Avery is 5 months old (and 3 days)

It's crazy how time flies - 5 months with our sweet pea has gone by so quickly and she's grown so much!

Avery is becoming more and more aware of her surroundings each day - especially with her puppy-brother, Auto. She really wants to get him - he should probably prepare himself for when she becomes mobile!

She can sit up on her own, although she's still not entirely stable. She's so easy going though, that even if she face-plants, she just lies there quietly under someone helps her back up (it's pretty funny, actually). 

Avery WAS sleeping through the night...until she turned 4 months old. Now she wakes up once per night and needs a bottle. 

The first half of the night is spent in her crib in her own room, the second half of the night (after her bottle) is spent in our room in her rocker. 

As far as her bedtime routine - still reading a story and taking a bottle and rocking her to sleep. Crying it out is just not an option for us, and I really believe that this is why we have such a happy little girl. 

Baby drool is a big part of our life right now - Avery really just has unlimited amounts of it and can't keep it in her mouth! No teething going on yet, just lots of drool. 

Avery is the proud owner of an exersaucer and loves the freedom it gives her to stand and play on her own.

Her tongue is out almost all the time! We keep telling her that she's gonna regret sticking it out so much once she's gets some teeth in her mouth.

Still on formula only. Since we are planning on skipping rice cereal and puréed foods and doing baby led weaning, we are waiting until Avery shows signs of being ready to eat: sitting up on her own, grasping things well, showing an interest in food, etc. she's just not quite there yet...but soon will be!

Avery is still just a peanut - wearing 3 month clothing and only some 3-6 month sizes. 

She's been sleeping on her tummy lately. This made us really nervous at first, but she seems to be just fine with it. 

Rolling over is taking some time - Avery's only done it a handful of times, and can only tolerate being on her belly (awake) for about 10 minutes or so...she would rather be sitting up or standing (with help of course).

Avery loves to scratch things! I think she likes the sound it makes. She scratches couches, pillows, counter tops, everything!

Avery loves to laugh at Auto!

She knows who mommy and daddy are and smiles when we enter a room.

Avery LOVES cell phones!

Avery and mommy are still loving baby wearing - we often cook dinner hooked together!

Our happy baby is such a blessing - can't wait to see what this month brings! 

(Fall colors and pumpkins are PERFECT timing for 6 month photos!)

treat yoself

So, I have officially become a hippie. Again. Yesterday. And I'm really excited about it.

After struggling with these first few periods postpartum, I've finally taken some action. I bought the Diva Cup. And I'm in LOVE. 

Back story: I gave birth vaginally almost 5 months ago. My baby was teeny, but she seems to have effed some stuff up on her way out anyway. Like, how do you not even completely fill a tampon but still bleed past it anyway?! I don't really know, but it happened. I've gotten really sick and tired of constantly running to the bathroom to save my pants from looking like I just stabbed myself in the vag. 

I read about the Diva Cup a whole ago on a few different natural living websites and it has gotten really great reviews. I don't know why it's taken me so long to actually purchase one (probably I'm just lazy). 

The Diva Cup is a reusable menstrual cup. Yes, you stick it up your vag. Yes, you have to dump/wash it out. Yes, you reuse it over and over again (cue all the "ewwww that's so nasty," "I could never do that," "it's disgusting," "you have to put your hand up there?!" and all the other comments that I know are going though some of your minds). 

You know what? If you're comfortable with your own body, then this kind of thing really shouldn't seem problematic to you (but that's another topic, entirely). 

Here's all the pluses to the Diva Cup:

You know that "schlump" feeling when you gush blood onto a pad? There's none of that.

You know the uncomfortable feeling of pulling out a tampon that isn't filled up? Gone.

The feeling of an overloaded tampon falling out? Nada.

Wearing a diaper pad to bed? No way.

You can wear the Diva Cup for UP TO 12 HOURS. Do you know what you can do in 12 hours without having to worry about bleeding everywhere? Sleep. And other stuff too.

You spend $40 once and then you don't have to buy tampons and pads and panty liners ever again. 

It comes with a cute little bag to put it in after your period is over.

It's earth friendly!

It's toilet friendly (because you don't need to flush any used tampons, ya know?)!

Your dog won't be able to trail chewed up bloody pad through the house again (you're lying if you say this has never happened to you)!

You can't feel the darn thing once it's positioned correctly.

Ok, I admit it takes a few practice tries to get it right, but to me, that is a hell of a lot better than feeling nasty on my period. 

So, yeah. I'm in love. 

And if you know what's good for you, you will go get one of these thingies for yourself.

Treat yoself - you and your vag deserve it.