Six Months Old!

Happy Six Months Kate!  Kate is an absolute delight nowadays.  Our sleep issues are in the past (for now), she is laid back, happy, well adjusted and so much more interactive.  I really love this stage, and am trying to enjoy it while it lasts.  We don't have very many changes from last month as far as firsts and routine.  Kate is still doing really well at the sitter's, and is pretty consistent in her "schedule".  She is still a power napper, and is sleeping so much better at night - getting up only once between 12 am and 3 am usually.  We have made the trip home 4 times this month (4!) and Kate has done unbelievably well in the car and with the disruption to her "normal".  I think we have forced her to become a good little traveler.  We have tried several new foods and she continues to pretty much like everything - peas, sweet potatoes(her favorite), applesauce, apricots and baby oatmeal.  She is getting very good at sitting on her own and can lean forward and sideways and pull herself back up.  She also does this funny thing with her legs when she is laying on her back (mostly while being changed), she lifts her legs a couple inches and tries to sit up, we think she's going to have abs of steel! She likes to "lounge" now, and will just lean back on a pillow and hang out.  She still likes to play with toys in her booster seat and daddy discovered that she likes to pick out her own toys from her basket.  She loves when people clap for her, and slams her hands down on her legs when we do it.  She has just started to try to clap her hands together, and actually managed to do it once for Becca and I.  She has started to pick up on signs, and most definitely knows the signs for "milk" and "eat"(she gets really excited and shakes her hands and legs).  I think she has tried to sign "milk" back, but it could just be a coincidence that she is making a fist.  She still likes swimming with Chutchie Kristin, and gets to go fairly often since we've been home so much!  She has also started kicking while getting a bath - so we've had to switch to the real tub so mommy doesn't get all wet!  Kate, we feel so incredibly blessed to have you in our lives and we are really enjoying watching you grow and change.  You are so loved by your family and friends, we had a tough week this past week with the loss of your great grandmother and great uncle, you were a source of light and comfort in a difficult time.

 

 

Leg Lifts! (and those thighs!)  This picture actually shows how long her torso is, and her short little legs.  She is long for her age, and has been growing out of clothes so quickly (we're in 12-18 months people), but it is mostly because of that torso!

 

 Loves that thumb.

 

First Haircut

It's quite obvious that Kate has a lot of hair, but what might not have been as clear is that it was getting very long.  Too long in the back, she had a single layer that extended about and inch below the rest of her hair .. and she looked like she had a mullet!  It also was starting to stick up all over the place and get in her face a lot.  So we went ahead and got her hair cut!  Holly has been cutting my hair since I was in kindergarten, so it was nice to have her be Kate's first hairdresser.  Kate was really good, and only fussed for about ten seconds.  Holly was quick too, just cleaned things up and we were on our way.  Her hair looks so much better and falls nicer, so I am very happy we did it.

Before:

 

After:

Happy 5 Months Baby Girl!

Month 5 was a lot better than month 4 for Miss Kate.  She was generally less fussy and more laid back.  She was still waking up multiple times a night until very recently, but we're definitely on an upswing where that's concerned.  She is still a very happy and easy going baby, but is now a whole lot more busy.  She's always has something going on, and likes to be active.  She's very aware of everything that's going on and wants to be in the middle of it all.  She is definitely developing a personality and has a temper!  She will throw a little fit if she wants something she is not getting.
So many new things this month too:
- Got her first cold, which lasted about a week. This also contributed to sleep issues.
- She started rolling over last month, but had only done it a couple of times, and Kevin and I hadn't ever seen it!  Around the middle of this month she really started rolling over (back to tummy) regularly and for awhile would do it every time she was placed on her back.  This caused some sleep problems because she would roll over and be mad that she was on her tummy and we'd have to turn her.  Just in the last couple of weeks she has started consistently rolling from her tummy to her back, and she now seems to be able to go back and forth at will.  She's really cute when she rolls ... she tucks her little legs up (or under) and uses them as momentum to roll, or to push off when on her tummy.
- She is a lot more mobile in general, she rolls back and forth and turns both on her back and front.  She has started scooting a little bit, but generally gets frustrated on her belly.  We can tell she wants to be able to get to things she can't reach!
- She loves getting kisses, and will give them back by opening her mouth and leaning in.  She also likes to get kisses from the dogs and has started to stick out her own tongue when they kiss her!  Needless to say, we try to avoid open mouth doggie kisses.
- We have started sitting her in her booster seat at the table, and she is very content to sit there and play with toys.  She has learned to throw them on the floor, which means we are constantly fetching them for her.
- Sitting on her own!  She is still a little unsteady, but can definitely sit unsupported for a couple of minutes at a time.  She also tries to sit up from laying on her back - she is going to have some strong abs!
- She found her toes and loves playing with them!
- Still really likes music and when Kevin sings to her, also likes watching him dance.
- She is still doing really well at the babysitters, and has had a really great few weeks lately (napping well, being content and happy while awake, i.e not as fussy as she was the prior month!)
- Started solid foods - we just started, but so far she likes butternut squash, avocado and bananas.  She was not a fan of pears.
- She is now sleeping in her own room exclusively.  She had been napping in there every once in awhile, but would always sleep in our room at night.  After a couple days of really long naps, I decided to keep her in there at night - she did well and has been in there ever since.  I was worried about this transition and I'm glad it went smoothly.  She is sleeping a lot better the last week or so, and I think being in her own room has helped.
- She is now a power napper - a normal day consists of a 1 hr and another 30 min nap in the morning and a 2-3 hour nap in the afternoon.  Sometimes she takes a snooze after dinner before going down for the night.  Bed time is between 7:30 and 9 depending on her cues and how the day has gone.  She has JUST started sleeping longer than three hour stretches and last night just woke up once.  I hope this continues!

