sleep regression confession

I love my daughter. But I also really love my sleep. And for the past three weeks she has not slept more than three hours solid at night (except for one night a week ago where she slept four hours and I milked my freshly washed sheets), and often wakes ravenous every two hours. Basically I'm exhausted. 

Back track, I've been extremely spoiled and I should be kissing this girl's tiny feet because up until now she has only woken up at night a handful of times in six months. On her fifth night out of the womb I rushed into my sister's room at 5am and shook her little body in a panic, sure that she had smothered because what newborn sleeps so long. My newborn, duh. It's been wonderful and our lack of sleep deprivation has made this whole parenting gig so much easier. So much more fulfilling, or so I imagine. 

But now my sleeping champ has been replaced. She sleeps longer stretches during the day than she does at night. Last night I was ready to let her cry it out,  usually I'd hear her little hungry whimper and have her in the rocker ready to latch before her eyes fluttered open, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Guys, she woke up laughing. Laughing. And by giving her time to settle herself she actually woke herself up entirely and started squealing. Ten minutes later I thought my boobs were going to explode so I gave up, fed her, and fell asleep soothing her to sleep in the rocker. 

So friends, family, strangers who have any advice, what can I do to stretch her eat-every-three-hours-forever to maybe four? Help. Please. 

violet's fifth month

16lb . 7oz . 26in

wearing 6mo clothes, size 2 diapers

loves: to bite, to talk, everyone's attention, her lion named Gleeba

hates: cutting teeth, being still, being sick, eating cereal

she belly laughed for the first time this month, she loved chewing her first little carrot but never actually swallowed, she wants to crawl but can't, but she can pull herself up, her first Christmas was magical, she has two little teeth, and she drools so much!

This girl is five months old already! Where has the time gone you guys? She has developed such a personality and is acting more like a toddler and less like a baby each passing day. She is constantly moving (as you can see by the multitude of blurry photos), and mama's going to be in trouble once she finally figures out how to crawl without dragging her face on the carpet. She rolls and scoots around EVERYWHERE. If I turn my back for a second she makes her way from her mat on to the tile, trying to follow me. She cut a tooth on Christmas Eve and another on New Year's Eve, and it made for a tough few days. We enjoyed a long trip home to Florida for Christmas, and then came home and got the flu. Between being sick and requiring a constant eye, this post is a week late, and I see that becoming a new normal. We love cuddling her, but she's loving it less and less as she becomes increasingly independent. She fights sleep even harder than I do, but is a morning glory just like her daddy. We are in awe of you, little girl, and we can't wait to see what month six has in store.

her first bite of cereal, she hated it.

Christmas card to Whataburger

First picture with Gramps, the Santa Clause

We woke her under the trees on her first Christmas morning

She was a champ on the long drive home, cutting teeth and not even whining

my strong girl, pulling herself up

bundled like Randy, and not even a little bit happy

hate the flu, love the view

she loved that carrot!