This week we have been on our annual family vacation to the beach in Oak Island, NC, and we are currently suffering through two consecutive rainy days. We took JP to the ocean on Sunday - he really didn't know if he liked it or not - he took a short nap in his baby tent and sat in his blow up pool for a while, then John brought him up to the house and let me enjoy the sun for a few hours! Thank goodness for supportive and helpful husbands! The ride here was a little rocky, as we assumed it would be since John Parker doesn't love his carseat and we've never been farther than Greenville with him. It definitely could have been worse, though. We left around 8am and he slept until 9:30, when I got in the backseat and played with him until he dozed back off around 10:30. He cried and fussed a little during that time, but nothing I couldn't handle. He woke up again around 11:30 and we stopped so I could feed him and take a little break. Around 12pm we hit the road again and he really cried for at least 30 minutes after I put him back in his carseat. Like big, crocodile tears - and screaming. It was pitiful, but we had to keep moving, and I knew it was time for his nap and he would give it up soon. Finally around 12:45, he feel back asleep and slept until we arrived in Oak Island. The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, but it was obvious he wasn't on his regular schedule. That night, we tried to imitate his regular bedtime routine and put him to bed around 9:45. He went right to sleep and we thought maybe we had accomplished a good first night away from home. He woke up for the first time around 12am and after that, every 2 hours until morning. At one point, around 1:30am, he cried and screamed until 2:15am, and we actually had to pick him up and rock him back to sleep. He has been sleeping all night since 9 weeks old so this was very abnormal for him. I think he was scared and cold - we set up a room for him in our huge walk-in closet and discovered the vent was blowing right on him. John closed the vent and he has slept much better every night since the first. Hopefully, the rest of the vacation will continue to be very happy and restful for all of us :)
He turned 5 months old last week on Friday, and I feel like I need to document some major milestones of the last month.
Laughing (actually giggling) out loud: 7.18.11 - I was tickling him and he giggled. He has been smiling and squealing for weeks, but never an actual giggle. It was an amazing feeling - he's been doing it every day since then!
Solid foods: started rice cereal at 4 1/2 months. Now eating oatmeal cereal at 11:30 feeding, rice cereal at 3:30 feeding, and I have given him about 1/2 tbsp of bananas mixed in the last two feedings. It seems like the bananas might be making his reflux worse right now so I'm not sure if we will continue with them.
Reaching for people, toys, etc: Started around 4 1/2 months and is getting better every day. He really reaches out when we reach for him and tries to grab his toys and silky blanket.
Tries scooting on his belly on the floor: Started the week before 5 months - he actually tries to get from my lap to the floor and when I put him on his tummy, he tries with all his might to move. He hasn't figured it out - yet.
Sitting up: He can easily sit on the floor between my legs with just a little buffer in case he falls side to side. He can sit for a few seconds with no support at all, and every day he gets stronger. He will definitely be sitting on his own by the end of this month!
Sleeping: 9:45 or 10pm to 8 or 8:30 am (bedtime)
10am - 1045-1130, 1pm - 3-330, 4pm-5pm, catnaps for the rest of the evening (naps)
Eating: With me, nurses at 8am, 11:30am, 3:30pm, 6:30pm and gets a 6 oz bottle of breastmilk with 1 1/2 tbsp rice cereal at bedtime. With babysitter, he gets 6 oz bottles of breastmilk at feedings. Every day, he also gets 2 tbsp rice cereal mixed with 1 oz breastmilk at 11:30 and 2 tbsp oatmeal cereal mixed with 1 oz at 3:30 (spoon-fed) - we do this every day - when I nurse, he gets milk first, then food. When he eats a bottle, he gets about 4 1/2 oz, then his food, then finishes the remaining 1 1/2 oz.
Weighs around 14 pounds, wearing 3-6 months clothes (6 month Carters), wearing size 2 diapers.
He's had a great month! He really seems to be settling into his nap schedule and he loves routine! He's a happy baby with only the occasional meltdown :)
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