Linnea || Five Month Update

CLOTHING
Finally we are growing out of the 0-3 month clothes! I just put away all the 0-3 or 3 month onesies. She still fits into a few select Old Navy specialty pieces that are 0-3 month sizing. This feels like a huge milestone! She is mainly wearing 3-6 month or 6 month clothes.

EATING
Can I be any more of a broken record? The struggle is still so real. We have good feedings and bad feedings. Good days and bad days. We nurse about five to six times per day or roughly every three to four hours. I try to sneak at least one pumping session in per day but some days it just doesn't happen. She is still pushing away from me and arches her all while still latched. Ergh! Not comfy. Our not-so-great feedings are most likely taking their toll on my supply. I am needing to be very diligent in my water (120+ ounces per day) and protein/fat intake and making sure I don't go too long between feedings or pumps. Public feeding is still a nightmare and almost totally out of the question. I'm still on a 3 hour tether to home.

SLEEPING
Linnea is still sleeping great. Still taking non scheduled naps during the day and sleeping at least 8 hours during the night. She doesn't seem too inclined to sleep in her crib during the day any longer. She is fine in her cradle during the night but wants her swing for the day naps. I'm totally bumming! I really didn't want her to have a swing dependency! We will keep working on crib naps. Cross your fingers!

DEVELOPMENT
I honestly think her development is off the charts! (What mom does, though. amiright??) Physically, I can tell that she is growing in length (if not a bit more girth. yay!). She always rolls right over when placed on her tummy. She is holding her head up and moving it around wonderfully. We started spending more and more time in the bumbo chair. We are working on her slightly flat head and I think it is improving. She is connecting with anyone that looks her in the eye and graces them with a huge smile and maybe a little giggle. She has taken to squeaking her desires. Literally, the squeaking doesn't stop. But so much fun.This is the fun part; to start seeing the amazing growth in a matter of week to week right before our eyes. Truly a miracle.

BIG BROTHER
Oh, life with a toddler. He is so energetic. But so much fun! We are still working on listening and obeying (that will never end, I can imagine). Here's to hoping all this work will be fruitful in a few months or years. Ethan had a wonderful Independence Day. I loved being able to see him truly enjoy the fun of the holiday now that he can start to participate in activities. He is always trying to include Linnea in his fun. His goofy faces and giggles always make her smile or join in the laughter. It is so precious to see their bond growing.

MOM + DAD

This is the last month of my modified return to work. I am dreading spending more time away from Linnea and I am a bit worried what more pumping will do to my milk supply. These weeks have been crazy busy with the holiday and the start of my mom's chemo treatments. Summer seems to be slipping away quickly. Dan is also busy with work and playing softball on Wednesday nights. The kids and I were hoping to go see him play more during the summer, but the one night we did go, it proved to be way too chaotic. Ethan acts like he took 5 billion crazy pills and Linnea is a struggle to feed in an open field surrounded by men. Not the place I want to pioneer #normalizebreastfeeding. So, we have been staying home this summer. Right now I feel like we are in the well-oiled machine stage of marriage, when our life is taking care of the kids, but not much time for each other. We get a few hours in the evening to sit together, but our mantra is currently, "wait for me."

Vi ses senare!
Emily