Hey sweet girl, First of all, I am only a DAY late! One! (well, two once this gets published, but its an improvement!) Maybe next month I'll get it done on time, but only if it doesn't take away from time with you.:) I hate having my face in front of electronics while you are awake. Which brings me to the second thing…
You are asleep right now! You are in your new crib, napping, by yourself. What a huge (bittersweet!) milestone for your fifth month. It is such a big deal for so many reasons. Foremost amongst those, as much as I love holding you while you sleep, I never really felt like you got peaceful, truly restful sleep. Occasionally your head would slip off my shoulder, or I would sneeze and wake you, or I would have to get up to answer the gazillion doorbell rings from various contractors working on her house. Though it was precious time with you, it was not what was probably best for your body to rest and rejuvenate. Otherwise, I may have been content to hold you while you napped until you were 10.
Another thing that really began to eat at me, as I just mentioned, is that I hated the idea of working on my computer, or doing laundry, or doing anything really, in the few moments that you are awake. You don't stay awake but an hour or so at a time before getting sleepy again, and I was really wanting that time to be filled with play, and books, and attention from your mom. I realized that couldnt happen with me frantically trying to get a few things done before it was time for us to go back to your room to nap.
So, as content as I was to snuggle in the rocker with you three times a day, we all knew it was time to help you sleep better. And you've done so well. The first few days you cried, a lot, when put down into your crib. I would go in and pat your tummy and whisper to you every 5, 10, 15 minutes, but there were just some days where I took you out and held you, or didn't even put you down at all. On the fifth day (yesterday) you took three naps in your crib, and one nap on me…and that was only because I wanted to hold you.
I'm not going to assume that we will never have nap time struggles again, but for how much you love to be held, I think it is awesome progress for you.
My favorite thing is going in to see you when you wake up. I can hear you whimper and cry, but then I walk in to this:
In the third picture you're kind of getting that sad little chin tremble….I feel like you are thinking "ok mom, now would you please pick me up?!"
This picture below was the first day, when I used your new mobile we bought you. It is one of those soothing ones with light projection and soft noise, etc. And all you did was lay in your crib and stare at it. I'm glad you liked it, but we haven't used it since. :)
So, enough about sleep for now. Here's a few more pictures from the past month:
You have really started enjoying being around your brother. He loves reading to you, and seeing you in the morning. You smile when he comes around, and you seem to think he's pretty amusing.
You've started putting all your toys in your mouth. You haven't up until recently been able to grab on to things and direct them where you want them to go, but its getting easier for you. Which means all your toys are getting nibbled on. You never took a pacifier, but you do love chewing on things.
You rolled over for the first time! Front to back. You reallllly want to roll back to front, but it's been a little tougher for you. What it means though is that you are constantly laying with your little legs in the air trying to flip over. It's pretty cute. It's like the second I lay you on your back, your legs pop up, then you roll to the side.
You sat in the bumbo for the first time. It's still a little tough for you to stay upright longer than a couple minutes, but it's just so surreal to see you sitting up.
Lastly, I've noticed a pattern in your personality...You are very vocal at home, and very quiet when we are out. I don't know that it really means anything, but I think it's interesting!
Last night for instance...we went to eat at a Mexican restaurant-the same restaurant we ate at exactly 5 months ago, the night before you were born :) -and you were so quiet. We were gone about 2.5 hours, which is a pretty long stretch awake for you, yet you were entirely calm. Two or three people stopped by our table and told us what a sweet baby we had. (Not that you aren't sweet when you are cranky or fussy though!)
On the other hand, when we are home, you are so animated. Not fussing or crying necessarily, but you like to "talk." It usually consists of a lot of really high-pitched squeals…your dad has said before you sound like a dolphin. :) And animated noises = animated expressions. The pictures below are from one of these "conversations."
iPhone pics:
We moved this month! It was really sad for me to leave the house we brought you home to, but it was so small and we were busting at the seams, and it was time. Plus we had to be out by the 31st!
The floors at the new house had just been finished, so everything had to be moved into the garage. Your Uncle Jacob, Aunt Rachel, and Grandpop all helped. It was cold. The fumes from the floors were too strong for you to stay there, so we had to stay in a motel. You and I were in one room, your brother and Grandpop were in another, and your dad was at the house on an air mattress taking care of the dogs. There was an ice storm moving in, and you and I both got very little sleep. It was such a frustrating night in that motel! You went to bed around 8:30, and I read for a little bit and then fell asleep around 9:30. Then, around 11:00, the guests down the hall began to really get loud. I never fell back asleep because I was so stressed about you waking up. Their party lasted until about 2:30 in the morning, and woke you about five times. Was not my ideal way to spend your first New Year's, but I will always remember it!
This is you at lunch on the day of the move (with your beloved rattle), and visiting your new room.
Trying to roll over!
After your first nap in your crib!
On that note, you finally have a crib! We ordered it over the summer, but didn't have any place to store it at the old house, and hadn't had a chance to pick it up since we moved here. I often get discouraged that I didn't get to do the normal "nesting" things, like decorating a nursery for you, because we knew we weren't staying in that house. Now that we are in and finally have all your furniture I can't wait to make some things for your room.
I will end here, because I know I could keep talking and talking. Happy 5 months Adalyn! You are so special and so loved and we thank God every day for you.
Love,
your mom