Getting So Big

Alyssa is almost 5 months old. I can't believe how fast time goes. This morning we were playing on the floor with her toys. She was sitting in her green bumbo seat. She would put the toys on the floor on the right side of her and one by one pick them up put them in front of her play with it, then put it back down on the floor. She did this for about 5 minutes while I just sat there watching her. I then picked her up and sat with her on the couch were we sang songs. She was all smiles. I then put a spit rag on her face and said "Where's Alyssa?" she pulled the rag off her head and smiled. Before today she would always just turn her head side to side trying to figure out what had happened.
She is now eating cereal, can almost sit up by herself, can roll over and loves to "talk". These were all things that I said I couldn't wait for to happen. Now I'm missing my tiny baby.
Yesterday Chris and I talked about having another one. If the world was perfect we would try again right away. We love Alyssa so much that we can't wait to have another one. However the world isn't perfect and so we will wait. Plus I would like to breastfeed for a year and if I get pregnant again I probably would not be able to breastfeed her.

Vacation recap

So we have been on two vacations in the last two weeks. The first one was to Ohio with Chris's family. The second one was to the lake with my family. Alyssa loved the water. She would only stay in for like 20 minutes. We bought her this crab that she could sit in and put some water in the front. She liked to keep her hands in the water and kick her legs. As long as someone was moving her around she was happy.
The bad part was that it was way to hot to be outside if you weren't in the water. So when we weren't in the water or drying off we had to be inside.
We have been back at the house since Wednesday and she is enjoying spending time with her Uncle Michael his girlfriend Cat, and her grandma. She will meet her Pa Pa for the first time today and I know he is very excited to meet her.
This evening we have her Baptism and party afterward. The part went from just family to about 40 people. It is wonderful to know that she is so loved!
I will write more about it tomorrow.

Home again

We went to the lake of the Ozarks for the last 4 days. Alyssa had a good time and enjoyed splashing in the water for about 20 minutes at a time twice a day. She also enjoyed sitting outside and watching the boats.
She had many sleepless nights while there, but she was happy.
Will write more later.

And we are back

Our first vacation with Alyssa was great. She did wonderful and we are all still alive today so that must mean it was a success.

Friday:
We left around 2:30, 20 minutes into the trip was the first stop to change Alyssa's poopy diaper. She really did not sleep much in the car until it got dark then she slept just fine. We did not get to the hotel until a little before 1 in the morning thanks to Ohio detours. We got everything into our room, fed Alyssa put her down and she went right to sleep. She did wake up at almost 4 and was so cold I couldn't put her back in her bed cause I thought she might turn into an ice cube.

Saturday:
She got up at 7. We got ready and she went back down for an hour nap at 8:30. By 9:45 we were out the door to breakfast and then off to Cincinnati. We took the scenic way and drove by Lake Erie the whole time. They had huge pretty houses and we stopped so Alyssa could stick her feet in the water.
Then we went to see "The Christmas Story" house. You know the movie that is on TBS for like 24 hours a day on Christmas? Yeah that one. It was pretty cool. Now they didn't do any turn filming inside the house, they used a sound studio for that, but they did use the outside. They have changed the inside to look like the movie and that was cool.
Then we went down town we parked so that we had a good spot for the game and then walked the mall for about an hour. We then headed off to the baseball game. It was 80's night so we got a bobble head doll of one of the players in a polyester suit it is pretty funny looking. Chris and Luke got to enjoy the game. I watched the first 3 innings and then Alyssa and I explored the stadium and the first aid station looking for a nice quiet spot.

Sunday:
Out the door at 8:15 for breakfast then Chris, Luke, Gary, and Danette headed off to the park. Alyssa and I came back to the hotel she took a nap and we left for the park about 11:15 with Rebecca, Justin, Alex, Judy and Chas. We met up with the other group and talked for a little bit, then the kid group went off to the kid rides. Rebecca wanted to ride everything and I went on most of the rides with her as she wasn't tall enough to go by herself. I also went on some rides with Alex since he wasn't tall enough either. His rides were a lot tamer. Alyssa slept off and on through this. Justin was a good cousin and pushed the stroller while she slept. She did enjoy the train ride.
At about 3 Judy and the kids left. Alyssa and I found a first aid station and I nursed her and then we went to find Chris. Chris, Alyssa and I then went on some rides, we rode the sky tram, Ferris Wheel and did a lot of walking. We left the park about 6, brought Alyssa home got her bathed and into bed by 7:30.

