5 Months

Happy 5 Month Birthday, Emily!!!!!

• Makes all kinds of sounds!  She talks to herself and yells up a storm when on her playmat or awakening from a nap.
• LOVES reading books!  She gets so excited about reading books that we don't read them before bed because she gets too riled up!
• Watches my mouth intently when I'm talking or singing and tries to move her own lips to mimic me.
• Can almost sit up on own, but still needs a little support to avoid falling over to her side.  I'm guessing that she'll be sitting up independently very soon though!
• Loves sucking loudly on her toes!
• Extends arms outward like a mummy and touches/grabs my face with her hands.
• Superb hand-eye coordination and really adept at grabbing toys or my fingers and putting them into her mouth.  She is strong too -- if she wants to put something in that adorable mouth it takes all my might to stop her!
• Started biting on my collar bone {ouch!} and sucking on my jawbone {sooo ticklish!}, probably to relieve teething pain.  Speaking of teething, no pearly whites yet but if her drool and chomping is any indication they should be here annnnnny day now!
• Startles when she hears someone blowing nose or sneezing.
• Has begun to cry when I leave the room.  Not sure if this is super early separation anxiety or something else.
• Just in the past few days started extending arms outward when laying on her back as a sign that she wants to be picked up.
• Rubs eyes with fists when tired.
• Now has mostly "real" hair, though she still has those adorable wisps in the back!
• Loves when I sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider" with accompanying hand movements.
• Actively rolls over during diaper changes.... it's hard to keep her on her back because she's so squirmy and determined to roll!  I recently heard another mom refer to infant diaper changes as "wrestling a baby alligator" and I concur -- she is shockingly strong!
• Prefers to sleep on her right side or her belly.  {When she sleeps...}  She decided she grew out of her Rock-n-Play and let us know it earlier this month by trying to roll over in it and pushing herself up with her feet, so she is also now exclusively sleeping in either her Pack-n-Play or her crib {for naps} -- bye bye Rock-n-Play!
• Moved into some footie pajamas that are Size 6-9 months!  For clothes, she's still wearing mostly 6 months with the exception of some 3 month outfits that still fit her.
• Graduated from the bassinet attachment of her stroller into her big girl seat!  Technically she still fits in the bassinet, but she got bored of laying down.  The last time we used the bassinet for a walk, she rolled over onto her tummy and was holding her head up high to look over the side like a puppy looking out a car window!
  
                    
  
  It was hysterically cute, but I guess that means she's ready for her big girl seat now!
• Got her first taste of cool weather and doesn't appear to be a big fan, though she looks adorable in her little hoodies and hats...

Emily grows and changes every single day.  Each day is a new adventure and there are "firsts" right around every corner.  But with each first, there is also the possibility of a "last".  While I'm not sure I'm ready for all these new firsts.... I'm DEFINITELY not ready for "lasts"!  Last time she slept in her rock-n-play.  Last time she rode in her bassinet attachment.  Tear, tear, sob!!!  Here is a poem I recently came across that brought tears to my hormonal maternal eyes!

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