Oh, Hazel. You are five months old! This past month has been a huge month for you (and for me).
With your brother, if memory serves, a bunch of things happened all at once just before five months: He started rolling, we stopped swaddling, he got sick, and I went back to work, and that was the end of his great sleeping for another, oh, 17 months? Needless to say, I was kind of dreading this time with you.
But you know what? Kids are different!
You got that first sickness out of the way a little earlier. At four months, you didn't look like you were anywhere close to rolling over, and now you go back and forth with ease. You still don't love it when you end up entirely on your stomach, but halfway to about 3/4 of the way onto your tummy is your sweet spot.
On the recommendation of several friends (and strangers when I posed the question to a Facebook moms' group), I bought a Zipadee-Zip to help you transition out of the swaddle at night. You found you preferred to suck on your hands (not possible in the Zipadee), so that only honestly lasted a few nights, which is a shame, because you looked like a little starfish and it was pretty adorable. So, like it wasn't no big thang, you went right into footie pajamas and, knock on wood, your sleep has not been any worse for it.
I WENT BACK TO WORK. This was a transition for both of us, made a thousand times easier (for both of us) by your dad taking four weeks off. (He also took time off with Oliver at this point; it's so great that it worked out again!) Let me take a detour and talk about myself here for a moment. I felt like I was in "vacation mode" for four and a half months. I didn't keep a calendar (and I needed one). I felt a little "all over the place" sometimes. I think, by necessity, I am more organized and scheduled and follow a routine better when I am working. So my head is more in order, but boy does my heart miss seeing your beautiful little face all day, every day!
You'll be starting daycare here in a few weeks, and I'm nervous about that, but I know you'll love your school like Oliver does.
Prior to my return to work, you did not, would not take a bottle. Period. You accepted pumped milk exactly twice from a bottle, and one of those times you ended up spitting up everything you'd taken immediately after. We tried so many bottles and nipples, I'd just given up trying by the end of my time home, figuring you'd give in when it was your only option. And you know what? You did. It was a rough couple of first days there for your dad (and you), but you made it through!
You are still the most babbly, talky baby I know. You coo and chat up a storm. You talk to yourself, to your family, to strangers. I mistakenly called you my "serious baby" a few months back, but I just hadn't waited long enough. You break out the most beautiful smile about a thousand times a day!
Last but not least, your new trick: sitting up. This has only really started in the last few days, and you're only able to balance on your own for a few seconds before you tip over, but you love sitting up. You grin when I pull you into a sitting position by your hands, and you laugh when you fall backwards again. (You're surprised when you fall forward instead, faceplanting into the bed.)
Oliver still adores you. That is all.
So, to recap:
- Rolling: check.
- Graduation from the swaddle: check.
- Mom back to work: check.
- Sitting (mostly) unassisted: check.