Cloth Diapers 4 Months Later

We are 4 months into cloth diapering, so I thought I would do an update post on how they're working, how we like them and the issues we have.

First of all, I did extensive research before deciding what type of system would work for us, so here is our system and why we chose it.

Newborn: For the newborn stage we used Thirsties Size 1 duo wrap covers and Thirsties Size 1 hemp prefolds: we had 6 covers and 25 prefolds, but probably could have gotten by with 4 covers.

•  We chose to get a system that worked for newborn stage because we plan on cloth diapering multiple kids, and thought we would get our money's worth.  I also wanted to start using the diapers as soon as possible.
• With that being said, Kate was 8 lbs, 14 oz at birth and was on the smallest setting of the diaper, so this system might not work for all babies.
• What we liked:
• I really liked this system overall, especially for the first few weeks/month when you are changing so many diapers and they are all of the #2 variety - it was easier to just have a prefold that needed to be washed instead of a whole diaper.
• The double gussets are awesome
• The hemp prefolds were very soft and very absorbent, they also stayed folded nicely, so we could have them tri-folded and ready to place in a cover as needed.
• It was nice to be able to fold down the prefold when changing her diaper, and therefore blocking the mess from her legs while wiping.
• We had no problem with her umbilical cord stump hitting the edge of the diaper
• Thirsties is a 100% USA company 
• Economical and Versatile: getting away with less covers(you can reuse them each change as long as they didn't get messy) saves you $, and its also nice to have a choice of what to use in the covers - different types of prefolds or natural fiber inserts.  If I were doing it all again I would consider using this type of system permanently.
• What could be better:
• Fit: this is totally dependent on the baby, but Kate is very long and needs a high rise.  She grew out of the size one covers before the weight limit stated, up to 18lbs(she's currently 15.5 lbs and they haven't fit her for about a month) I really only know this because I have the BumGenius to compare to, but the rise is definitely lower on these diapers.  That being said, they do have a size 2 that we have not tried, she may have been able to transition just fine if we were continuing that system.
• Colors/Prints: Again, this is totally my opinion, but I liked the color and print options of the BumGenius better - definitely getting picky here.
• Bulk: the prefolds are bulky, especially on a newborn.  The Thirsties hemp ones are slimmer than other types too.

Overall, this system worked great for what we used it for, and we will definitely be using it again in future kiddos.  I am also contemplating buying a Size 2 DuoWrap cover just to have as back up.

Main System: For later and beyond we are using BumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diapers

In her first BumGenius Diaper (3.5 weeks)

Why we chose BumGenius: They continuously had good reviews, in all the research I did there were many people that loved their diapers, with just as many that had issues with those same diapers.  Because we wanted to register for our diapers, I really wanted to find one brand and type of diaper that would work for us and would last for multiple kids, BumGenius won out because almost everyone who had them loved them, I didn't really find anyone that had major issues with them and they seemed to work fit-wise for most babies.  We went with the pocket diapers because of the versatility (stuffing with different inserts and adding boosters), as well as the durability.  I really liked that we could dry the inserts in the dryer and hang dry the covers to cut down on the wear and tear on the PUL, but also not have to wait forever for diapers to dry.  We chose to go with snaps for durability as well.

