Marissa at 4-6 Months old

Marissa is always noticed for her big, round, and alert eyes.

Stats at her Dr. appt-- 6 months and 1 week:
Weight: 14lbs 5oz (15 %ile)
Height: 25.5" (30 %ile)
Head: 16 1/4" (23 %ile)


That's growth of 1 lb 6 oz and 1" in last two months. Since she was born, she's over doubled her birth weight with growth of 7 lb 7 oz and 5 1/4".



Marissa is getting bigger and stronger, and more and more fun to play with.  She is currently learning to sit up on her own, and can do it for up to a minute, so we (usually Addisyn or I) straddle-sit behind her and "spot" her when she gets tippy.  I am very excited for this skill, but nervous because that means she will be mobile soon and I have yet to child-proof the house. 

Stroller nap May 15, 2013

Marissa likes to hold her head up, even when sleeping.  She has strong neck muscles, holding her head up like she's trying to get up when laying on her back.

Marissa has much fun making noise and practicing her sounds.  She learned to spit and make sounds with a little spit or water in her throat, what we call gurgle talking.

 She rolled over at 4.5 months back to tummy over right arm (just one time), then the next week rolled tummy to back over her left arm (ten times in a row!).

Marissa had her FIRST bottle of formula and she took it like nothing was different (she got really hungry at grandma's house one day and needed more milk than what I had pumped for her).

At 5 months, we began food.  Her FIRST food was rice cereal, then sweet potatoes, green peas, banana, carrots, yogurt, and oatmeal.  I have been making fruits and veggies by steaming and pureeing in the blender.  I just tried making spinach and swiss chard for the first time and will give it too her next month.  It is so easy to make most of it myself, that I am happy not to waste the money or packaging on store bought baby food.  I didn't make the prunes she gets next (I'll let you infer why she is getting prunes). We are also introducing a sippy cup of water at feeding times to help the digestive flow. Marissa gets spoon fed 1-2 times/day, but on an irregular schedule since we are out and about at various times on different days.  Good thing she is flexible, but I do want to find a more regular time that she can rely on.

First time in BIG bathtub April 25, 2013

Like her sisters, Marissa LOVES bathtime!  Addisyn and Piper help hold her in the tub because our tub is so big and deep, but I must have let one of them take this picture for me.  She kicks her feet in excitement and will reach for pouring water. 

Marissa's favorite toys are her toes, which discovered at 4 months.  She also likes to put her feet on the mirror at the changing table.  Along with reaching for her toes, came more skilled hand-eye coordination.  She was intentionally swiping for and grabbing toys at 4 months, then with reaching with good aim at 5 months.

Discovering toes April 24, 2013

One of her other favorite toys is her jumpy seat, which we move around the house so she can be upright and hang out with us.  She can reach and spin the toys on it, and her feet can now reach the floor so she jumps by herself too.


On the floor, Marissa scooches on her back by pushing her heels down and pushing her body away (started at 4 months old), and will rotate around 180° on her tummy or back

 

 Photo series, April 24, 2013

Here she is with Piper, dressed up to watch Addisyn's school-wide Patriotic Performance (May 19, 2013).  Both younger sisters were well behaved (Marissa napped in my arms through most of it). 

The BIGGEST news of all, is that she is SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!!!  We (*I*) reattempted sleep training the week before our trip to San Antonio, TX, knowing that we wouldn't want to wake our hotel room neighbors there.  I tried sleep training before, but something always fouled us up like her getting sick or a camping trip to throw her off schedule.  This time I was determined.  I knew she didn't *need* that mid-night feeding, and I was afraid that as she is getting older, we'd miss our window of opportunity.  So thus began sleep training at 5 1/2 months.  I stopped offering her milk in the middle of the night, just holding her if necessary, which was only necessary for a week or two.  The first night took an hour +, the second night a bit less, and it only got easier from there.  Even with a slight set back the first night at the hotel, after two weeks, she was sleeping at least 9 hours straight on her own every night. Hooray!



Here she is on our trip to San Antonio, TX (May 17-20, 2013).  Silly girl, on that Friday, she learned to blow raspberries.  She looks really goofy in this picture, but it makes me laugh.  This is also the FIRST time she rode in the stroller facing out (not using her carseat in it).

Marissa is still not into sucking on a pacifier, although we did go get her a cute pink orthodontic shape one she likes better, but still prefers to chew on the silicone sides rather than suck on it like normal.  Notice in the picture how she fell asleep with it in her mouth sideways. 

We have also done well with "Hat Training".  I wanted to get her used to wearing a hat often before she learned how use her hands to take it off.  With practically no hair and summer around the corner, she needs that head and face protection.  She she did good (and SO CUTE), but then at 6 months she thinks it's a toy and takes it off.  Now I have to hold her hands down or distract her with a toy, but I'm not giving up!  Just like bibs, hats must be worn, and she will learn to leave it be. 

This "momma's girl" loves her family, but prefers me.  Even if she is content with another adult or relative holding her, when she see's me again, then she fusses.  And if she is upset, there's not much anyone else can do to console her, but will almost stop crying immediately when I hold her.  At least my arms are getting stronger.

At the JW Marriot Resort in San Antonio, TX  (May 2013)