5 Months with Carter

February 28th-March 27th

On March 1st, I took Carter in for his 4 month checkup & immunizations.  He weighed in at 12 pounds 14.8 ounces and 23 5/8 inches long, with a head circumference of 15 3/4. He is still near in the lower 10-15th percentiles, but once again, the doctor assured me that since Brent & I are small and since he was born two weeks early, that all of this is normal.  Then we talked about solids.  We decided to start cereal around 5 months since he was doing so well on milk only thus far.  We would start with one feeding at that time, and increase to two feedings per day closer to 5 1/2 months.  Then, at his six month checkup, we will discuss adding fruits and veggies.  

Waiting for shots! :(

Then, the nurse gave him the dreaded shots.  They were so much worse than the two month shots!  I don't know if it is because I thought I could handle it on my own and went alone or if he just knew more of what was going on or what?  But he had a complete and total meltdown.  I could not calm him no matter what I tried.  Then when he did, he would suddenly start it all over again.  It was like he forgot and then remembered what had happened and got mad again! I probably should have just taken my time and allowed him to nurse to settle himself down, but I was in a hurry to get to work and because I knew they had a waiting room full of people that probably needed the room.  Anyways, I just finally put his clothes back on and got out of the room while he cried.  Once we were moving, he was fine...he either got his mind off of it or knew that we were out of the room where they give the shots and in the clear!

This month we had to make the big move to the bathtub...for now, at least!  Carter learned to hold his feet straight up in the air, then smack them down as hard as he can down into the water...soaking the kitchen & mommy in the process!  So we took his mesh bath lounger to our big garden tub so it can contain most of the splashing that is taking place these days.  It definitely makes things harder on my back, but I was having to wipe up so much water from the floors/walls it probably evens out anyways! I'm hoping when Carter is able to sit up more independently that we can move back to the sink for a bit longer, but by then he will probably figure out that he can splash with his hands, too!

As far as clothing and diapers go, Carter is still in 3-6 month clothing and size 2 diapers.  He officially had to retire all of the 0-3 month clothes and his 3 month Carter's brand clothes. :(  I had to order several size 6 month Carter's sleepers so he would have something to sleep/lounge around in!

Showing off his new jammies!

Carter had another month full of learning.  He figured out how to roll around the floor (both back to belly and belly to back), but then he somehow "forgot" to go from belly to back so he keeps getting stuck on his belly and getting mad!  Hopefully we can figure that out again because he will fuss to be turned back to his back but as soon as you get him there, he flips back on his belly!  

He started on the quilt and rolled his way to under
the swing...where all the toys are...smart boy! :)

He also started talking a bit more.  I can see him studying my lips when I make sounds and although he has yet to try to mimic me, I can tell it won't be long!  One day we were shopping in Sam's Club and I was carrying him facing out so he could see what was going on.  He started saying "Hiiiiiiiiiii" and I would say it back to keep him going.  We met a man and his boys in one aisle and I told him to tell them hi and he did it! :) We were so proud and I think the man was amazed that he actually did it!  The look on his face was hilarious!

Baby boy has developed the sweetest little giggle over the past month.  I used to only get to hear it at bath time when I strip him out of his clothes, but now he has started doing it when he thinks something is really funny!  We just love hearing it!  Seriously, if I could listen to any music or nature sound or anything, I would choose that little giggle....it just makes my momma heart happy!

Carter had several major whiny days around the middle of the month accompanied by tons and tons of drool.  We think he is teething but there has been no evidence of a pearly white just yet.

Still...the hands are always in the mouth!

