5 month letter

My Sweet Promise,

You are 5 months old today! 5 months seems SO much older than 4 months for some reason. I am again, amazed at how quickly you are growing up.  I guess you growing up will always be bittersweet for me -  on one hand I am so proud of how you are developing and growing and learning, but on the other hand I always want to hold onto and enjoy each stage. All things considered, I am so grateful I have been able to spend so much time with you your first 5 months.

angel baby

It has been a very busy month for you!  A couple of days after you turned 4 months you started rolling over from your back to your tummy. The first couple of times you did this were in your crib and it scared you. I woke up to you screaming around 3 am one morning and ran to check on you - turns out you had flipped to your tummy and didn't know what to do. Since then, I can hardly keep you off of your tummy. I still lay you down on your back to sleep, but you have decided that you are a tummy sleeper and usually flip over before I even leave your room.

This sitting up thing is hard work!

And speaking of sleeping.... it's been a pretty rough month in that department.  You have been far too busy learning new skills to be bothered with things like naps and sleeping through the night! As exhausted as I have been, I understand. (I'm probably more understanding today because you have slept very well the past 2 nights and given me a chance to catch up on my own sleep.) You still take 3 naps a day, but the 3rd one is a catnap.  You have been going to bed wonderfully for quite a while now which is a huge improvement. For you I am glad because my one of my hopes for you is that you will be a good sleeper.  I have never been a good sleeper myself, and it has made many aspects of life harder than they need to be. So this is definitely a step in the right direction for you.  For me... I miss snuggling with you and having you fall asleep in my arms.

Pretty much the only time I get to hold you while you are sleeping now is if I pick you up while you are sleeping. Why would I do that? Well, because we have had a ridiculous number of tornados this spring.  3 times I have had to get you out of bed and go to the basement to wait out a storm!

Promise & Sophie being adjusted
at the chiropractor

You are very busy right now. You are much more interested in your toys this month - and pretty much anything else your little hands can reach.  You pick up as many things as you can and, of course, put them straight in your mouth to learn what they are.  You are especially fascinated in what Mommy and Daddy are drinking. You show some interest in food, but a lot of interest in drinks. For your 5 month birthday we got you a sippy cup - we'll see how that goes. Your favorite toy is, by far, Sophie the Giraffe!  Sophie goes most places with us and never fails to entertain you.  Santa did good in picking her.  You are also starting to show some interest in stuffed animals. Not to cuddle with yet, but they provide interesting textures to chew on.

independent play

You are getting very mobile.  You can roll and maneuver your way to anything out of your reach. On a couple of occasions I have stepped out and come back to find you across the room. I need to get busy baby proofing!  As a result of your new mobility we have moved independent play from your blanket to the pack-n-play.  I was nervous that you would fight this change, but you do great with it and really seem to enjoy the time.  You are not crawling yet, which I appreciate, but you are working on it.  You roll to your tummy and push with your feet as hard as you can, but you haven't figured out how to lift your stomach off the floor.  I won't be a bit surprised to see you crawling in the next month or two.  You're also working on sitting up - you sit for a few minutes at a time kind of doubled over with your head almost to your feet. Its pretty cute!

"rubber ducky, you're the one"

You seem to enjoy yourself no matter what we are doing - you are always happy and smiling and lately you laugh at most things Daddy or I do. You like to read - you are pretty good at turning the pages in your board books by swiping them with your arm, but we've had to put paper books up for a while as you crumple the pages in your fists.  You still enjoy your activity gym and still favor the giraffe.  You are very interactive and like to "talk" to us while we play, but you are shy around new people.  You aren't terribly clingy - you will go to new people, you are just quiet around them.  You like petting the cats (and I am amazed that they let you!) - especially MaryJane. You like going on walks when we can work them in. But, what you love is bathtime!  You've always enjoyed baths, but now you get excited. You kick and splash the water, you giggle and talk, you love to play with the plastic rinse cup, and you are fascinated with the sound and feel of water being poured on your tummy.  We recently got you a rubber duck who apparently is very funny and tasted very good!

You are eating pretty well - it has been a bit of a challenge this month because, like sleeping, eating gets in the way of all the new things you are learning.  You are eating much faster which gives us more time to play.  You have also started staying up an hour and a half to two hours between naps which increases playtime even more!  We will probably start giving you table food next month - I am currently doing a lot of reading and research to decide the best way to introduce you to food - I think its safe to say I'm more excited about it than you are.

"hmmm... this guy's tall!"

Another big event for you this month is that you finally got to meet your Grandpa!  He deployed to Afghanistan two weeks before you were born (Operation Enduring Freedom).  He is here for two weeks TDY right now.  You have taken to him great and love to rub his mustache.  I'll get some better pictures while he is here!

You are growing up wonderfully. You are so smart, so happy, so fun, and so perfect!  I love every minute I get to spend with you. I have never known this kind of love. Having you in my life has completely changed my outlook. I have very high hopes for you, sweet baby, and am doing my very best to give you a good start. I want you to be happy and healthy and enjoy your life. I love you so much! Happy 5 months my little angel.

Love,

Mommy