5 months of knowing Heaven on earth - Mallie Lynn

  5 Months brought us: 

Weight: 13lb and 14oz

Height: 241/2 in long

Feeding: When your hungry.  You've been more like a newborn this month, sometimes it's 1.5 hrs others it's 3.  

Sleep: what sleep?  What naps you had started to take have become our daily chore.  We spend 30+min trying to get you down for a 15 min. power nap.  Every once in a while there is a 45 min snooze sprinkled in there.  We are still quite far from having a routine, each day is so different.

Night time sleep:  you have established a pattern of being tired by 7 so that's become our new bedtime.  As long as you aren't too tired too quick you enjoy reading a story in your rocker  and grabbing at the pages.  Staying asleep is now our issue.  We spend a bit of time in and out of your room, shhhsshing, giving you a paci (thank goodness you'll take one now!), patting, rocking, gas dropping, and crossing our fingers, usually 5 trips in before midnight and 3-4 after midnight.  The result- we are all tired, and sometimes we just give up and put you in the rock n play where we are given a 80% chance of you staying asleep longer.  Too bad your feet are hanging over the edge.  Yikes!

Awake: Still a fan of being awake during the day.  My little energizer bunny but much more alert and inquisitive about everything around you.  Happy and talking much of the time.

Loves: Hearing your own voice as you play with new sounds and squeals.  Drooling!!  Watching Henry do anything or getting a hug from him.  Mat play time, your toy hootsie wootsie, grabbing anything in sight,  chewing on your fingers, chewing on your tongue and moving it around as you get ready for talking, having your legs lifted in the air, being swaddled, nursing, your brother, listening to music. This Little Piggy. Itsy Bitsy Spider, getting raised in the air, sshhhing to sleep.

Dislikes: when mommy leaves you, being tired, some sort of protein we can't figure out.  This month we saw you revert to a bit more unhappiness.  Fighting sleep like it's nobody's business and unhappy to be so tired you have been a bit grumpy.  Bowel movements have been out of line too and this past week we found blood in your stool.  Needless to say we are back to ruling out foods in hopes of finding a happier you.  Originally we were told by doctors to take the first 4 major triggers in FPIES patients out of our diet, now I'm taking all common FPIES trigger foods out again and will reintroduce in a month when your intestines has had time to heal again and we can watch for a reaction.  Hoping this is a good solution.  My guess is chicken and sweet potato but I could be completely wrong. 

Temperament: You love to flash a wide mouth grin when you're around those you love!  You are tough!  We saw you get wacked, hit with a soccerball, and scared a few times this month as little brother gets eager to play with you; not one of those events caused tears.  However when you are in a tired/uncomfortable belly state you can certainly let your needs known. 

Clothing Size: 3 months and 3-6 months depending on the brand.  Mommy was sad to see 3 months become to small this month.

New Milestones: Taking a paci!!!!  Holy Heaven we are so happy to have a way to sooth you when you're upset or help you fall back asleep.  Noticing your feet, Squeals and talking, learning to grab things with your hands, sleeping in the woombie instead of a swaddle, observing everything around you, listening intently to books.  I have so enjoyed the moments you show us how much you love us, especially the way you light up at the sight of your brother or daddy.  You are such a sweetheart.

We love you darling girl!