thumb sucker and will not take a pacifier.  Hello orthodontist bills!

Disposition:  She truly is the sweetest, happiest little baby.  She smiles constantly and laughs a deep belly laugh when she gets excited.  She is rarely fussy and only cries when she is hungry or ready for bed.  I must admit that this is probably because someone is always holding her.  She is quite the spoiled little lamb, but we wouldn't have it any other way.

This month we:

• Went to the zoo for the first time
• Celebrated big sister's birthday
• Got a new kitten
• Dyed our first Easter eggs
• Learned that if we cry, someone will pick us up right away.  And then started doing that regularly
• Decided that being rocked to sleep for an hour was much more fun than just going to bed alone
• Smiled and laughed the days away

You are a gem, Brees Elizabeth, and we thank God for you everyday!

Stats

Brees Elizabeth is four months old!!!

Here are her stats:

14 pounds 4 ounces, 25 1/2 inches long

1. We are still exclusively breast feeding. Brees nurses every 3-4 1/2 hours during the day. This month, she has occasionally started waking up in the middle of the night around 2 for an extra feeding. The whole sleeping through the night thing was nice while it lasted! The night time feedings aren't too bad because I sleep lightly while she nurses, though. I pump every three hours at work as recommended by my lactation consultant. As daunting as this first seemed when I went back to work, it is actually super easy and has become part of my routine. My coworkers are so supportive and that helps, too!

2. She takes 3-4 naps a day and goes to bed for the night around 6:30 pm. She wakes up, eats, plays for about an hour and a half to two hours, and then goes back to sleep. She repeats this cycle all day until bed time. She can now fall asleep on her own, which breaks my heart. I still rock her to sleep at least twice a day because we both love the cuddle time so much. But it's also nice that she can drift off on her own, especially when Isabelle needs me or I have to go to work. When she wakes up, she plays quietly in her bed for a while before beckoning us to come and rescue her. She loves her glo-worm and aquarium musical crib toy.

3. She can now roll from her tummy to her back and vice versa. She is a rolling machine and travels all over the living room floor! We have put her bouncy chair away for good as she somehow always manages to scoot completely out of it, even with the seatbelt on. She has found her feet and likes to give them kisses. She almost always has at least one sock off and even managed to take her diaper off last week. We are quickly realizing that she is the quiet, sneaky type:)

4. She is very, very vocal. She talks and sings and coos constantly. She squeals and giggles loudly while we are all talking, actively participating in our family conversations. She doesn't cry much and is very easily pacified. She is a very happy, content baby and is so adaptable. She can nap anywhere, doesn't mind running 20 errands, and will let anyone hold her. She smiles all the time now and will let out a deep belly laugh is you tickle her neck.

5. She has not been sick at all this month. She is cutting a tooth and is drooling a lot. She puts everything in her mouth and loves to suck her thumb. Her reflux seems to have hit its peak this month and she spit up A LOT. Our pediatrician said this is totally normal: most babies with reflux tend to spit up the most around 4 months. As long as they are still gaining weight and are not experiencing any other symptoms (such as coughing, crying when spitting up, or losing weight), then we are on the right track. She is still taking Prevacid every night and it is so effective in preventing any of the acid reflux symptoms she was having. Her weight is right on track and she eats like a champ. We've just had to do more laundry!

It's amazing to see her sweet little personality forming. She and Isabelle have a lot of similarities, but we can already see so many differences in them as well. The dynamics of a family are so amazing to me. God placed us all together for a reason, for that I am sure. Our personalties compliment one another, our strengths and weaknesses come together and we are able to use them to make our family better. I am so, so thankful for all that is ours.