Maddie's sleep has greatly improved yet again this month. Or maybe it got worse at the beginning of the month so that by now it's feeling better again, even if it isn't at the point it was last month. This month she has started waking more often at night, up to three times. And that's not a bad number but it sure feels different than 1-2 wakings! When she does wake, though, she eats for 5 minutes and is back in bed until the next waking. I'm currently trying to do away with night feeds altogether. Since she used to do fewer, I know she can handle it! She goes to bed awake for naps and at bedtime and puts herself to sleep, usually with minimal fussing, within 5 minutes. I feel like this is a HUGE deal because not so long ago I was fighting her for hours to get her asleep! Yay, Maddie! She wakes for the day happy between 7-8am and goes to bed around 8pm. She has 2-3 naps during the day. She sleeps nights in the playpen in our room and naps in her crib in her bedroom. And she's still swaddled. I love the swaddle!
Maddie has tried a couple "samples" of solid food this month. A fingertip of yogurt (yum!), a crumb of bread (yum!), sucking on some roast beef (double yum!). She has also had a bit of water out of a sippy cup and a regular glass. She has started reaching for our food and drinks so I figure, why not? When she does get a taste, she gets excited and reaches for more! I think this girl is going to enjoy the day she can start finger foods!
Maddie has been loving the exersaucer this month! She loves to be upright and while last month the toys were just decorations that she paid no attention to, now she gets excited when we put her in there and she starts reaching for toys right away! She reaches for any toys we hold out to her and grabs and pulls the little birdie toy that we have on her car seat. She's getting really good at holding onto toys and getting them to her mouth. Everything that touches her hand is grabbed and goes to her mouth. Poor Kayden has had her hair and glasses grabbed numerous times! Maddie doesn't spend much time in the jolly jumper, mostly because we don't have a great place to hang it. Bathroom doorway, anyone? Not the most ideal spot. If she bounced like a maniac while she was in it, I would probably make more of an effort to put it up more often but she seems to enjoy the exersaucer more and that is much easier to move around the house! She loves baths. I've started putting her in the big bathtub this month, both alone and with Levi and Kayden, because she splashes so much and covers the bathroom with water. She can definitely hold her own in the big tub. Big grin and tons of kicking the entire time! She's is also just starting to enjoy being thrown in the air. (Not that we've been doing this for a while with her not liking it...she's just finally old enough and loves the thrill! She lets go of whatever she's holding onto, pulls her knees up to her tummy and has the hugest smile/giggles. So much fun!
Maddie is getting pretty close to sitting unassisted. She can sit for a while without tipping. But then she turns her head to look at something an tips over. Or she gets excited and kicks her legs and falls back. But she's getting it! And now that she knows the joys of sitting, she doesn't like to be laid down as much. She will pull her head and legs up in a little crunch with just her diaper touching the floor and hold herself there until she can't possibly hold herself any longer. Then she will relax and happily play on her back because even second best is nothing to complain about for Maddie :) Madelyn has rolled over this month, though she doesn't do it as often as she did earlier in her 5th month. She can also turn circles on the floor by kicking her feet and shifting her body. I always put her on something soft on the floor and I often find her with her head on the hard floor a few minutes later. Whatever floats your boat, Miss Maddie!
Maddie has had a cold this month and hates having her nose wiped, though she tolerates it much better now than she did at first. She has no teeth yet and doesn't seem to be teething. She has experienced her first snow this month, though being bundled in a car seat is hardly "experiencing" it! (That's how I'd like to experience snow every winter if I have to at all!)
At her last immunization, which was about a week after 4 months, she was 14lbs 1oz and 24" tall so my guess is that's she's maybe close to 15lbs by now? It's hard to say and I haven't done the unofficial bathroom scale weigh with her. She is wearing 6 month sleepers, 6 or 6-12 month tops and 3-6, 6, or 6-12 month bottoms. Her eyes are quite dark but not a true brown yet. They still have a little grey in the so we will see how they end up! I think Levi's were quite brown by this age already and Kayden's were lighter.
Madelyn is quite an easy-going baby, though she does still pick her moments to make strange or become overwhelmed when there is too much strange activity. Then we have tears. But mostly she is quiet and observing. If she is with you and all is quiet or she's alone, she will make such happy noises - shrieks and coos - and "talk" to us. Baby noises are some of the best noises ever. She loves singing. When I start to sing to her, her whole face lights up! I love it!
Well, that's a glimpse of our Madelyn at 5 months. As I type this, she's sleeping in my arms because she decided to be awake right at 7am this morning and had two long naps so her schedule is thrown right off. Church mixed in also didn't help. So now we're sneaking in a third nap just after 5pm (hence the rocking) to tide her over til bedtime. She's such a lovely, warm bundle.
Maddie, we love you. We're so glad God chose you to be part of our family! Happy 5 months, my girl. I look forward to your personality coming out even more over the coming month!
I love reading your posts and getting updates on your kids. I don't interact with them much in person, so it is really nice to get a peek into where they are at. She sounds like a sensitive introvert in the making! Personalities, and how God fashioned each one for each child, and made THAT child be the one that was formed specifically for your family, is just crazy and amazing. :) - Katie
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