I can’t believe we’re six months already!

5 November 2013… At Sam’s 5 month check-up (previous check-up was at 4 months), she weighed 6.8kg (350g increase and in the 45th percentile), she was 64.5cm tall (2.5cm increase and in the 59th percentile), and her head circumference was 43.5cm (1cm increase in in the 94th percentile). She can sit unassisted for around 30 seconds, she can roll completely over in either direction, and she can sing. She is trying to sit up unassisted and still trying to crawl. Once I put her in her cot, she seems to be able to crawl quite easily, as I frequently find her stuck up against the bars and in the corner. Maybe she’s like one of those weeping angels on Doctor Who and can only crawl when no one’s watching.

She’s now tall enough to use the Jumperoo without padding underneath, and she’s really getting into the swing of jumping in it and practising her running. She also likes to examine its decorations in great detail.

She now eats solids for breakfast, lunch and dinner. She eats pear, apple, peach, mango, carrot, sweet potato, potato, swede, beans, and zucchini as well as baby rice.

11 November 2013… Sam is blowing copious amounts of raspberries. She has also figured out how to roll to where she wants to get to. She is also happy to sleep for 11-12 hours overnight, as long as she doesn’t get cold.

12 November 2013… Sam just sat on her own in front of the TV watching the Wiggles for a good minute. I’m a very proud Mumma!

24 November 2013… Sam has been improving her skills. She can sit for a good period of time on her own, and she has figured out how to squirm her way around the place. Between rolling and commando crawling, she can really get places. She seems to always end up at my feet.

Her six month check-up is tomorrow, and she feels so heavy! If she hasn’t doubled her birth weight, she must be rather close.

She seems to like to spend a portion of her day in the Jumperoo, and if we get to the end of the day and she hasn’t been in it, she spends the rest of her awake time jumping on our laps.

We appear to be getting our first tooth. One of the outside incisors seems to be trying to make an appearance, and if this is true, then she is cross-cutting teeth in true Laing style.

29 November 2013… Sam was supposed to have her six month check-up on Monday, but unfortunately the nurse was triple booked. We did get to put her on the scales though, and I am proud to announce that my bubba has doubled her birth weight and weighed in at 7.25kg.

Since Wednesday, Sam has been seriously practising her commando crawling, and now she can actually move with some pretty good pace, especially if she really wants to get somewhere.

Samantha…5th month update

5 October 2013…Today was day six on solids. Today was the first day she gobbled it all down and eagerly awaited each new mouthful, opening her mouth and sucking the puree from the spoon. Today, I was a proud momma. Today she ate one pear puree cube (ice cube size) for lunch, and the same for dinner, plus one tablespoon of baby rice mixed with three tablespoons of breast milk.

In addition to eating solids, Samantha is sitting unsupported by us for short periods of time, although she does lean on her arms. She can roll onto her tummy and back to her back, the latter only under certain circumstances (according to constantly changing rules made up by Samantha). She can lay on her belly supported on her elbows for up to 30 minutes, especially if she’s distracted by the television, and she can push herself up the full length of her arms and hold that position for a few seconds. When she puts her head down, she makes crawling motions with her legs. If she engages her legs a split second before getting her chest back on the ground, she moves forward an inch. This leads onto my next statement, being that she’s commando crawling.

14 October 2013…Last night, Sam did her first 11 hour overnight sleep. I was so proud of her. I thought I’d try cutting out her late feed because she was trying to cut out her 2:30pm feed, and I don’t want her to cut that one for a long time yet. I felt she was trying to tell me that she was ready to cut one of her feeds though, so now she only has four milk feeds (7:00am, 10:45am, 2:30pm, and 5:00pm) and two solid feeds (11:15am and 5:30pm) a day.

She is now eating double portions of baby rice at night, and three cubes of food at lunch. She has now tried pear, apple, carrot and pumpkin. I was doubting how much she was actually eating, as so much ends up everywhere but her mouth, but her poops have changed in texture and smell to solid poops, so I guess more of it is going in than appears to.

She can now sit completely unsupported for a few seconds, particularly if she’s distracted by the TV or the vacuum. When she’s left to her own devises, she constantly works on stretching her vocal chords, rolling and crawling. When she’s with us, she works on her sitting and standing.

 

22 October 2013…The overnight sleeping has been going fairly good. She has been waking up every other night at various times for various issues, and ultimately (after giving medication, water, turning fan on/off or giving a cuddle) wants a feed to resettle. However, she is giving me the distinct impression that she’s not at all hungry, which is one good thing. Hopefully this all settles down over the next couple of weeks.

We’ve ditched the pumpkin for the moment, as it was giving her really bad reflux. However, we have moved on successfully to potato and sweet potato, both of which are definite winners. The vast majority of the food now goes in the mouth instead of down the front. Little greedy guts though finds it hard to stop eating, and will literally eat until she vomits. I guess she got my genes there (not that I eat until I vomit, but I do like to eat until I feel very full).

My weaning book by Gina Ford has arrived, and I now feel like I have somebody holding my hand guiding me as to what to feed my baby. It turns out that she recommends leaving pumpkin until seven months of age, but I didn’t have the book when I tried the pumpkin, with bad consequences. I now look forward to this journey thanks to her guidance, instead of feeling completely bewildered.

Sam is really working on her crawling and desperately wants to follow us, particularly if we leave the room. She is also giggling at me (although I feel sometimes like she’s humouring me). She likes me to growl like I’m a car engine revving, particularly if she starts growling first.