Alyssa Lately

Alyssa is FIVE MONTHS OLD!! Can you believe it?? I know I can't. I have been bad the last couple months of updating about her progress,so here is a little update as to what has been going on with her.

We had her 4 month check-up a little early due to the holidays on December 9. At that time she weighed 13.5 pounds (75%) and was 24 inches long (62%). At this appointment her doctor said she could start solid foods when she turned 4 months old. We went through the holiday season which I posted about earlier. We started the solid foods after Christmas, starting with sweet potatoes and bananas. She did pretty well with it. She didn't quite know what to do with the spoon. And we had a hard time finding a comfortable place for her to eat. She is still too small for her high chair and she didn't want to sit in her bumbo to eat. So, we tried the bouncy seat (which she LOVES) and that worked for her. Here is a progression of chair choices the first night.

high chair

bumbo

bouncy seat

ALL GONE!!

Our child is a little piggy, BTW. She is eating 6.5 ounces every 3 hours (like clock work most days). And she eats one 2 ounce tub of baby food. We are about to start sending a tub to daycare, so she'll get baby food twice a day. And other foods we have tried besides sweet potatoes and bananas, she has tried pears, apple sauce, carrots, peas, and green beans. The green foods we will not be eating again any time soon. Her face turned real red a blotchy after eating them.

So, January was a pretty puny month at the Grabowski house. Alyssa has has a runny nose since mid-December. With her going to daycare, I knew she would get runny noses...it was inevitable. Around the end of the first week in January, she started coughing. On Sunday the 10, she threw up three times. So, we took her to the doctor the next day to make sure she wasn't dehydrated and to make sure the cough wasn't more than just a cough. She wasn't dehydrated, thankfully. And her doctor said the cough was just viral and it would probably linger for a while. Josh stayed home with her that day just to make sure we didn't get any of the kids sick a daycare. We found out that morning that several children had had the stomach bug at daycare recently. That didn't make me the happiest that we were finding out AFTER our child was sick. Oh, well...they did send a notice home telling us some children had RSV, though. Anyway, at that visit she weighed 15.1 pounds and was 26 inches long (above average for both). Later that night I started feeling nauseous. I threw up from about 9 until 3. I felt better the next day so I went in to work for a half day to get a few things done. Josh had gone to work, but by about 10 he was home throwing up. Yay!! The stomach bug had officially hit the whole family. My mom had been in New Albany taking care of Grandmother. Instead of going home on Tuesday, she came to take care of us. Thanks again, Mom!!

We finally felt better from all of that, but Alyssa's cough started getting worse. Our friends', the Burrows, son had RSV and his symptoms were similar to Alyssa's. So we took her back to the doctor for them to listen to her. Josh was out of town this day, so I left work to go get her, took her to the doctor, and she stayed with me at work that afternoon. The doctor told me that she had a very, very mild case of RSV/respiratory infection. She prescribed steroids and an antibiotic for five days. At this appointment she weighed 15 pounds 11 ounces.

She seems to be feeling MUCH better now, finally!!

Alyssa is almost sitting up on her own. She will sit there for about a minute before flopping over. She tries to sit up on her own, too. She is starting to grab for toys that she wants. And just in the last couple days will reach out for me and Josh (not all the time, though), but she does get super excited to see both of us now...which, of course, melts my heart to no end. She giggles at everything. And has a few tickle spots under her arms and by her neck. Her little giggle makes me giggle. It is too cute.

Alyssa sitting up in the bed

again...

When on her stomach, she lifts herself up and moves her legs like she is going to crawl. So I feel that will be in the near future. She drools A LOT and chews an everything. I think teething has started, but it takes a while to actually get the teeth from what I have heard...basically the drooling could last a while. She is trying to roll over. She gets about halfway, whether on her back or on her stomach, and then gets her arms tangled. She sleeps on her side most of the time. This is one of the cutest things I have seen her do so far. You lay her on her back and she rolls right over goes to sleep.

Alyssa's new sleeping position

And then there is this past weekend. We went to church Sunday morning, and Alyssa wore this cute little dress that my mom gave her for Christmas.

Alyssa in her dress with cardigan

Alyssa without cardigan

Last night we went over to the Burrows' house to watch the Super Bowl (Go Saints!!). John Parker got all kind of toys for Christmas, and Alyssa had fun trying some of them out.

Alyssa in JP's car
(notice the feet)

Alyssa in JP's "Johnny Jumper"
(not so sure about it at all!)

warming up to the jumper, but still not her favorite

Alyssa and JP playing

So, funny story...Alyssa and JP were put down beside each other to play. They were so cute looking at each other trying to figure each other out. JP is about 6-7 weeks older than Alyssa, so he is already sitting up by himself. Alyssa isn't, so her feet were kind of in JP's lap. At one point he grabbed Alyssa's foot and tried to put it in his mouth. We laughed so hard, and none of us had our cameras ready to catch the act on film. But here is what we do have...

Alyssa and JP checking each other out

JP trying to grab Alyssa's foot

JP getting a little upset because Alyssa has her foot

pooped from a fun night with friends

And a special little treat for the grandparents. Here is a short video clip that I think will make you giggle.