5 Months

I'm 5 months old!

Likes: hand chomping, sucking in his bottom lip, rolling from back to tummy and back again, giggling at funny faces and zerberts

New tricks: scooting forward, grabbing his toes, watching mommy and daddy eat, face grabbing

Dislikes: nose frida

oops: 5 months and 1 day.  Please forgive my sinus infection induced stupidity.

I've been very bad...

I've been a very bad blogger.  But that's what happens when life gets in the way.  Calvin came home after the first week with a cold, that he promptly shared with me.  Such a good little baby.  Chris has been spared, which is good because he just had his first week back at work.  So not much has been going on around here that doesn't involve boogers and snot and who wants to read about that?!

Calvin has survived the first two weeks of day care and I don't think either of us are too excited about it.  I'm very resistant to change so I'm trying to stay calm and keep my list of grievances.  If they amount to something I'll declare it Festivus.  Until that day comes, I'll keep waiting for my first choice daycare to call with an opening.  I know that the staff where he is will take care of him and I don't worry for his safety.  The super plus side is that we can walk him there, which we have done every day.  That little walk is nice.

on our way to day care

I've also been a very bad mommy.  We were busy all morning and when we got back home this afternoon all I wanted to do was collapse on the couch in a ball of snot, but Chris is out of town and Calvin had taken 2 good naps already so a third was not in the cards.  I just didn't have it in me to entertain a baby so I kept him cycling between the exersaucer, swing, bouncy seat and my lap while I zoned out to a stupid rom com.   You do what you have to do to get by.  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  God bless single moms parents who have to figure it out alone EVERY DAY.  I'm struggling with 36 hours.

and here are some random photos:

bunny outtakes

silly sunhat

Mom forgot the sunhat so Dad made his own

Calvin's first party

Growing Pains

Our first days at daycare aren't going so well.  Calvin doesn't know how to fall asleep on his own and I don't think the teachers have the time to work with him on it.  When I look at the sheet of his activities I see sporadic sleeping that adds up to no more than an hour.  The result is that I bring home an exhausted baby. He's happy to see us, but too tired to enjoy any of our typical evening activities.  No song time, no massage, no books.  Just eating and to bed.

It could just be that he hasn't had time to adjust to his new surroundings, but I think the fault falls more with me.  I have been verbal about not wanting Calvin to cry.  The cry it out method is inconsistent with my parenting philosophy.  Despite this, I've gotten really good at putting Calvin to bed at night, but only as a human pacifier.  Or if it's dad's turn, it's the bouncy seat of sleep.  and in either case it's 30, 45, 60 minutes of our evenings (middle of the night) spent in a dark baby room.

So if the daycare people aren't going to do the hard parenting jobs for me, I guess I have to. Calvin came home exhausted and cranky and ready for bed an hour before bedtime.  Since I decided my method of putting him to sleep (pleasant as he found it) wasn't doing him any favors, I tried a different approach.

First I tried my touchy feely attachment parenting approach.  Feeding, rocking, substitute pacifier, nurse some more, butt patting, substitute pacifier,  rocking and more butt patting.  It didn't work.

Then I tried the proven and popular method.  I put Calvin in his crib, gave him a kiss goodnight and patted his butt one last time.  Then *gasp* left.  He *gasp, gasp* cried.  But over all it only took two 5 minute sessions and he was asleep.  While it broke my heart and made me cry too, you can't argue with success.  It's the start of what I hope will be nights with less and less crying and hopefully what he learns at night will help him during the day.

Nothing has ever brought me more joy than the sound of this guy's giggle

First day!

Calvin's ready for his first day at day care.

Mama not so much, but I only teared up at little twice:

• last night when Chris said that he was going to school and he can't walk and doesn't even have teeth 
• and again when I opened my first day survival gift bag that contained tissues, tea, cocoa, kisses and lifesavers.  oh the power of suggestion.

Chris and I walked him over there at about 9 and I thought I might go check on him, but then again maybe it would be better to stick it out.  I may just send Chris when he runs an errand this afternoon.

I just read a friend's post today about being excited and nervous.  Yep.  Right there with ya sister.  I'm excited about the social opportunities this will provide him.  We've kept him home for 4 1/2 months and that's longer than many parents who both work are able to manage.  I'm thankful for that special time that both Chris and I have been able to have with him, but now that he is becoming more aware of his surroundings it can be good for him to see new people, play with different toys and engage (however slight that is for an infant) with other kids.  

And I'm nervous.  What if he cries non-stop, what if he won't take the bottle, who's going to know that he needs to be held and butt-patted to sleep, what if... nothing he'll be fine and so will I.

Maybe I need a new purple lunch box too.   

baby love

Playbaby centerfold

Let's go for a ride!

We bought Calvin a bike helmet...

I think he likes it.


Note: We don't intend to put him on the bike until he's 5 or 6 months old.

It's Easter

Woah!

Thank you, Easter Bunny

What else is in there?

4 months

Calvin is 4 months old! and he has grown a lot since his previous check up.  If you remember, he was a perfectly average baby in size, except for being a little long.  This time he is squashing all the other babies under his giant sized feet.  I'm going to have to buy bigger sleepers.

Stats:

Length: 26 1/2 in (95%)

Weight: 17lb 4oz (90%)

Head circumference: 43cm (90%)

Sleep: averaging 2 waking periods a night

Eyes: we still aren't sure.  some days they are dark blue grey and some days dark brown grey.  I'm still voting on hazel.

He likes to sit in the bumbo now and has figured out how to get stuff to his mouth most of the time.  He can also grab like a pro, but isn't always sure what to do with something after it's in his little hand or how to let it go.  

Calvin is so aware of his surrounding now and very curious.  I love to watch his little head bob to the left and right as he follows something, like a particular black and white doggie or daddy's finger.

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