What we like:

• The fit: Obviously I do not have experience with any other babies, or even other brands of diapers other than the Thirsties covers, but I love the way these diapers fit.  They cover what need to be covered, are tight where they need to be tight and just feel secure.  Kate is long and has super chunky thighs, so maybe they are just perfect for her body type.  We have never had a blow out, and maybe have had 2 or 3 leakage type situations.  Each time we have had any issue with a leak it was because she was in her diaper too long, or daddy snapped it too loose.
• 
• The style: I love the colors and prints .. there are new ones that I'm itching to buy.
• The stretchy tabs: These are apparently a BumGenius exclusive and they are awesome.  Kate is slightly between (snap) sizes right now and the stretchy tabs allow us to still get a snug fit without squeezing her little belly too tight.  I also like that there are two snaps.
• The Convenience: I understand that some people don't like pocket diapers because of the work, but I honestly don't mind stuffing diapers, it takes less time than folding a load of laundry.  We love that they are ready to go when its time to put them on, they are just as easy and convenient as disposables.

What could be better:

• Natural fibers: I would have preferred a diaper with all natural fiber, although I realize that the suede cloth and microfiber are there to keep the baby dry and for quick absorbency, I would just prefer natural and organic.  That being said, I consciously made a choice to go with a non-natural fiber diaper(they are available), so I can't really complain. 
• The stink: We have very hard water, and with that, we have been battling microfiber stink off and on.  I don't like it, but it is not bad enough that I regret the choice of diaper we made, or to cloth diaper in general.  We do need to strip about every 6 weeks though.

What we changed:

• To appease my wish for natural fibers, and to battle stink issues, we purchased 12 hemp/cotton blend inserts from Geffen Baby.  I love them!  Hemp is extremely absorbent and trim.  We use them as doublers for nighttime, and in place of the microfiber inserts. 
• 
•  I have found what works best is to use the microfiber newborn insert from BumGenius with a Geffen Baby hemp insert - extremely trim (more so than just a full size microfiber), and combines the quick absorbing of the microfiber with the capacity of the hemp insert.  So far it has helped with stink, just to have more inserts in the rotation, as well as the hemp being natural fiber and stink resistant.  I would love to and probably will buy more hemp inserts to replace the microfiber over time.
• 
• We also changed our wash routine from using Charlie's Soap to Rockin Green Hard Rock with their FunkRock Booster.  We've heard great things about Charlie's soap, but it just wasn't working for us. 

Our System and Routine:

• We currently have 30 BumGenius 4.0 Pocket Diapers as well as 12 hemp inserts in rotation.  
• We use Thirsties Fab cloth wipes and love them - I think we have 40-50 but could make do with less.  We just wet them with water and keep about 8-10 in a LionHeart Wipe holder.
• We have two Large hanging PlanetWise Wet bags, two pail liners and three medium PlanetWise wet bags.  We essentially do not use the pail liners unless we are traveling and could get by with 1.  I love the hanging wet bags, and having at least three wet bags for the diaper bag is essential!  We also have a PlanetWise wipe holder wet bag, which we keep in the diaper bag.
• We use CJs Butter (in lavender) for any red tushes. - Works great!
• I wash a load of diapers every night, but we can go a whole weekend (2.5 days) without doing diaper laundry (which we do if we travel)
• Daytime: Kate wears the diapers with either just a microfiber insert or the hemp+newborn microfiber combo.  I don't really distinguish them, but I do lean towards the hemp combo if she's going to be in the diaper awhile (we're out and about) or she's going to be in her carseat for a long trip - the hemp holds more!
• Nighttime: We no longer change her diaper in the middle of the night, so although she isn't sleeping through the night, she still needs an overnight diaper.  We are currently stuffing a pocket with the large microfiber insert and 2 hemp inserts - it is bulky but it works.  She is on the largest size setting in this get-up so we might need another solution at some point.  I will most likely buy a fitted diaper and cover for nighttime down the road.  For now, we have had no leaking or other issues with the three inserts + pocket situation.
• When we change her diaper we just throw the entire thing, wipes and all in a wet bag - very convenient and quick.  I un-stuff them as I am throwing them into the wash - this way my hands only get dirty once (and not when I'm holding the baby) and I would have to pull them out of the bag anyway!  We plan on hooking up our diaper sprayer down in the basement and sticking with the same system (spray dirty diapers right before doing wash).  We will have to see how this works, but I think it will be ok because I do laundry every day.  It might not work if dirty diapers were sitting too long.
• Traveling: So far Kate has never had a disposable diaper on after the first two weeks of her life.  We have managed to travel home for the weekend and to various relatives with cloth.  It takes some planning and is more to pack, but it has not been too much of an inconvenience, at least not enough to make me feel the need to use disposables.  If we are home, we do laundry at my parents, if we are somewhere else, we just keep the diapers in one of the large pail liners and do laundry when we get home.  We can make it 2.5 days without doing a load (and still have her wearing diapers!) .. This is the situation where I would love to have a back up Thirsties duo cover so that we could use prefolds in a pinch and last one more day without laundry.  Maybe I will get one when we need to buy the fitted diaper for overnight.

