What I've Learned in 5 Months

Sam turned 5 months old & I'm starting to think that life moves too quickly. 4 months to 5 months felt like the blink of an eye. Here are some things I've learned in 5 months:

1. The spitting up gets better 

Sam has been a raging spitter since month 1. The pediatrician told me it would get better around 6 months (when he could sit up) but it has already gotten better. Now, in comparison to some other babes, he still spits up a lot. But I am now less afraid he will "place his mark" on my outfit right before I walk out the door. And then this happens...

2. 6 lbs 

This is the number of pounds my body is holding onto post baby. I try to get a workout in here & there but I never have time during the week and I'm lucky if I can squeeze on in on a weekend. Plus, Sam isn't sleeping well so right now I can barely drag my feet to the Keurig. I feel like a zombie running the park, it's like my body barely works & I might hit the pavement at any second. 

3. Penis 

Month 5 is when he found it during bath time. It's all downhill from here. 

4. Activity 

Month 4 was Sam's vocal month. This month has been his active month. His legs rarely stop moving. His tiny hands grab anything within reach. Usually my hair. He is practicing on sitting up & is actually quite good at it for 5 months old. 

5. Extra Camera

If your child's nursery is upstairs but he is napping/sleeping downstairs, buy an extra camera for your monitor. I finally did that this past week and it is so nice. Now I can put Sam down for a nap in his nursery (trying to get him used to the room that he never sees) and I don't have to move the camera. Overstock had the best price on an extra camera for our Summer Infant Clear Sight monitor.

6. Take a Chill Pill

I wish that I could say that I am super chill, laid back mother (or person in general) but I am not. I can get wound up pretty easily and often feel like I am going to snap on someone.I feel tugged in many different directions and I feel like I never have enough time.  But sometimes, I need to just relax and take a chill pill. However, this time in my life is the most trying (and most wonderful) and I am trying to teach myself how to just do what I can. Not what I think I should do, or what I used to be able to do. Just want I can do now.

7. Feeling Grateful 

I wrote this post the other night. And that is exactly how I felt. Even when I feel like I am drowning, I remind myself that I am extremely fortunate to be living this life. Sam is healthy and thriving, my marriage is solid and we are loved. So make that margarita out of the tequila you got at work and cheeers yourself. Every little thing is gonna be alright. 

"And she loved a little boy very much, even more than she loved herself."
- The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein 

Grateful

Tonight I am sitting on my couch with a glass of wine and a piece of peanut butter toast. I had never eaten peanut butter toast until I met Kyle. I always ate toast with butter on it. Or jelly. But never butter & jelly. That's weird. My mom eats it that way & I've always thought it was weird. But peanut butter toast is delicious. 

The house is quiet. Kyle is playing in a golf tournament. Sam is in bed. My house was cleaned today. I had a wine tasting so I have a really nice bottle of Cabernet open. 

Last week was rough. Well, this week was even rough. But last Friday I was in tears & this Friday, I am grateful. 

I am grateful for a healthy baby. 

I am grateful for a husband that says he misses me when he hasn't seen me in 12 hrs. 

I am grateful for a job that allows me to have a flexible schedule. 

I am grateful for friends that are still making plans with me even though I'm not as available as I once was. 

I'm grateful for a mother that loves me enough to know I need her to be Sam's only other caregiver right now. 

Tonight, I am just grateful. 

Tears

you guys, i'm so tired. i can't even capitalize. i read this article earlier today and was exactly what i needed to hear. sam hasn't been sleeping well for about a month. it feels like an eternity. i cannot remember the last time i slept more than 3 hrs. shoot, i would buzz my hair off right now to get 3 hrs. i keep trying to stay positive and know that is won't always be this way but there are times that i feel like i am drowning. today i worked from home and i was hoping that sam would take at least one good nap. he slept terribly last night so i really needed it. nope, he woke up super early this morning and then at 1pm, he had only taken 2 less than 45 min naps. woke up crying each time. i won't go into cry it out vs pick him up immediately right now (basically because my brain is too tired) but i am in the in between phase of going to him & letting him fuss for a bit. it feels like nothing is working. 

days like today make me hate working. i don't feel like my head is in the game anyway and then you break me down with no sleep and i snap. i got almost everything completed today that was on my list. and then kyle called and said we had some friends that wanted us to go to dinner and then to their house after. i said i couldn't do it, i'm too tired. and then the tears started. 

i know this won't last forever. and i know that i'm doing my best. and i know that i won't remember how i felt like i could break at any moment. but in this moment, it feels so overwhelming. it makes me want to turn all the lights out and just hibernate in my home. it makes me not want to see anyone. it makes me want to eat whatever i can find in the house and then regret that i ate nothing nutritious and feel lazy because i do not have one single ounce left for exercising. the last paragraph of the article i linked earlier is spot on. 

so right now i am going to enjoy sam's soft baby thighs and kiss his sweet tiny face and know that one day when we both sleep 5 hrs, we will wake up and look at each other laugh about how mommy cried when she was so tired.  

What I've Learned In 4 Months

I'm a little late on this one, but Sam turned 4 months on September 20th. He is an active, vocal, high energy little guy. He makes good use of his time while he is awake and takes a while to settle to sleep and tends to wiggle until he is fully asleep. He is smiling all of the time, giggling, rolling over both ways, standing on our laps, playing with toys and holding them with his tiny hands, and starting to respond when someone calls his name.

Here are some things I have learned in 4 short (long) months:

1. Zulily

I heard of Zulily before I had Sam and I wasn't that impressed when I first glanced at the site. And now I check it daily to see what bargains I can find. Now, the only thing that will make it better is to offer free shipping from time to time.

2. Sleep regression

The 4 month sleep regression is a very real thing. Sam was sleeping 4-5 hr stretches and then something happened. I have read several good articles (here and here) saying that is really isn't a sleep regression at all. Sam is developing and this disrupts sleep.  We are working through this the best we can. And with that said, I have never been more tired in my life.

3. Amber beads

Have you heard of the amber teething necklaces? I hadn't until our nephew, Henry, had one. His mother swore by it and he wore it without any problems for about 2 years. Sam turned on the faucet of drool recently so I decided to try one out. This is the one I purchased and I am pleased with it. He still drools but significantly less than he was. 

4. Toys

I received a few toys for Sam at my baby shower and put them upstairs in his nursery, thinking it would be forever until I would need them. Not true. Before you know it, they are ready to start playing. It was so nice to already have some toys available for him that I could just grab from his nursery and not have to go buy any. And then comes Zulily with their cute toys and good deals.

5. Shorts/pants with pockets

Wear things with pockets. You will need them.

6. Baby Carrier

Try on baby carriers. We registered for the Baby Bjorn Original and I ended up purchasing the Baby Bjorn One when Amazon ran a deal I couldn't pass up. The original hurt my back and the new one is much more comfortable.

7. Get out

Get out of the house without the baby. I know everyone says this but really do it. Get a manicure, go to the store, go grab coffee, workout.  Do something. It is good to clear your head and it is good to let Daddy have some one on one time with the baby.

8. Get help

I hired a cleaning lady to come 2x a month and it was one of the best decision I have made. I was so tired of feeling like I was living in a pit (which we aren't) and I didn't want to spend my free time cleaning. So worth the money to get to spend more time doing what I want to do.

13 lbs 12oz  (15%)
26.25 in (75%)

Happy 4 months, Sam. You are my sunshine.