5 months

My baby girl,

You are five months old today. I can tell you without hesitation that these have been the best months of my life. You are so much fun! You are such a happy, hilarious little girl. Daddy and I are amazed that each day we love you even more than the one before. We are so proud of all the milestones you've reached. 

You are such a roly poly these days! When you're on your mat playing with toys you are constantly rolling from your back to your belly. You're happy to stay that way and play for a while but when you're ready to lay on your back again you start fussing to let us know. You haven't mastered rolling from belly to back yet.

You're wearing mostly 3-6 month clothes now and size 2 diapers. You have more shoes than Carrie Bradshaw and have worn one pair, one time, for approximately 2 minutes. Hopefully you'll grow into some of them soon!

Sleep was a bit tough this month. Most nights you slept about 11 hours but about once or twice a week you've been waking up in the middle of the night or very early in the morning. Sometimes we can rock you back to sleep, other times we feed you and we're up for a few hours. As sleepy as we are during these unexpected late night sessions, it's hard not to smile when we go in to get you and are greeted with a giant grin. Still, I hope you go back to your great sleeping ways soon and save those sweet smiles for morning.  :)

You've recently started a hilarious little "trick" of panting like a puppy dog. Sometimes when you get excited you stick out your little tongue and pant. It's too funny. I think you like that mom and dad laugh when you do this and it encourages you to do it more often. 

You still love bath time. Sometimes when you're sleepy you suck your thumb in the tub and try to fall asleep. SO cute.

We put you in your activity jumper for the first time this month and you really like it. You aren't quite tall enough to touch the floor yet so we put a box underneath so you can bounce. I'm sure you'll be tall enough to bounce without the box very soon.  

You celebrated your first Christmas this past month. We spent the holidays in Bradenton with your grandparents and aunts and had such a great time. We bought you a special "Baby's First Christmas" ornament and so did your grandparents. We'll put them on the tree every year and remember our first Christmas with you.

When I kiss your tummy you laugh as if I'm the funniest person on Earth. That laugh is the best sound I've ever heard.

We FaceTime with your Grandma & Papa all the time. They're happy just to watch you lay on your mat and play with your toys. Your Aunt Jilly comes over nearly every day to see you because she loves you oh so much. She spoils you rotten. I am quite sure the day will come one day when you tell me you're running away to Aunt Jilly's house. I don't think you'll ever hear the word "no" from your Aunt.

My sweet LuLu Bell, I hope that you always know how very much you are loved.

xo Mommy