Jan 7 - 5 Months

Baby AJ we spent this, your 5 month old day at home enjoying a snow day!  Yesterday we made an apple pie together for Papa... today we will hopefully make cookies :)  Yes, enjoying the time off from work and hunkering down at home.  The highs of negative temps kind of dictated that we relax here!

Likes:  Sleeping on your tummy.  Now that you've started rolling back and forth on your own, we aren't swaddling you during times when you could roll.  So when nap time comes, regardless of how I lay you down, you always end up on your tummy.  I don't remember other babies we've had doing this to the extent you do, so that's fun :)  It's also funny to think about how you weren't able to do this just a few weeks ago, and yet here you are rolling like a pro.

Dislikes: You have now realized when people walk away from you.  If you are fussy and we try to soothe you with a pacifier, you are fine until we start to leave... then the sad face and crying starts again.  You give such a look of betrayal.  Truthfully, it's rather cute!


Biggest Achievement this month: Rolling back and forth.  Last month you rolled from your tummy to your back.  This month you've rolled from your back to your tummy as well.  The first time you did it was just after Christmas.  It could be argued that you cheated because you used a toy to push on, but we still count it :)  And besides... in the next few days following that, you did it again, this time without the use of assistance.  

Biggest Challenge of the month: Going to sleep with just Papa.  You really like to snuggle into me, and Oma if she's caring for you.  Unfortunately Papa just isn't built the same so you struggle and fuss and throw a fit if he's the one trying to put you to sleep.  I hope this changes really soon as my next semester begins again and he will have to put you to sleep a couple nights a week. 

Little Personality:  Papa remarked this morning that you are becoming a social butterfly.  As I said earlier with your disliking of us leaving, the same applies to when you are happy and playing.  You fuss when we leave the room, but give big smiles when we come back.  I am more thankful these last few days for the bumbo seat.  It gives a place for you to hangout in whatever room we are in without having to take up tons of space in our small house [specifically the kitchen!]. 

Talking/Communication:  Every time I pull out a camera or the iPod to record you "talking" you always stop talking!  On day here I'll get it on video :)

Eating: We started real food... yes, I know you're supposed to wait until six months old.  And we had intended on that.  But when both sets of your grandparents were over just after Christmas, we made up some Banana "Ice Cream" made purely out of frozen banana chunks.  So we decided to let you try a little bit of it... totally expecting you to spit it out immediately.  Well... you didn't.  In fact, you really seemed to enjoy it, fussing if I took a bit instead of giving you one and fussing until I actually did give you more.  Right now and for the next several months, food is just for fun.  But it certainly was that - fun.  And also so neat that both sets of grandparents were able to be there and experience it along with us. 

This video shows a little of it, but not the full fun of her trying the bananas.  But I thought I would include it just the same :)

Major Milestones: Rolling from back to tummy.

Firsts:

First Babysitters

First Christmas!

First Foods!

Favorite Baby Gear:  Sofie the giraffe.  AJ received it in her stocking from Oma and Grandpa.  She really enjoys it.  Previously I did not understand the hype... now I do :)

Your jumperoo.  You enjoy the different toys hanging from it and are getting good at turning yourself it in.

You have terrible bed head here... the result of having pig-tails earlier in the day :)

Typical Schedule/Day:  We're still working on getting your schedule switched back to earlier mornings and earlier bedtimes.  Sometime during the holidays you got in the habit of going to bed
late... much to our dismay.  However, for now your schedule is as follows:
It usually starts around 9:30.  From there, the standard time frame is that you will eat fairly soon after getting up, then play for a while.  Typically an hour and a half or two hours after you get up you start showing signs of needing another nap.  Right now you are napping mostly without swaddling in your crib.  If you are having trouble sleeping or settling down without the swaddle, then we wrap you up and put you in your swing.  This last resort usually works without issues.  Your first nap usually lasts about an hour.  Then you eat, play again for a while and then are ready for bed two hours later.  On to the second nap.  It usually lasts at least an hour... sometimes longer. While you usually wake up a happier baby if it's longer, it also means that actual bedtime will be later.  Regardless, whenever you get up, its a rinse and repeat cycle again for a third and fourth bottle and third nap.  These last few days at home your fourth nap has seemed more like an actual bedtime, usually between 9 and 10.  Then you will get up an hour or so later, have a last bottle and fall asleep again fairly quickly... maybe 30-45 minutes later?  And you are down for the night.  The whole cycle begins again the next morning. 

Memories in the last month: 

First pony-tail... first of many!  /  First day of winter [well, a few hours early]

 Christmas with X and C

  Her preferred entertainment for tummy time  /  Playing with paper at Christmas

Adorable pj's made by Aunt Annie :)