Five Months of Macey

My sweet Macey Jean,

Five months ago today, I held you in my arms for the first time. My goodness, these days are flying by. You're almost half a year old, and I know the next several months are going to bring some of the "big" milestones-- sitting, crawling, pulling up, walking, and talking. I absolutely love watching you grow and learn. If I had to use a single word to describe who you are today, it would be simply sweet.

So, here's you, Macey Jean, at 5 months old:

• You roll both ways now. You've been rolling tummy to back for a few months now. You just mastered back to tummy a few weeks ago.
• You are starting to sit up on your own, though you lean way forward like a tripod and tip over after 10 seconds or so. You're getting there!
• You are so vocal. I don't remember your brother being this vocal. I remember a lot of "ah goo" cooing from him-- and you do that too-- but you also yell and do vocal play a lot. It's like you're testing your voice out and you really like the sound of it. It'll be interesting to see when you start babbling. Your brother was a late babbler (10 months) and talker (2 years old). I have a feeling you'll be on the early side, but we'll see.
• You grab at everything. When I'm holding you, I joke that I have 4 hands, 2 of which are out of control. If I'm holding a drink, you immediately grab the cup and bring it to your mouth. You've flipped my (paper) dinner plate out of my hand. Your hands are busy, busy! You're also very good at grabbing toys and bringing them to your mouth.
• You like when I stand you up and let you take small steps. You also are starting to jump in your jumperoo now that you can finally touch the ground.
• You laugh a lot. My favorite thing in the world is when your brother makes you laugh.
• You typically take 1 longer nap in the afternoon (1.5-2.5 hours) and 2 shorter naps (45 minutes) during the day.
• You're still doing a 4-6 hour stretch to start the night (sometimes more-- your record is 8), and then waking every 2-3 hours after that. I don't always nurse you back to sleep when you wake now though; sometimes the paci is sufficient.
• You're still swaddled. I can't seem to break you of it! I swaddled your brother until he was 8 months old and swore I'd never do it again (I think I even mentioned burning the Miracle Blanket back then...), but it seems I'm heading down that road again anyway. Whenever I try to wean you from it (one arm out, or using Merlin's Magic Sleep Suit), you end up smacking yourself in the face and getting frantic.
• You are drooling so much! You soak through a few bibs a day. Camden didn't get his first tooth until he was 10 months old. I've got to believe that, with all of the drooling and chewing on things that you've been doing, your first tooth will be here sooner than that.
• We've started you on solids. You have tried: peaches, apples, prunes, bananas, and sweet potatoes. You typically eat solids once a day (between 1-2 oz). You still prefer breastmilk.
• You love being worn facing forward in a baby carrier. I've taken you to the grocery store facing out a few times now and it's like a day at an amusement park to you. All of the lights, and colors, and faces! It's exciting stuff.
• You continue to love your exersaucer, jumperoo, Oball, Minnie Mouse, and Sophie.
• According to our home scale, you weigh 13 lbs, 3.5 oz, which means you have doubled your birth weight!  Yay!
• You are so pleasant, so easygoing, and so, so smiley!

We love you, sweet girl. We're so glad you're here and you're ours. Happy 5 months to you.

 

I love you,
Mommy