5 months old! How did that happen?

Grace has become a happy, smiling, and cooing little bundle of cuteness. She passed the 11 pound mark as of last week and is gaining weight at the average of ¾ of an ounce per day. She continues to eat like crazy every 3 hours and is sleeping through the night (11 hours straight) probably 5 nights a week thus far. This has allowed her mommy and daddy attempts to squeeze in a 5 am workout with a fair night’s sleep. Grace is definitely’gracious’ with her night sleep as long as we fill up her gas tank in the evening. We just hope (beg is probably more accurate) that this consistency continues!

Physically, Grace is changing too. Her cheeks have filled out and she’s got more baby chub on her body. She is enormously strong with her pushups and tummy time, allowing her to now roll tummy to back. She is also grasping items with two hands in the middle of her body and trying to bring them to her mouth. She had me laughing out loud the other day as she was holding a suspended small beach ball with two hands and trying with all her might to shove it to her mouth. Grunting and panting, she tried her hardest but did not succeed. She also loves to try and see if she can fit both her fists into her mouth, but so far has been unsuccessful at that too. She definitely found her thumb this month. Her father and I had a discussion regarding thumb sucking vs. pacifiers. Looks like the pacifier won, but I admit it is pretty darn cute when she starts sucking on that thumb!

Grace had a brief appearance of cradle cap this month. Her babysitter, Alicia, worked it out in just one day, but all the hair on the top of her head came right out with it. Doug arrived home that evening and declared, “Gracie, you’re looking more and more like me. You’re losing the hair on top of your head!” She looks quite funny as she now just has more of a skirt of hair around the back of her head. It’ll be interesting to see what it looks like when it comes back in. Straight, curly, blond, brown? Looks like her period of a straight haired, light red head maybe over!
This month was a juggle with my work and sitters for Grace. Our beloved sitter’s mother became quite ill and passed away last week. We have been lucky to have friends who share their baby sitter lists with us as well as family members offering to help; with a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in juggling schedules and times, Grace spent a couple of days a week with Miss Shelby and Miss Mary, two wonderful girls who took great care of her. We will be excited to have Miss Alicia back and not have to worry when I go to work. Doug and I did learn a great deal about juggling and asking for help!
Grace also reentered the travelling scene this month with a trip to Hays (my 15 year reunion) and a trip to KC to see the Rome clan. She travelled beautifully this time and actually slept better than she does at home. Looking at her parents, it’s no surprise she likes to get out and see new things. A child of the road already! Pretty soon she’ll be asking for her own wheels…. Boy, are we in trouble! Have a great October!