Well, month four officially went by in a blur! Maybe it's because I waited to do the month four update until after the official checkup, but seriously...where has the last month gone?! 

At five months (and really since about 3.5 months - aside from an additional late evening feeding that we cut out just after 4 months), our schedule looks a little something like this:

7:30-8:30a.m.: C wakes up for the day and after about 15-20 minutes of babbling, reaching for his toes, and sucking his thumb, he's ready to have breakfast. After breakfast, he usually plays on his activity mat for about an hour or so, then sits with me for another half hour before going down for a nap...hopefully in his crib...for about an hour.

11:30a.m.-12:30p.m.: Lunch time! After getting a meal, C & I usually try to get outside for some fresh air and exercise, or run some errands if the weather isn't cooperating for outside time. C is usually pretty content to ride along in his car seat in the shopping cart, and enjoys looking at the fluorescent lights and everything on the shelves at the store. If we are outside, I try to choose a walking route were he can look at the trees he is so fascinated by. He'll usually sneak in a catnap during the afternoon as well.

3:00-4:00p.m.: Mid afternoon meal! After eating again, we play on the floor and work on rolling or tummy time followed by story time. If it's a bath day, it usually happens in the afternoon before T gets home since he never wants to participate. After all this, C usually sits in his Rock'N'Play and watches as I get dinner ready.

6:30-7:30p.m.: C is usually ready for dinner at just about the same time that T walks in the door from work or we are trying to sit down to eat dinner. Since T rarely gets home at the same time on a daily basis, it's easier to let C determine our schedule than try to plan dinner for a set time every night. Thank goodness for the 'keep warm' feature on our oven, slow cooker meals, and soup season!

8:00-8:30p.m.: C is ready for bed. If he had dinner on the earlier side, I'll feed him again, otherwise after pjs and a diaper change, off to bed for the night! He's been a great little sleeper, and will sleep through the night until we start the routine over in the morning.

5 MONTH FAVORITES

Being outside

Tailgating

Slamming legs down

Trying to get his toes in his mouth

Pointing legs as straight as they can go

Chewing on things

Sucking his thumb

Storytime

5 MONTH LEAST FAVORITES

Loudspeakers

Staying up past 8:30pm

Not being held at the dinner table while others are eating 

MEMORIES AND MILESTONES

Observations of a newly minted five month old: 

C has more personality than ever, and has become as T likes to say...a lot more fun. While I have always thought that C was fun, I can agree that the baby babbling, sucking on toes, and his general temperament have become more entertaining to be around in this last month. He still isn't too active yet, and thoroughly enjoys some solid snuggle time with me throughout the day, along with being nestled in Dad's arm at night watching football together or reading a book on the floor. 

So far, C's only rolled to his side a handful of times, and has focused his attention primarily on how fast he can get his toes and his thumb to his mouth, and pointing his legs out as straight as they can go.

One of the most adorable observations of the month is his praying. At nearly every meal, he locks together his little fingers into praying hands. Such a cutie. 

C got his first taste of real food...A.K.A. oatmeal...the last day of being a four month old. HE LOVED IT! Until then he had been 100% breastfed minus a few days of supplementing when we first brought him home. While being unable to leave him for more than 2.5-3hrs at a time is not always the most convenient, not having to worry about bottles and other baby food so far has been about the best thing ever. Raising a newborn has enough trials as it is, and I am so thankful that I've been able to breastfed exclusively without any trouble. I don't really have a concrete plan for future breastfeeding plans, but I'd like to try to continue until C reaches his first birthday, or he decides on his own that he is done...whichever comes first. My biggest concern is trying to figure out the dynamic of how to introduce solid foods while continuing to breastfeed. Pumping has been very difficult for me, so the idea of mixing breast milk with solid foods won't really work. If anyone has any great resources they'd recommend on this topic...please share!

Saturdays this fall have been filled with football and cheering for the Hawkeyes. In a throwback version...T & I are in serious need of some matching Iowa Hawkeye sweatsuits to recreate this awesome picture from when I was a baby about C's age. CLASSIC.

Grandpa T & C hanging out on game day. These might be two of the biggest Hawkeye fans around!

First trip to Iowa City, first tailgate, and first Iowa Hawkeye football game inside the hallowed walls of Kinnick Stadium. C's favorite part was definitely the tailgating. He couldn't keep that great big grin off his face the entire time. Born a Hawkeye for sure! Our Saturdays this fall have been packed with football, and it's very likely that C will think that football is the only thing the TV is for since we don't watch during the day, and usually keep it off or on a music channel before C goes to bed at night. Nothing wrong with that!

Iowa Homecoming Weekend

I'm sure many of you have already had a chance to see some of my pictures from this past weekends festivities, but just in case you missed them, here's a recap according to my camera roll...

The weekend started with a trip to my hometown and a surprise visit to John Deere to visit C's great grandpa K, grandpa T, and uncle T. Harvest is in full swing, but Grandpa T still managed to find some time to let C 'drive' a lawnmower in the showroom and peruse ALL of the John Deere toys. As you can tell, C was very impressed with all of the fun things to see at John Deere.

T trying to calm C while drinking a Spotted Cow from a straw so as not to disturb the moment of calm.

