6 Month Update

Mikayla's 6 month birthday has come and gone! (And I am now 36 1/2...) I can't believe it has already been 6 months...yet when I think of all that has occurred (breast feeding issues, boys out of school, several trips) it does seem like 6 months.

We went for her 6 month well check yesterday. I left the house at 9:10, and we were home by 9:50. Record timing, on all accounts!

Stats:
Weight: 14lbs, 12 oz (26th percentile, down from 38th)

Length :25 .5" (42nd percentile, down from 62nd)

Head Circumference: 16.5" (35th percentile, down from 42nd)

Mikayla is down a bit in all of her stats from her 4 month check. With that said, the Dr. has no concerns at all, but it is probably time to start thinking about getting her a few more calories throughout the day in the form of cereal and fruit, so we'll probably start that in the next week or so. I think I started Luka and TJ around 7 months, but each child is different, so we'll just go with it!

What she can do:
-pass an object from one hand to the other
-"talk" and razz
-sit up supported (can sit by herself for 10 seconds unsupported)
-rolls from side to side in both directions

Sleeping:
About a month ago, Mikayla decided that she liked to nurse on and off all night long. Otherwise, she really screamed. With all the traveling, I obliged, knowing that there was no routine, and I was her main source of comfort.

About a week ago, she started waking up about every 2 hours, looking to nurse. After 3 nights of that pattern, I decided to take back the reins, for my sake and hers. Within 24 hours, I have reviewed the Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems book we had used with the boys, and was ready to go.

Basically, the book enphasizes a nightime routine (which I knew was lacking), setting the right associations (in other words allowing your baby to fall asleep at night under the same conditions that they will have in the middle of the night.) So, no nursing, no rocking, no music, etc, but putting them in their bed awake and falling asleep on their own. Then, you use a method of letting the baby cry for 5 minutes, going to check on them without picking them up, and then letting them cry for 10 minutes, going to check on them, and then letting them cry for 15 minutes, until the baby has fallen asleep.

I put the boys and Scott (who most recently had been on the couch) all in our bedroom so her crying would not wake them up throughout the night, and I was set up to sleep in TJ's bed. Without going into all of the details, Mikayla has responded beautifully, almost always falling asleep on her own within 10 minutes. Last night, she actually slept straight from 8 t0 4 am, at which time we both enjoyed a little nursing session and then went right back to sleep. Yeah! So, it is still early, but I am encouraged, and feel more ready to go back to work now that I am getting more sleep.

Regardless of how well she sleeps, this is a picture of how Mikayla usually looks when she wakes up in the morning:


A cute story about the boys "pretend playing:"
As I mentioned, TJ and Luka are sleeping in our room while Mikayla learns to sleep by herself. My breast pump is on the floor right by TJs bed. We were crawling in bed, and TJ said "Mommy, I just need to pump real quick." Ok. Then, Luka tattled and said "Mommy, TJ said he's going to pump with your booby thingy." I was cracking up, and then proceeded to turn on the button and allow them to "pump" for about 5 seconds each. And, that was that.


And last, and admittedly probably least (but so darn cute), my favorite outfits that we are wearing at this stage.