Fabulous Five

Five months ago I had a baby. Is that possible? Who is this girl who's inching dangerously close to her first birthday? Most days it feels like Carolina is still my little baby. She slobbers on and gums everything in her reach, and she definitely has the 3-hour sleep/eat/play schedule down pat. In fact, I've recently started lamenting that whole schedule thing that develops after the initial craziness of the newborn period wears off. Somewhere around month 4, Carolina got her groove and her days were much more predictable just as I remember Elisa's started to be. It's more manageable for sure, but it also means that naps are more routine and interfering with them brings consequences. I've definitely had a better time recently with the whole sleep training stuff and we've found our little rhythm that seems to leave Carolina sleepy but not fully out. She doesn't cry much if at all, but we haven't quite figured out how to pull the plug on the swaddle or put the kibosh on the nighttime wakings as effectively. I'm still relying on the swing to lure her to sleep when it's 3 a.m. and I'm too tired to care. And ever since I read that the weight limit for the thing is 25 lbs., I honestly haven't been too bothered to change my ways. I know she won't be small enough for it forever, so what's the harm? I think that's my attitude for a lot of things these days. This time has already flown by, so I know we're making progress on all fronts even though some nights I curse her waking up and needing my help to fall back asleep. But everything in time...we'll look back at this first six months soon and be wondering where her babyhood went. I see other new babies in our group sitting up or eating solids and we're just behind them. All of us experiencing this second child with the same wonderment over how fast these kids are growing. Five months down and in just a few more weeks, Carolina will make her first trip to Spain. The idea that she has more family to meet and a whole country to see has me giddy with anticipation. Which is a good thing because that flight over with two kids is going to be a beast. Oh well. That's for another day. For now, we are home and staying warm and embracing the new year slowly. But not too slowly...