Probably not the most exciting post, but overall, we are extremely happy with our "system" (all that research worked!) and wouldn't really change anything now.  I am even more thankful that we spend next to nothing on diapering this child (all of our diapers were given as gifts), and they are gentle on her skin (which is sensitive).  Many of you have heard me say it, but I wish I could convince everyone how easy this is, Kevin agrees.  It's definitely worth it for us, plus, they are just so darn cute

Happy 4 Months Kate!

I know I say this every month, but I can't believe that Kate is 4 months old.  Although life with Kate is wonderful in too many ways to count, this has definitely been our toughest month so far.  Mainly because Kate has started getting up multiple times in the night, whereas she had been sleeping at least 5-6 hour stretches every night.  Let me tell you, there is a huge difference between 5 hours of solid sleep and 2.5 hours.  We have gone through every level of trying things to get her to sleep longer ... feeding more during the day, letting her cry (couldn't do it), comforting her, moving her to her own room, bringing her back into our room, earlier bed time, later bed time, longer naps, shorter naps, more naps .. well you get the point.  After reaching a point of almost breaking down, I have just accepted that this is (hopefully) a phase she is going through and it will come to an end.  I should also clarify .. she is a good sleeper, in the fact that she goes to sleep easily, goes back to sleep easily (after being fed) and naps well.  So we are not pacing the floors at night trying to get her to settle, it's just that she wakes up to eat multiple times.  I have struggled wondering if she is waking out of habit .. but we found that she does not go back to sleep without eating, and if she does she wakes up very soon after.  She also eats a lot when she wakes up, making me believe she is truly hungry.  Another source that helped me accept this stage is the book, "The Wonder Weeks", which truly did wonders in helping me understand that what she is going through happens to a lot of babies, and it will end!

Other than the sleep issues, we are doing really well.  Thanks to the sleep issues, we have established a set bedtime, which gives us more of an evening routine and gives Kevin and I some time together in the evenings.  Kate is learning something new every day.  She is very alert and active, is a very happy baby and giggles a lot more now.  She still loves her play mat but has also started to show preference for other toys as well (her Oball and stuffed lion).  She loves the dogs, and will pet them if they lay down next to her.  She also smiles at them and talks to them, its like she has all of a sudden realized that they are living things.   Her new firsts (since the last post mid-January) are:
- She rolled over!  From her back to her front, at the babysitter's.  We haven't actually seen her do this, but she does consistently roll to her side from her back - she curls up to suck her thumb if she's tired.
- Laughs often
- Is still wearing 6-9 month clothes, but definitely needs 9 month sleepers
- Found her feet, she will almost face plant while reaching for them .. it's very funny.
- Has starting shaking her rattles
- Has a lot more dexterity in holding objects .. will move them from one hand to the other
- Still babbles a lot
- I am signing to her, she has not tried to sign back, but I have noticed the last couple of days that she looks at my hands questioningly when I'm signing .. it's like she's figured out I'm doing something with them that she should pay attention to.
- Got her first cold :(  She is currently sick, and it's not fun at all.  She was also sick while I took her 4 month old pictures, so please excuse the runny eyes and nose.
- Does not like going to the grocery store any more ... we have more melt downs there than anywhere else.  I dread going!
- visited the farm - we went for my dad's birthday

 Her hair is so long it gets in her eyes, so while yes, this headband is cute .. it's also functional!

 This picture on the left is a good representation of how light her hair is getting!

 Crazy long .. she's going to need pony tails soon