You are 6 months old today!!
Dear Alexandra-
We've gone through SO many changes this month! When I think back to your 5 month birthday, it's hard to believe it was just one short month ago!
To start off, I went back to work. Before I started back on May 26th, we tried to really soak up the last days of being together all day long! We went to a scrapbooking day at Jamie and Katie's house, we went to the park, and we went to Mom's group! They were very special days and I feel like we really enjoyed them to the fullest and celebrated those last days of my being home!
You started daycare fulltime on my first day back, Wednesday, May 26th. I planned it well and worked a 3 day week, then a 4 day week due to the Memorial Day holiday, and then finally we eased into a five day week. It was tough on both of us. Being back at work wasn't so tough-I fell back into the work routine pretty easily, and I'm very lucky to work with such great colleagues and people at my job. The tough part was leaving you; especially because you still aren't taking a bottle as well as you could. By my first full week, you had gone on a "hunger strike" and only took 2 oz and 2 1/2 oz on Wednesday and Thursday respectively of that week! It worried me so much! But the next week you started eating more, and I think it just took some getting used to. You still don't take the bottle well, and take between 5-8 oz a day when you should be taking around 15 oz in a day, but you are getting better. The transition to work has been tough on me in well because of the sheer amount of work I have to do to prepare each day. When I get home, you want to spend lots of time nursing and cuddling, which is wonderful, but I sometimes don't get to eat diner til very late (11pm one time!) if you are especially hungry, needy, or cuddly. Pumping at work three times a day, means lots of time at work (30-40 minutes, three times a day) as well as time at night washing, drying, and preparing bottles. And then getting home late means that I have to prepare meals in advance on early nights and weekends. It's a lot of work. But even so, I love my new life with you and I wouldn't have it any other way!
Another big development this month is that you sprouted two teeth! I realized on Saturday, May 29th that your bottom two teeth had broken through! You had been fussy on Tuesday evening, and I figured that it was because you knew something was up (I was returning to work the next day) but now I think you must have been having some teething pain! Even with that, you were such a happy baby and you fooled us, keeping your new teeth a secret until they emerged on Saturday!
On Sunday, May 30th, Daddy got a new car! He traded in Whipper, his Chili Red, JCW MINI Cooper S, to get a more family friendly car-a VW Jetta Sportswagon TDI. While he likes the new car, he misses his MINI a lot-but he realized that he needed to get a more reliable, larger, more family friendly car. You were so good at the dealership! We spent a lot of time there buying the car, and everyone commented on how great you were! We were very proud of you, and so happy that you are such a happy, contented baby! You took an interest in the keys to Daddy's new car, so we'll have to get you your own set of pretend keys-no real keys for you until you are at least 16!
You have started taking an interest in our food as we eat it! You watch intently as we put food in our mouth and act very interested in what we are doing. You have also started reaching for our plates sometimes-in fact, I ended up with a plate of food in my lap at F and K's baby shower (fellow babyloss parents from my Long Beach group who are pregnant and just recently had their baby girl, R!) when you reached for it and flipped the paper plate over off the edge of the table! Luckily it almost empty, but I'll have to pay a lot more attention because you are reaching for things more and more now!
You have really started pushing up on your hands and knees now-you started out toppling over once you pushed up. Then, in one day, you found your balance and you started rocking back and forth on your hands an knees like you wanted to move! You are so close! You now move all over the place with a combination of rolling, turning, and pushing up on your hands and knees. It's so fun to see you exploring the world from a different angle!
You are also almost sitting up on your own when I put you in that position. You don't seem too interested though in it, so you don't really try to stay that way yet!
Grandma Didi and Grandpa JohnJohn came to visit this month! We had so much fun with both of them! You enjoyed bouncing with your grandpa, and loved being held by Grandma! They loved you up and were so happy to see you and snuggle you!! The same weekend that Grandma and Grandpa visited, you learned to really use your hands to grasp things! You like to reach for things now and to grab them. The Paddywhackers are now some of your favorite toys! You like to hold them, pass them back and forth from hand to hand, and bend and fold them! You can play with them for a long time without getting bored like you do with other toys.
We have gotten back into reading every evening before bed. We usually "All About Me-A Baby's Guide to Babies." Even if you are tired, you smile and get excited every time we read this book! You like looking at the pictures of the babies, but most of all you seem to like looking at the words and the writing. You pat the pages and like to hold the book while I'm holding it.
We had a nice Father's Day/6 month birthday-we got you dressed up in a cute outfit-a blue and white dress with a blue sweater! You and your Daddy posed for some pictures that turned out to be some of my favorites! They really show your personality and your special relationship together.
I've now successfully taken your picture everyday for 6 whole months! It's amazing to go back and look at the Daily Alexandra photos from your first months! You have changed and grown and learned so much-it's simply amazing!
I love you sweet girl! Happy 6 month birthday! I can't wait to see what the rest of your first year brings! I certainly know I'm going to enjoy them!
I love you!
Mommy
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