Author Archives: Jennifer

Apparently, I am a slacker, because I didn’t blog about Janette turning 4 months old. She had her 4 month well check on Texas Independence Day (March 2nd) and weighed in at 15 pounds 6 ounces (90th percentile), which is almost one pound more than Jessica weighed at the same age. Janette measured 25.5 inches tall (90th percentile), half an inch shorter than Jessica at the same age and her head circumference was 41 cm (50th percentile). I estimate Janette has probably gained at least a pound, if not more, since that check-up.

Bluebonnet Beauty, 3/24/12

This girl can eat. She nurses about 5 or 6 times during the day and we started her on solid food on March 17th. I started her on oatmeal, with it more breast milk than oatmeal and now 3 weeks later, it is a relatively thick consistency. And she eats it up, sometimes getting fussy, because I’m not shoveling it in fast enough. Sunday, she tried sweet potato puree for the first time and she seems to like it, but she does make some funny faces.

Janette's First Solid Food, 3/17/12

Opening Wide for Oatmeal, 3/17/12

I hadn’t intended to start solid food quite this early. I was going to wait until closer to 6 months, but I decided to try it to see if that would help her sleeping habits. Her entire fourth month of life (February), she slept 10-12 hours per night. Her fifth month, she would wake up randomly and nurse for 15 minutes and then go back to sleep. Initially, I thought this might be teething and James and I thought we felt something, but alas we were mistaken. My sister suggested maybe solid food would be good at getting her back to sleeping through the night. I think this was working as the last week of March she was back to sleeping 10-12 hours per night. Then on the 31st, we drove to Keller for our nephew’s 4th birthday and she woke up twice in the night on Friday followed by at least once the next few nights. Friday and Sunday, I think it was because she spent a lot of time in the car snoozing and didn’t nurse as often as she normally does. At least when she wakes, she is quick to nurse and go back to sleep, typically about 15 minutes. During the daytime, her sleeping wasn’t ideal either. I couldn’t remember how Jessica was sleeping at this age, so I went to look at her 5 month post and she was sleeping 1 hour in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. I wish I hadn’t look as I found this rather depressing. Janette is lucky to get one good nap a day and by good, I mean one hour. This is partly my fault, since we don’t have a good daily routine. With Jessica, I ran errands etc during her awake times. With Janette, I can’t work purely around her schedule. I take Jessica to school two days a week. This past month, I’ve tried really hard to have a semi-decent routine, at least in the afternoon while Jessica naps.  On Monday, I actually got Janette down for a nap in her own crib while Jessica was napping and they actually were both asleep at the same time for about an hour. Of course, last Wednesday afternoon Janette napped for all of about 15 minutes. Most of her daytime sleeping is in the carseat or stroller or bouncer (although it’s starting to be she has to be really tired to sleep in the bouncer), so it was suggested that I put the bouncer in her crib and I tried that Wednesday afternoon. I don’t know, maybe she just doesn’t need as much daytime sleep. Although, when she gets less than than 30 minutes of daytime sleep, she looks utterly exhausted at the end of the day. I started writing this post last Wednesday and something apparently clicked since then, because starting Thursday, Janette has taken a nap of approximately 2 hours in length every afternoon since then. I don’t know what changed, but it is fabulous. The morning nap still isn’t that great, but progress.

Onto another topic, Janette rolled from her tummy onto her back for the very first time Sunday. This is very exciting, because this is another topic that after reading my update on Jessica at 5 months I was depressed about. I think there are two reasons why Janette took a little longer to get to this point. One, she weighs more. Two, she definitely doesn’t get as much tummy time as Jessica did. Now Janette sits up a lot more, either on my lap or in the summer seat, so don’t worry, her head isn’t flat.

Janette Enjoying Tummy Time, 3/29/12

Janette has an excellent grip. Sometimes, she hits herself in the head with whatever toy she is holding and she lets out a cry.

A Toy for Each Hand, 3/8/12

Using Both Hands for One Toy, 3/22/12

I Might Need to Taste This, 3/22/12

She loves to explore her world by putting everything in her mouth. So now in addition to her shirt being covered in drool, it is covered in slobber from that exploration. Her tongue is almost always stuck out. I bet she’ll be able to touch her nose with that tongue.

I'm a Little Lizard, 3/20/12

Janette is such a happy laid back baby. She very rarely gets worked up from crying, unless we’re driving in the car and she is hungry. She loves to talk and babble. Sometimes her talking is quite loud, almost a scream, but it is a happy scream. I’m loving how Janette’s personality is really emerging.

Swinging at the Playground, 3/27/12

Playing Outside, 3/23/12

Jessica still loves her sister and will give her a hug and a kiss most every night and say “love you Janette.” She will play with Janette and I know they will have lots of fun together when Janette can be more interactive. Jessica has recently started telling me “no feed Janette” on occasion, so she is showing jealousy in terms of Janette taking Mommy away from her.

Jessica Taking Janette for a Drive, 3/23/12

Jessica Playing with Janette, 3/18/12