Roark's 5 Months Update - Good Life Xplorers

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Can someone pinch me? It’s time for Roark’s 5 months update!

If you new here, be sure to check out previous posts on his birth, my birth story and previous updates here and here.

How is it that when you want time to go faster it never does, but when you want it to slow down, it always feels like it’s going by double-fast?

I am not sure I can keep calling Roark a baby anymore, he is so big now that I feel I am on the verge of having a toddler. He wants more independence, he doesn’t stop still and when I am cuddling him, he pushes me away and gives me the teenager look. You know, the one that says “Eww! MOM!” The few times he still looks like a baby to me are when he is breastfeeding or he is sleeping and I stare at him while he “ghost suckles”.

I love spending time with him, specially in the morning when he first wakes up and he’s mellow and tender. He likes to stroke my face and gives me sweet smiles. He doesn’t mind when I pull him closer and kiss him all over. That is something I wish my husband got to experience more often. On the weekends, I let him be the one to snuggle Roark in the morning, after all, I need to teach Roark to share .

Baby R’s Stats

At Birth: 6lbs 12oz, 19.5 inches tall, size newborn clothes and diapers.

2 weeks old: 7 lbs 3oz and measured 20.25 inches tall, size 0-3 months clothes and size 1 diapers.

2 months old: 11 lbs 11oz and measured 22.75 Inches tall, size 3-6 months clothes and size 2 diapers.

4 months old: 15 lbs 6 oz and measured 25.5 inches tall, size 9 months clothes and size 3 diapers.

5 months old: 16 lbs 14 oz and measured 25.75 inches tall, size 9 months clothes and size 3 diapers.

Feeding

Roark has become very distracted when it comes to feeding time. It takes a lot longer now because he likes to look around and play while he is eating. Because of that and his higher level of mobility he is not eating as much and hasn’t gained weight as he has in previous months. Something that concerned me, so I booked an appointment at the pediatrician. The Dr. said his weight gain is still good and that he is probably only getting the fore milk since he has become more distracted. To make sure he gets to the good stuff – the hind milk- which is fattier, I need to let him get a little hungrier before feeding him, that way he eats long enough to get to fatty deposits.

He has also began to show interest in our food. He watches us like a hawk when we eat and has tried to steal food from our plates. We may have to start introducing him to solids soon.

Diapering

Roark still has the dairy/soy allergy and even when I am really careful about what I am eating, sometimes there are accidents when I eat out. Something or another will have dairy or soy and the restaurant staff doesn’t even know. It’s really eye-opening to see that in the US a lot of products are now cooked with soy oil – french fries, meats, vegetables and etc… which means that if you really had an awful reaction to soy, you would never be able to eat out.

Because of his recent feeding challenges, he has also developed an awful diaper rash that just doesn’t go away. The Dr. thinks it’s because the fore milk doesn’t have enough fat in it, so he is pooping a lot of bile which is very acidic. Poor boy is covered in desitin, which has improved it a bit, but not healed it completely. I am trying a new approach to feeding and will let you know if something changes.

Sleeping

No change. He takes about 4 naps a day and sleeps about 8 hrs with feeding breaks during the night.

Milestones – 5 months update

Pinching!
Giggling, but not full belly laughs
Rolling both ways
Moving – army crawl
Bouncing on his ExerSaucer
Grabbing his feet
Throwing toys

Some Thoughts on Motherhood

Things are getting easier. Even though we are not in a set routine, I feel like I can breathe now and get some “me” time every now and again. I’ve had to prioritize and simplify things a lot. This blog and the videos I am making are the only other thing in my life right now. That is my “me” time and it is only taken care of once my son’s needs are met, my house is in order and I’ve spent time with my husband – usually after everyone else in the house is asleep. I don’t volunteer for things anymore and if something comes up I make sure to not commit if I know it will put too much pressure on me.

It helps to ask for help and to have a partner that recognizes when I just need to take 5 minutes to get myself together. It also helps to communicate those needs to my husband clearly. I used to expect him to know to take care of something while I did something else. After almost 12 years of marriage, he should know what I am thinking right? Wrong!

He knows me very well, but I also know him well and I know that while I am taking care of things now for something that won’t happen for months, I know he is thinking of what we need to get done this weekend. It’s no use to expect him to know that I have a to-do list of 50 things if I don’t share with him. So now I ask. It does take a lot more communication and at times it is frustrating, but I find that expecting things and then being resentful that my partner doesn’t know or doesn’t meet my expectations is even more frustrating.

I am also trying to come to terms with mom guilt and the expectations I put on myself. Mom guilt is something that is built in to motherhood. I knew before becoming a mother that I didn’t want to put that much pressure on myself. I made a birth plan, but knew things would not go 100% like I wanted and I prepared for that. I also told myself that if breastfeeding didn’t work, formula would have to do. And so on. But I am finding that even as conscious as I am not to put unrealistic expectations on myself, sometimes I will fall short. So mom guilt is real and it’s a real pain in the ass.

That is it for Roark’s 5 Months Update. Don’t forget to follow our Instagram and YouTube accounts for pictures and videos of what we are up to. We are headed to Rio at the end of the month so be sure to check our stories too.

xoxo

Jana

For a video of the update click here.

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