Friday night we after ordering pizza from hometown favorite Pasquale's and catching up with one of my best friends, we headed to Uncle T's football game under the lights at Mason Maach Field. C threw a fit for about an hour before we arrived, but was fine once we got to the game, and we were able to stay until almost the end. Uncle T had another touchdown right as we walked in, so we're still thinking C must be good luck! After the game, we packed back into the car and hit the road for the best town in the state...Iowa City.

It's been awhile since we did much late night traveling, but C did great on the 3 hour car ride, and slept the entire way there. After getting the pack'n'play set up at Uncle N's, C went right to bed without a fuss. Saturday morning we were up bright and early, AKA about 8:15 when C got up, to head to C's very first Melrose Avenue tailgate for Iowa's Homecoming game against Indiana. 

When we ended up having extra tickets and C wasn't too fussy, so in a last minute call, we decided to take him to his very first game at Kinnick Stadium. Unfortunately, we didn't realize he would need his own ticket, so after scalping away all of our extras, we had to scalp one back for C. Ridiculous!

$20 well spent. Taking a 4.5 month old to a game at Kinnick Stadium. Priceless.

I'm not sure who was more excited about going to the game. T, who had no intention of not going, and never even considered staying with C so I could go to the game; myself, who thought there was no way I could go to a game this year; or C, who really could care less, but enjoyed some new scenery and being outside.

C & I went into the game around the middle of the first quarter, and made it until around halfway through the fourth quarter. All made possible by a good thumb to suck, a break during halftime for a dry diaper, and a walk around the concourse. In case you were wondering, I was not the only lady wearing a baby at the game. Among a surprising number of other under-5-year-olds we came across, we bumped into another baby-wearing-mama on our way out of the stadium. #diehardhawkfans

It was a beautiful day, and I'm sure if C could remember it, he'd likely chalk it up as one of the best days ever.

After a whirlwind shopping trip on the way home Sunday, most of our Monday looked a little something like this. Cheers to college football weekends!

Carter: 4 Months

Ahhh...our little guy is already four months old. In my eyes, he's still just a little peanut, but T, who sees newborns on a much more regular basis, comes home at least once a week and comments on how huge C is getting. This of course is paired with 'I just can't hold him, he's too heavy', or 'My arms hurt, I'm going to lay him down'. Seriously...what a wimp!

I found this adorable 'South Side' onesie at Fleshtones in the Central Emporium over the summer. T has a matching T-shirt, and loves to match C any chance he gets.

Last week was our four month checkup and the second round of immunizations. C measured 27 1/4 inches long and weighed in at 16 lbs. 6 oz. This puts him nearly off the charts in the 98% for height, and right around the 76% for weight. One might think he is just full of rolls, but because of his height, he's really more muscle than roll. If only we could all say the same...

4 MONTH FAVORITES

Blowing bubbles

Sucking on hands

Smiling, Babbling, and Laughing

Grasping toys

Playing on the Activity Mat

Boat Rides

Story time

One-on-one attention

Watching people eat

C laughing at me while I do a workout video. Thought it was hilarious! Needless to say...not the best motivator, and I've mainly been sticking to outdoor walks since being laughed at one too many times!

A little stud muffin!

4 MONTH LEAST FAVORITES

Loud noises

Being surprised

Being the center of attention around lots of people 

Staying up late

Shots

It's captured moments like these that make the 400+ pictures I had to sift through from month four all worth it...

MEMORIES AND MILESTONES

One of the most momentous milestones of month four was a trip to C's very first football game. 

It was a Friday night under the lights in my hometown to watch Uncle T as the Cats took on Garner. While I enjoyed being able to watch my youngest brother, C wasn't so convinced, and only made it until halftime. 

C's sleep schedule has drastically changed this month, and instead of late night partying, C is ready to call it a night around 8-8:30p.m. By ready to call it a night, I mean has entered into what I'd like to call 'Complete Meltdown Mode'. If I'm only halfway through my dinner, and not ready with a dry diaper, PJs, and a meal for baby, watch out! T-R-O-U-B-L-E! Other updates to this month's sleep habits include: a semi-regular morning and afternoon nap (I've started putting C in the crib in his room), the introduction of PJs, and saying goodbye to the sleep sack. 

Naps usually last about an hour give or take, and have been going relatively well in the crib 

on most occasions. At night, C is still sleeping in the pack'n'play in our room. The other night, T rolled over and told me he wants C to always sleep in our room. I'm guessing this has something to do with the fact that T enjoys seeing him first thing in the morning when he gets up. However, I think we'll probably start to transition him to his own room for sleeping around the six month mark. For right now, after a few good leg slams onto the mattress before falling asleep, he is a great little sleeper, and we're not too antsy to rock the boat.

We had so much fun on our first visit to the Clay County Fair, that we ended up going back three times. C loved the all of the animals, bright lights in the midway, and the awesome train setup at The Depot. Next year we may have to look into a weeklong pass!

First Iowa Hawkeye Game! At home that is... I believe C had to eat twice and take a nap during the game, so it never would have worked to actually go to the game in Iowa City, but we managed to make the most of it, and had our own little tiny tailgate at home. 

We removed the sling from the baby bath this month! C was not convinced he liked the change to his bath time routine during the first semi-submerged bath (he spent most of the bath holding his legs up out of the water), but he's since decided that he L-O-V-E-S it. He's been having a grand time splashing around, and seems to think the bath water belongs all over mom and the counter rather than in the tub!

Until next time...