5 Months

I can't believe my itty bitty baby is already 5 months old! Ilyana is now rolling all over, trying so hard to scoot, and loves to smile, laugh and babble. She is such a joy to be around. She has been learning a lot about the control she has to manipulate the toys that she plays with and over her own body movements. She also has started to eat some solids, so far we have tried rice cereal, avocado, and peas. Now that we've made it through a sleep regression and weaning her from a swaddle Ilyana is sleeping great! She goes to bed at 7 and usually wakes up to eat around 3-4 am (although she has made it all the way to 6!) and then goes back to sleep until around 7 or 730. We're currently working on nap training and shooting for 3 naps a day. Another exciting development this month has been Ilyana learning to respond to her name! We are so proud of our smart girl!

Ilyana likes: Standing, looking at her reflection, listening to mommy and daddy sing, playing peek-a-boo, rolling everywhere, watching the cats, and putting everything in her mouth.

Ilyana dislikes: Being hungry and being away from mommy.

Weight: about 12 lbs.

Baby Hacks

There is a lot of work that goes into taking care of a baby! Here is my list of "baby hacks" that we have found helpful!

1. Double up on sheets
To make middle of the night crib sheet changes easy, layer your crib like this: mattress protector, crib sheet, mattress protector, crib sheet. Then all you have to do is rip off the top layer and you're done!

2. Prepare night bottles ahead of time

If you're formula feeding, instead of having to fix a bottle for every night feeding, plan ahead and keep pre-filled bottles and pre-measured formula nearby at night so all you have to do is pour and shake!

3. Drink cold water while breastfeeding

I had already quit breastfeeding before I had heard this hack, but during the early weeks when breastfeeding is painful, I've heard that taking a sip of ice cold water while latching the baby on can help get your mind off of the pain! Even if it doesn't work, staying hydrated is always important during breastfeeding!

4. Use less wipes

When your baby poops, instead of using a ton of wipes, use the dirty diaper to wipe away most of the poop before using wipes. As an added bonus, most of the stinky poop is folded up in the diaper too!

5. Starting solids

When you're starting solids, if you're having a hard time getting baby to eat off of a spoon, let them suck the food off of your finger!

6. Pants under a onsie

For a cute chic look, try snapping the onsie shut over the pants! I especially like this look with patterned pants!

7. Reusable changing table

Instead of buying a changing table that you'll be done with once you're out of the baby stage, use a dresser and a changing table pad on top of it! Bonus hack: If you live in a 2 story house, keep diapers/wipes on the other floor too!

That's all for now! But keep an eye out for a very special blog post tomorrow!