5 Months Old!!

(And also 22 weeks old)

I'm writing this a little late in the week, but better late than never is what I always say. At 5 months old, Cael has been developing by leaps and bounds! I previously thought that he was interested in the world around him, and thought his excitement of all things around him was amazing. But this past week, he has amazed me even further (which I'm starting to realize will continually happen). Even more than before, he is reaching for EVERYTHING! But with both hands now. He realized that he can reach and grab for things by using both hands, and bringing them together. He started doing that early this week. He's getting quick too! Plates of food, mugs of hot tea, pens, wires, his toys, blankets. Everything. He just wants to grab it and put it in his mouth. His fine motor skills are developing nicely, too. He is now able to pick up his pacifier from wherever it is, and if it's not oriented correctly, turn it around, and put it in his mouth. It's just incredible how much he's developing, and how quickly.

His weight, on the other hand, is still staggering. I weighed him naked yesterday (February 10), and he weighed exactly 14 pounds. A little over a week ago on the 1st, he weighed 14.3 pounds. I used an app on my phone to track diapers and feedings (yes, still), and it has a growth chart in it. It's been pretty accurate compared to the pediatrician's chart. He moved up a little on the chart last week, but now that he's at an even 14 pounds, he's at the 5th percentile again. I was having a major loss in my milk supply, but that did get better with the pumping and supplements. So I know he is getting more milk than previously. He goes to the pediatrician next Thursday for a weight check, so I'm anxious to see how much he officially weighs, and what percentile he falls into. He was supposed to go this past Thursday, but we couldn't make it for reasons I'll get into later.

As of Monday, Cael started doing something that I absolutely adore. He reaches for me now. I LOVE this so much. It let's me know he loves me, needs me and wants me. As selfish as this sounds, I almost need this. We've been down on Long Island since Thursday the 2nd visiting my mom, and on Monday, we visited a bunch of people. One of them was Cael's great-grandpa from Matt's side. As soon as I handed Cael to him, he started screaming for me, and looking around for me. When he saw me, he actually turned his body towards me, and reached both arms out towards me. He then slightly threw his weight forward, as to lunge for me. Since then, he lunges even more. This brings me to the other thing he started doing this past week. Since the moment we came to LI, Cael became a Stage 5 Clinger. He didn't want anyone other than myself to hold him. And if they did, he would scream bloody murder, and reach for me. Especially when my mom held him, and I saw she was "hurt" by it. We kept joking that we'd put a frame around mom's face, like Skype. But finally, after a week, he did get used to mom. I was afraid it was a phase he was going through, and that he wouldn't go to Matt when we got home. But it was just because we were in a new place.

Now onto the reason that we had to miss Cael's appointment. We were supposed to go back this past Wednesday (3 days ago), but as of late Monday night/early Tuesday morning, I developed a fever. I had a headache all day Monday, and was tired, but thought it was from being out since 10 Monday morning, and running all over the place. Apparently not. I had aches, pains, chills and was freezing. Then 2 days later, on Wednesday, I got a sore throat and stuffy /tunny nose. This happened last time I was on Long Island. As soon as I got home from that trip, I got a fever, sore throat and stuffy nose. However, this time was slightly different. On Thursday afternoon, after Cael and I woke up from a nap, I noticed I had a crusty eyebooger in the inside corner of my left eye. Well, long story short, I had pink eye. Yes, for the first time since elementary school, I had pink eye. By the end of the day, i had pink eye in both eyes. My fever also broke that morning, so I though I would be going home Friday. But after telling Matt, he said to stay longer if I needed too, that he didn't want to get sick. So another few days I was a staying.

Then on Friday morning, Cael developed a fever of 101.3. With swollen, painful eyes (but no fever!), I gave Cael infant Tylenol. It worked wonders, and he was feeling himself shortly after. But it was a pajama day for him, that's for sure. His fever only lasted for yesterday, and this morning, the swelling mess that was my left eye was all better! It was still a little red, but no more gunk. My right eye was still a little gunky and definitely swollen, but as the day wore on, the swelling went away. Currently, as I write this, my eyes feel about 95% better, and Cael and I are going home tomorrow.I cant wait to see Matt, and for Matt to see all the new things Cael can do now.

There's some speculation as to where I got the pink eye from. My siblings joked that someone farted in my face; my mom says it's because I change Cael's poopy diapers; and I say it's from when we went to the park. Who the heck knows where it came from, as long as it's going away now. AND, I hope we've taken all the precautions so that Cael doesn't get it. I think it went away so quickly because I immediately started using CVS brand Pink Eye Drops. They work wonders!

As I just mentioned, we went to the park on Tuesday. I had gone a few hours without a fever or chills, so mom suggested getting outside for a little while. It wasn't too cold out, so I suggested going to the park with Cael. This would be his first time, so I was excited, and needed to get pictures of this (of course). I sat on a swing with Cael, put him in a baby swing and pushed him, and went down the slide with him. Mom and I got a bunch of pictures and videos, so I'm happy about that. We had fun, came home, and then I felt exhausted and run down. Cael and I relaxed for the rest of the day.

Finally, we started rice cereal on the day he turned 5 months old. He loved it!! And he did so well with eating it too, and didn't make a big mess like I thought he would. However, after 2 days of rice cereal, Cael broke out with a rash on his cheeks and chin. I called the pediatrician, and it turns out he is most likely allergic to the rice cereal. We were told to stop it for a week, and then we can try again. If he gets a rash again, then it's the rice cereal. He'll have to be fed oatmeal cereal then, and we'll have to see how he does with that. I'll see if we'll try the cereal again on Monday or Tuesday.