5 Months

• Zoe weighs about 13 pounds and is about 24 inches long.


• Zoe is eating every 3 1/2 to 4 hours and now has oatmeal before bed.


• Zoe is still in 3 months clothing....but she is making her way into 3-6 months in summer outfits.


• Zoe is teething like no other! Bless her little heart.Zoe is such a happy baby....she smiles all the time.


• Zoe is sleeping through the night and wakes up around 6:00 am, eats and then goes back to sleep (except with teething she has been up some in the night....hopefully just a phase)


• Zoe is giggling and smiles when you smile at her.


• Zoe has lots of tickle spots.


• Zoe loves to play with her feet.


• Zoe is grabbing everything and putting it straight to her mouth.


• Zoe loves to be thrown in the air.


• Zoe gets tired and puts her hands back behind her head or over her eyes.


• Zoe has been using her thumb more for soothing then her pacie....she actually gets mad with the pacie now sometimes.


• Zoe takes her pacie out of her mouth and tries to put it back in....unsuccessfully for now.


• Zoe is extremely interested in anything Zach and I do with our mouths including brushing our teeth, eating, singing, talking....she just stares and forcefully grabs our lips.


• Zoe loves to be sung to....Grandma taught us a great little song and she absolutely loves it.


• Zoe is getting so strong sitting up....not quite by herself yet....but almost.


• Zoe can almost roll over.


• Zoe would much rather be sitting up then laying down.


• Zoe's hair is growing really fast.


• Zoe is looking more and more like Mommy every day!


• Zoe has a reddish tint in her hair.


• Zoe loves chewing on her tongue.


• Zoe is obsessed with her glow worm....if she hears it....she just stops whatever she is doing...usually crying when we turn it on....and stares!


• Zoe tried formula for the first time this month....and she sucked it right down.


• Zoe is talking a ton.


• Zoe does not like sleeping in her pack n' play.


• Zoe and I take a nap together every morning and I love it!


• Zoe loves being outside.


• Zoe loves to stand!


• Zoe has gotten so good at eating with a spoon over the last month.


• Zoe loves the water and should have her first experience with a pool next month!


• Zoe has had no separation anxiety.....Yet!


• Zoe is a cat napper.


• Zoe has developed a "fake" cough for attention....let the DRAMA begin!


• Zoe is so great and we just love her so much....so much that Zach doesn't stop talking about having another one soon.

Things that have helped me survive this month:

• We started rice cereal right after the doctor gave us the okay. She slept the the night the very first night.....sleep is such a beautiful thing! Sadly with the good comes some bad. Zoe Jane became quite constipated from the rice cereal. Everyone said this was completely normal so I didn't worry. But being used to her pooping every other day to two days....when 7 rolled by, I called the nurse. We gave her Prune juice.....half water/half juice mixed with a bottle.....big poop 30 minutes later. Second time we tried though it didn't work....or the third. So we switched to oatmeal. We were told there was more nutritional value and more fiber.....After the switch it still took a day or two to poop. Now, I think she is back to normal and her poops are a little closer together.


• I also learned a very good lesson this month. Kaitlin came to visit and we were talking about the families that live at Covecrest....all their kids are so great and the two families are just such a delight to be around. Kaitlin told me that she asked one of the moms what they did that made parenting seem so effortless...she responded with "They are God's children first....then ours!" I mean seriously....what a great way to raise your children. God will always provide for His children. That advice just really made a lot of sense to me. If we put our trust and faith in God in how we raise our children and put Him first (just like in our marriages), what could go wrong. I know what you are thinking....plenty could go wrong....but at least we have Him to lean on and He already knows the end result. That gives me a huge peace when thinking about raising Zoe and all our future children.


• Over Easter weekend at Covecrest, I got into a conversation with one of the men there....not sure his name or how he is linked to Covecrest, but he had a great piece of advice for me. We were discussing Zoe Jane and going to Mass. I was saying that I was hoping she would do well at Easter Mass and not make too much noise. He had two older children, but offered me this. He said not to be afraid to bring Zoe into Mass with us because how else will she learn to be good during it....how else will she learn about God, Jesus and being Catholic if she is always in a nursery. I know a lot of other faiths have Sunday school or a place for children to learn about faith while the adults go to the service. But I want Zoe with me....I grew up going to Mass with my parents every week. I just feel so whole with Zoe Jane and Zach sitting next to me during the Mass. It warms my heart. But this type of advice can also apply to anything really.....don't be scared to travel or go to restaurants or other public places with your children....they have to learn!