5 Months

I've been writing and re-writing blogs in my head each day for awhile now. I've been beating myself up for not posting pictures of our weekend and a quick story. Basically, I've been driving myself crazy out of fear that I'm not documenting these sweet first few month of Grace. I know I should be easier on myself, but for some reason I've always had a hard time being consistent in most areas of my life. Each time I post a blog I sit back and exclaim, "that was easy! I'll certainly keep it up from now on!"... only to go another few weeks of missed days. I can always go back and try to write it down, but we all know that's not the same. The little details fall through the cracks.

Today's post should be a catch-up of the last few weeks, but I'm going to cut myself some slack. I'm going to try to take the pressure off (that might just be why I have such a hard time) and just write what comes to mind - no objective or goal.

Grace has been a sweetheart lately in that she's been such a good girl. She's been flexible with us a lot lately when we've taken her out places to eat and meet friends. She got to meet her Grandpa Greg this last weekend which was awesome! Here are a few things she's been up to in no particular order:

• She holds onto my nose and mouth and gently "pets" my face while nursing. I love that she's so gentle. 
•  She's still grabbing her feet up to her mouth, occasionally getting to suck on her big toe.
• Her hair's getting noticeably longer and filled-in.  She used to have some "recessed hairline" areas.
• She's skinny-ing up.  She lost her baby belly maybe a month ago.  Okay, it was a FROG BELLY like I had as a baby.  It has made diapering her SO much easier!  We used to have to get the diaper up high enough in the back but wrap the velcro tabs around and down diagonally to fit her properly!  Her face is becoming less round and smooshy by the day.  Every now and then I see her face shape coming along... and every now and then I'm happy-sad about it!
• She still loves her walks.  We've taken her front-facing in the stroller a couple times recently, but she whines after awhile.  Apparently she prefers being closer to us in the Baby Bjorn carrier, holding our hands and being able to rest her head back against us when she feels like it.  We of course prefer that too, when our backs can manage it.  Just thinking of how entirely peaceful, secure and happy she looks on her walks in the baby carrier make me happy right now! :)
• She's 5 months last week but fitting her 6 month clothes perfectly.
• She was 15 pounds almost exactly at her 4-month check-up.  I imagine she has to be around 17 pounds by now, my big baby. 
• Some days she talks a lot, but lately she's been more quiet.  Mornings and bedtime are usually when she babbles the most.  I've heard some new consonants lately... most notably, her "p".  She likes to blow on her thumb while sucking it now (the thumb-sucking her been less recently) and generally make lots of blowing "p" sounds with her mouth and tongue sticking out.  We have both witness her doing this and the "raspberry" sounds after she's made a poopy diaper.  We wonder if she's trying to tell us!
• She can't really stand being in her Bumbo seat anymore.  She straightens her body (I call it planking) and tries to free herself from it, and she's close!  They recalled them this last week and are requiring you to install belt kits into them.  Grace needs this, but by the time the kit arrives she probably won't sit/fit in the thing!
• She's getting SO close to crawling.  She can really get around right now wherever she pleases.  A few rolls and squirms and she'll get there.  This is why I am dying to move, but that's a story for another day!
• No sign of any pearly whites yet, but they must be coming soon!  She's been showing all the teething signs for so long now, but she's been a little fussier than normal the past 2 days, in addition to some weird nights.  She cried every time we put her down last night during her night feedings, and it seemed like she fidgeted in her sleep the entire night before.
• I'm getting excited to see my baby sit up all on her own!  They say we should expect this around 6 months.  I think it will make her interaction with us all the more fun!
• I need to remember that she will not be a baby forever.  Sometimes I forget that she will be able to communicate with us very soon.  This morning when I dropped her off for daycare I kissed her and said my goodbye to her in the car.  I hope to make this a routine for her, so she knows to expect it (not that I will be able to tell).  I am thinking, though, that soon she will know to expect it and will be able to make me aware of that.  I have to remind myself we won't always be speaking different languages.