Monday:
The big group was going to go do some wineries. But Luke and I couldn't/don't drink so we decided to do the water park. Danette and Alex joined us. Alyssa and Alex had a blast in the kiddie part of the water park. Alyssa got to do the lazy river and also enjoyed splashing in the water. Luke, Chris, Danette and I enjoyed the slides and big kid part of the water park. We then went and did some kid rides for Alex and rode the train again. We then left the park went to dinner and had Alyssa in bed by about 8:30. Justin then came to baby-sit while Chris and I went and talked to the grown ups. He thought it was pretty easy since she was asleep.

Tuesday:
We got on the rode to come home at about 9:30. Did not get home until 6:30 (and that is with gaining an hour). It was a LONG day. Alyssa did not sleep much and was a crab when she was awake. I don't think I will ever travel that far again with a little one during the day. She was so tired of her car seat. I promised her today she does not have to get in it at all.

All in all it was a great trip and I have the sunburn to prove it.

Vacation

Chris, Alyssa and I are leaving on vacation tomorrow. Now if you know me, you know that I have been making lists for this vacation for about a week and a half now. I have the list of things to do, the list of things to take, the list of what needs to go with Vinnie to his babysitter, and the list of all the lists I have made.
The list of things to bring is in a word document and it has 4 columns, it is still two pages long! I'm so afraid that I'm going to forget something for Alyssa or because I'm thinking about her forget something for me.
Our poor car is going to be full to the brim. Part of that is because we have to take her pack and play and her big stroller. Those two items alone will take up 3/4 of the trunk. I know I am over packing, but isn't that what mothers are supposed to do?!
I will be glad when we have left and this trip is started because just getting ready for it is stressing me out!
Once it is all over I will need a vacation from my vacation, and I will kind of get that when we go down to the lake, but once again I have to pack for that trip. (Don't worry I have those lists already started too. :-) )

Bath Time

Alyssa LOVES bath time. She sits in her chair as we pour water over her. She has now started to try to hold the cup. She uses both her legs and both arms to hold the cup because it is so big. Sometimes she can get the side up to her mouth and she tries to stick it in. This does not work of course because you can't fit the whole side of a cup in your mouth.
Tonight I was soaping up her body. We have to make sure to rinse her hands right away because she likes to stick them in her mouth. Well I didn't rinse her hand soon enough and it got in her mouth. Her facial expressions made Chris and I both start laughing. I tried to rinse her hand off, but it must of still tasted funny because she stuck her hand back in her mouth and made an even worse face. Then she looked at me who was laughing at her and gave me a very disgusted look. I stopped laughing long enough to rinse her hands again so that she could go back to happily sucking on her hand.

Doctors Appointment/ Hippie Mom?

Okay, first the doctor's appointment. Alyssa had her 4 month check up today. She was 14 lbs 2 ounces. 25 inches long and her head was 41 cm. That means she is 60% for weight, 75% for height and 50% for head.
The doctor said that she looked really healthy. She showed him how she can scream, and kick when she isn't happy. She was so brave for her shots. She got 2 and she stopped crying as soon as I picked her up.
Now on to the Hippie mom. I never thought I would be one to go against doctor's advice, but I am. I have done tons of research on feeding solids. Many things I read said that babies tummies are not ready for solids before 6 months. I have decided that I'm not going to start solids until closer to 6 months. She is not interested in our food or drink. The only time she opens her mouth for a cup is in the bathtub! We have 3 trips planned for the next 5 weeks. I think once we get back from those trips I will introduce the food. Also he told me she should be sleeping through the night. I told him she gets up once to eat. He gave me a look, I said she also isn't eating 6 ounces at a feeding. He said that we should try to keep pushing her feeding back and that by the time she comes back for her 6 month check up she should be sleeping through the night. I guess it is a good thing I didn't tell him she still sleeps with us a few hours a night!
We are still keeping her on a routine for naps and bed. She is doing really well with this schedule and is waking less and less during those nap times.
It took me a long time to come with terms with the fact that she is my baby and I need to do what I think is right and now what others tell me I should do. It wasn't until this weekend when I was out with some friends and one of them was talking about how she had to come with terms that she isn't a failure( regarding changing careers). When she said that it clicked with me. I'm not a failure with Alyssa I just have to do what works for her and me.