17 weeks old!

Dear Jorie,

As usual, you've continued to grow and change this week. You can sit up while supported very well now, and you are purposefully grabbing toys you want to play with. You found your feet last week, and have spent the time since then playing with them and pulling off your socks. It's getting hard to change you most of the time because as soon as you're on your back, you pull your feet up to your face. Enjoy that flexibility while you can!

Unfortunately you've also decided lately that this time it is sleeping that is for wimps. Recently you've started waking up around 2, 4 and 6 am. We thought it was because you were falling asleep early (usually around 7 pm) so we started keeping you up until 9:30, but last night you still woke up at 2, 4 6 and then were up for good around 8am. And this on the day that I get to sleep in a bit! Give your momma a break please!

You've gotten used to only sleeping while either one of us is holding you, or there is a hand resting on you. It's a habit we need to try to break, baby girl. Your father and I think that part of the problem is that you are teething, but my mother had a good suggestion. We need to establish a bedtime routine for you. Because of the way that our schedule works, you don't go to bed at the same time (or in the same place) every night. My mother suggested creating a bedtime routine that we could do wherever we are to get you to sleep at the same time every night. Something like, feed you, rock you while we read to you, then put you to sleep in the pack'n'play if we're out, or in the bassinet or your crib if we're home.

Last week was a whirlwind week, like most of them are these days. Your father finally got a chance to put your crib together, although neither me nor your father really want to start using it. We've gotten used to you being right beside the bed at night. I think we'll wait a little longer to transition you to your own room, but it's coming soon!

You've been eating up a storm this week as well. You've used up all the stored milk, and you're eating it faster than I can pump it. Your great Aunt had to use formula once to supplement. I'm really unhappy about this, but what can I do? I can only pump so often at work, and I only get so much when I pump. I'm going to try to up my pumping sessions at work for a bit to recover some of the lost ground, hopefully if I pump this weekend too we'll be ready for the next week.

I love you Jorie bear.