6 weeks old at Daddy's graduation!
She's not behind at all.
I took this picture on Monday, and isn't she cute! She'll be 5 months old next Thursday, and when we went to the pediatrician for her 4 month checkup he went through the basic battery of questions.
Dr. F: Is she laughing?
Me: Yes... not on command or anything, but she laughs.
Dr. F: Does she coo and goo?
Me: More like screeching or a wookie mating call, but yes, she talks.
Dr. F: Does she push up when she's on her belly?
Me: Just like an army guy.
Dr. F: Does she roll over?
Me: Yes. She started rolling over from tummy to back in late June, and she's been rolling from back to tummy (only to her right, though), for the last couple of weeks.
Dr. F: Well, that's way ahead of the curve on rolling. She's doing great. Do you have any questions for me?
Me: Yeah, what's up with all the drool? Is she teething?
Dr. F: Probably not. Most babies get their teeth between 7 and 10 months, give or take 4 months.
Me (silently): What the heck? Give or take 4 months. Basically you have no idea when she'll get teeth?... wait... he's still talking.
Dr. F (continuing): They like to chew and gnaw on everything, suck on their fists, pick up things from the floor and chew on them.... blah blah... safety stuff... blah blah... don't let her eat random stuff... (learned that one from her cousin Ryan, he likes tin foil, watch batteries, and long walks on the beach)... blah blah... don't leave her unattended on high surfaces...
Anyway, he went on for a while (and don't worry, I was listening, but it doesn't really apply to this blog post).
What he didn't do was look in her mouth.
Even if he did, he may not have seen what we can feel... hard, knobby, ouchy things. I started wondering if she was teething a while back when she started biting. You know what I mean. She bites her toys and things, but I don't really care about that. I care about when she bites ME! And I'm not talking about biting my fingers. You get the idea.
Anyway, the last few days she hasn't been sleeping well. I used to have this great sleeper for a baby. 8 or 9 hours at night, and 2 or 3 naps somewhere between 1 and 3 hours each.
Not anymore!
She wakes up at least once a night, whether to fuss or feed, it doesn't matter. I'm awake, it's usually sometime between midnight and 4 am sometime, and I'd rather be sleeping. And her naps during the day are usually 30 minutes to an hour if she's by herself in her swing (never flat on her back in her bassinet), and maybe 2 hours if I'm holding her.
I thought it was all related to this crazy cough she so selflessly shared with me (went well with my broken toe, and my ingrown toenail last week. I was going to dedicate an entire blog post to the worst week ever, but that will have to wait). I thought that was what it was until I was at the store today. Eva was fussing in her carseat in the cart and I pulled up next to her in my electric granny cart (thanks to the toes on my left foot) and started playing with her and she took my finger into her mouth and bit me. Not too hard, but hard enough that I thought I'd feel her gums a little to see if anything was going on.
Here's her gums, can you see any tooth buds? By the way, Getting a picture of a 5 month old's gums is harder than you think.
What I felt was hard, knobby, ouchy things. And as soon as I starting pushing on her gums, she chewed on my finger all the more. Please tell me my baby isn't teething! I love her gummy little smile! I love that even when she does bite me, she has no chance of drawing blood.... teeth could change that.
Then again... I love that she's getting bigger. It's bittersweet. She's not my tiny baby anymore who I could hold endlessly (because she was tiny, and she slept all the time, and she wasn't nearly as strong as she is now). But it's also so nice to see her learn new things, and really become a little person all her own. She has her quirks (she twirls her hair like Uncle Mark, she likes to suck on her thumb and first finger, and she frequently squeals and squeaks and gurgles) and she has things that make me crazy (screeching nonstop, the constant drooling, not sleeping) but she's mine and she's amazing.
10 comments:
yeah- I would put my money where her mouth is- it's kinda annoying too cuz when you think they are about to break the surface they bob back down- prolonging the agony felt by both parties. Tre just got his canine teeth all the way through. it took him long enough!!!!
good luck-
we should be seeing you three soon!
Sometimes babies can teeth for months! Preston has been teething for since he was 4 months and he is 6 months old now. My husband Ryan's family all got their teeth at about 4 months, and his sister's kids get their teeth early like that too. Although none of my 3 have ever gotten teeth that early. Normally they don't show up till about 8 or 9 months. Preston still doesn't have any teeth but he chews on everything. Babies just do that.
Eva is just BEAUTIFUL!!!
She is so beautiful, Nancy. You guys must have some awesome genetic material.
She was such a sweetie! I was so glad that we got to visit with you guys and that Parker could meet is future wifey! LOL! TOO CUTE!!!!
She is adorable! I can't believe how big they get and so fast! Gabe has been teething since he was three months. Some days are worse than others and he drools like crazy and chews on everything!
Can't wait to see you guys on Wednesday!
I'm mostly worried about the teething because I got my first teeth at 4 months (sorry Mom!). Maybe she'll take after Will. He doesn't know when he got his teeth, but I think his mom said it was about 7 or 8 months.
It took me two babies to figure this one out, but it's one of my best "nursing tips"! I always felt bad flicking them on the cheek when they bit me, so instead I'd pull them really close (boob covering face-you get the idea). They couldn't breathe so they'd let go and would associate biting me with not being able to breathe. Works like a charm!
Um, I don't know how I feel about purposely suffocating your children. Ok, I do know how I feel - NO WAY! I'd rather flick their cheek and cause a moment of pain rather than cause permanent pain when suffocate. Please, think twice.
CJ started teething early and got his teeth at about 4 months, so Eva is right in the window of the "give or take 4 months" statement.
And to whoever Anonymous is, you are a dang moron. My pediatrician had the same suggestion queenieweenie said about babies biting. You're not going to hold them there forever (i.e. suffocate them), just a second to get them to let go. It works and there's no permanent damage done. (Maybe to you there was.)
Nancy, better change your blog to not allow useless anonymous comments.
Love the new pic of Eva... I hadn't seen them yet. It shows her big blue eyes! :)
PS - Now you'll have to post pics of the bottom teeth that have come in, and the top ones that are starting... Egad!
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