Charlotte: 5 months

In some ways it feels like the last month has inched along; in other ways it flew past.


Here is Charlotte at 5 months:
Height and Weight: I am not sure her current height, but at her weigh-in at the Monell Center 2 weeks ago, she weighed 18 lbs.  She's continuing to gain about .5 lbs/week, but I am assuming that will slow down at some point.  Maybe?

Clothing size: Still the same sizes- 6 months clothes from Carter's and 6-12 months clothes from Old Navy and Gap.  She could probably move into the 9 months stuff from Carter's soon, though.  She has some serious thighs- that comes from me.

She is also still in size 3 diapers.

Milestones: Charlotte started rolling from her back to her belly a few weeks ago.  Now she cannot stay on her back when you put her down!  In the past few days I have noticed her trying to crawl- she is trying to pick her abdomen up off the floor.  She also tries to move her legs.  This makes me nervous.  Asher started crawling on his 5 month birthday, so I figure I don't have much time left, and I'm not pleased.  Our house is not at all childproof anymore.  Ugh.

She has started blowing raspberries and she thinks it is soooo funny.  She is seriously adorable when she does it.

The doctor gave me the ok to start solids, but I am not rushing into it.  A couple of times I have let her suck on a fruit for the juice and to practice chewing.  She seems, after initial surprise, to like the fruit.  She's had cantaloupe and apple.

Outings and Adventures: We have been to the Please Touch Museum several times recently, and lots of parks and playgrounds as the weather warms up.  No big out of state trips this past month, poor girl.  We had talked about going to Cape Cod this weekend but it was going to be a lot of driving for a short visit, with very little for the boys to do in poor weather, so we're staying home.  Things will pick up this summer, though!

Is she too big for the rock n play if she can sit up like this?

Routine/Schedule: We're getting closer to a schedule.  She goes to bed around the same time as the boys at night, which is about 7:30-8 pm.  I have started giving her a bath almost every night because she is soggy from all her drooling.  I don't use soap or shampoo every night, though, just sponge her off and lotion her up.  We feed on demand at night, still.  Her night wakings vary greatly.  Some nights she's up once, some nights twice, and last night she slept until about 5:30.

She is up for good around 6:30-7 after she poops herself awake (yuck).  She nurses, then we go downstairs and she plays while I get her brothers breakfast and make lunches or get ready for the day.  About 2 hours after she's up, she is ready for a nap.  If we are going somewhere, I pack her up in the car seat and hope she sleeps; if we can stay home I'll put her to bed.  She naps most of the time in her rock n play (bad habit), with her kitty cat over her face.

Charlotte girl with her kitty cat

When the boys are home, we do our morning activity, and then she will usually take an afternoon nap.  If I am a very lucky mommy, she will nap at the same time as her brothers and I will get some peace and quiet.  She is up from about 3 or 4 until bedtime most days.

We are still feeding on demand.  I want to say it is about 8 times a day (including night feedings) but maybe it's less.  She can space it out to 4 hours between feedings, but if she's up, she'll often want to eat after 2 hours.  She is a pretty quick eater, so it's not a huge ordeal no matter where we are.

Favorite food: Still breast milk!

Favorite person: Me, still, because I am the boob lady.  She has started nuzzling into my shoulder and almost hugging.  Oh, do I love it!  She also loves her daddy, brothers, and kitty cats (the live ones).

She is such a happy girl.  She is a smiley baby, and loves to meet new people.  She brings such joy to my life, and to everyone who knows her.