Among the happenings this month, Carter attended his first wedding.  It was for my cousin and was on KY lake...it was gorgeous, the only thing was it was FREEZING and spitting snow that day!  I had been so busy with tax season and general baby/house stuff when I was not at work that we really didn't have anything very dressy for him to wear to the wedding...oops!  So he wore his little train conductor looking overalls.  Of course, he looked so cute, but if I would've had time he would have been in something a bit more wedding-appropriate.  And dresses for nursing moms are basically nonexistent I found.  I ended up just wearing a sweater dress and taking a bottle.  So on the way home, I had to change out of my dress and pump in the car.  Not a good situation...but, oh, the things we do to make sure baby has milk!  Thankfully, baby boy was a little angel during the wedding and slept through pretty much the whole ceremony but woke up to have some fun at the reception...I think he takes after his dad a bit! :)

We took Carter outside for the first time to play on 3/9/13.  It was a gorgeous day, almost 70 degrees and sunny.  But when the wind would blow, Carter was not loving it too much!  We still put him in his little swing for a bit and he rocked his sunglasses for the first time.  He kind of started to enjoy the swing but then the sun went behind the clouds and it got pretty breezy so we took him back inside.

So cute in his shades!

We also made it through our first Daylight Savings (besides as a brand new newborn...and we "gained" an hour of sleep that time, so not a big deal).  Carter pretty much adapted in the first few days, although it took his momma longer to get used to!  

Sweet sleeping baby!

Carter started some solid foods at around 4.5 months old.  We started cereal on St. Patrick's Day, after lots of pressure from his daddy.  I felt like he was good on just breastmilk, but his daddy thought he was past due for some cereal, so I gave in.  Carter was not too sure about it the first time! But within a week he really got the hang of it!  I made it waaaay too thin the first time, so much that it was difficult to feed it to him because it just ran off the spoon!  But I figured out about how thick to make it so it was not too hard on him but was easier to get into his mouth.  When he figured out it was food, I couldn't get that spoon to his mouth fast enough.  He fussed between every bite if I didn't have the next one waiting for him!  I think he is going to looooove to eat!

First St. Patty's Day! :)

However, Carter spent two nights (3/20 & 3/26...both weeknights I might add!) up the entire night whining and crying like his belly hurt.  Of course, I guess it could have been teething, but with the way he was tensing his belly and kicking his legs I feel like it was his belly.  Plus, he would occasionally pass some gas all night long.  The first night Brent and I took turns staying up with Carter.  That morning, he had finally calmed somewhat, but I didn't feel comfortable leaving him with my grandma thinking that he may do that all day long too.  Plus, I was worried I may need to take him to the doctor because he never does that!  So Brent stayed home with him that day since I was in the worst part of tax season and really needed to be at work.  But Brent said he was a little fussy that morning, but was pretty happy the rest of the day!  The next time it happened, I stayed up with Carter and got a total of 2 hours of broken up sleep in...then, Carter had calmed by morning and I took him to the babysitter's (where he was a little angel all day) while I went to work for a 10 hour work day....it was terrible!!

When some cereal goes on the bib, he is determined
to suck it off of there!  Mommy just isn't quick
enough with the spoon for Carter man!

Both times I tried everything I could imagine....nursing him, changing his diaper, burping him, rocking him, cuddling him, giving gas drops/tylenol/gripe water to him...but all that seemed to work was walking with him or just holding him while he cried.  :(  I'm thankful that we don't have a baby that regularly cries all night because both Brent & I were both frustrated and exhausted.  So after those spells, we completely cut out feeding him cereal for the time being.  I just can't feed him something that hurts his poor little belly like that and keeps us up all night long.  We are thinking about trying oatmeal cereal to see if that settles on his tummy any better.

We can't get any good meal time pictures because
somebody is in such a hurry to get his next bite!

During his bath on 3/19, Carter got his foot in his mouth for the first time! He was so happy as he had been working on getting it up there for weeks.  He sucked his little toes and got better at getting them up with there with every day that went by.

Carter on his 5 month birthday.

Right around Carter's 5 month birthday, I started to doubt myself with breastfeeding.  I started feeling like I am not making enough milk to keep up with him as I keep having to dip into my freezer stash to get enough for the next day's bottles.  I know I am super stressed with work and that can make a difference in supply, but there is not a lot I can do about that until tax season is over.  So for the time being, I am thinking about starting some formula supplements.  My mom used soy formula for my breastfed sisters and had no problem starting to supplement as she weaned them from breastfeeding.  So I am thinking about just starting a  slow weaning process until his 6 month birthday, which is my breastfeeding goal.