Five Months: Roll-y Poll-y, Cheap-chic, and Handmade

Oh baby! Delicious is five months old today! He is an active, good baby and seems to grow over night! He's starting to make 'b' consonant sounds, loves to grab and hold things, kicks, and screams with glee! He's also rolling to his side a lot. I'm sure soon he'll be going all the way over. Speaking of rolls, big boy has rolls everywhere. Cute, but the folds of skin can also get red and irritated.

Roll-y poll-y (hand-me-down onesie from girlfriend, Baby L)

A note on skin: Babies have really sensitive skin (bien sur). And Delicious has a bit of ecsema on his belly and a fungal infection under his neck from all the drool and wetness that gets trapped there. He also has irritation in the folds behind his knees and under his arms. Doctor says to put powder on those areas. We use 100% corn starch. I wasn't keen on it because Delicious may breathe it in, but I'm careful to blot around the area afterwards with a wet towel or wipe. For the fungal infection under his neck, Lotrimin is amazing. After two weeks of use, it's healed. We try to keep it clean and dry and apply the cornstarch there now. For the ecsema, per our pediatrician's instruction, we mix equal parts of Hydrocortizone 1% and Eucerin cream. (By the way, you save a ton of money by doing this yourself. My SIL paid like $100 for a small tub of the same mixture.)

Other than the minor and typical skin irritation, he is healthy and happy. He had been experiencing a bit of the wakefulness a couple weeks ago. I think it's due to him being more alert and starting to teeth (he's drooling like crazy!), and outgrowing his bed. So, as I mentioned, we got him the crib (the Pack n' Play served us well for almost five months). He is sleeping wonderfully now. It may be a function of both the new bed and just getting over that stage. I honestly think his sleep training also helps him self-soothe back to sleep. He often wakes up early in the morning, but lays there just cooing and playing by himself. (Don't get me wrong, he does have his fitful moments, and those are when he's sleepy in the afternoon or right before he goes to bed at night. But once he is put down, he needs little to fall asleep.) Anyhoo, the crib was $99 and the basic mattress (which is soft, but firm and very nice) was only $35. Seriously, why spend more than this? And it comes in vibrant colors like lime green and ocean blue.

SOMNAT crib ($99); VYSSA SUMLER mattress ($34.99)

I'm really thinking that vibrant colors are the way to go for Mr. Delicious' room in the new house (and for his clothing). I really like the Scandinavian aesthetic in children's clothing. But it's sooooo expensive. Colorful and graphical equals $$$$$. So I've been looking at fabrics to make jumpers and stuff for Delicious. But I've also found that Carter's is working hard to be more fashion-forward. (Apparently, Carter's is the crap-line of children's clothing. However, they're really trying with their "Just One You" spin-off.) I do like that they're doing some large, graphical appliques and prints and bright (not necessarily primary) colors. Pastels out, vibrant in. (It's hard to find cute baby boy clothes.) I got this jumper from Target.com for $6.99.

(The hat is from, as I mentioned,sweet internet friend, Kasia and the shoes are hand-crocheted from Eileen who got them from Etsy seller, Pleasantlyplumpknits.)

Speaking of Scandinavian children stuffery, G picked up this basic, but fashionable-in-a-clean-spare-kind-of-way, and not too plasticky, highchair from Ikea. Its body is made of wood. The  striped support cushion is great and only $4.99. The pillow is a lovely gift from internet friend, Felicia (who got the pillow from Etsy and we got it the week Delicious was born)! It's the perfect size for so many uses (so sweet that it has an embroidered 'S' on it). Here it serves as a back cushion. Baby is starting to sit up, but still needs help.

BLÅMES Highchair ($59.99); hand-me-down long johns from girlfriend, Baby L)

G and I are finally back on track and feel that we're really part of the living again. I tell you, the first few months of parenthood are rough. To those in the thick of it right now, know that it gets so much better and really wonderful in the coming months.

To all the lovely preggo friends Elyssa, Rubies and others, how are you hanging?

p.s. Sadly, Delicious is now fully off the boob machine.