{Penny Emerson : 5 Months}

This month has brought about the most change since Penny's birth (I'm noticing a pattern here...). Each little milestone continues to fill Truman and I with such joy and each little trial only molds me into a better parent and helps me get to know my daughter better.

Development:

-One of my favorite moments this month was when I was downstairs doing laundry. I came around the corner to find Penny on her tummy for the first time! She was pleased with herself and I was in disbelief that she willingly chose to be on her tummy :)

-She can finally sit in the bumbo for a while without spitting up. The slightest push of her tummy makes her lose her lunch so we haven't been able to use this very much.

-Lovin' the toes.

Current Favorites:

 -Loves to be carried around. Everything is so fascinating to her right now so it's fun to let her be a part of my every day chores.

 -Truman likes to play his guitar for her. It's so cute. She doesn't take her eyes off of him.

 Trials:

-I knew the day would come where she no longer slept through the night, but I wasn't ready for it. She kept rolling onto her tummy while swaddled in her crib and despite my best efforts I couldn't keep her from doing it. So we had to quit the swaddle cold turkey and bite the bullet. It wasn't fun. I love that she is becoming more mobile but it makes things difficult for nap time.

-I'm learning to have patience in this trial. I don't do well on little sleep and I was so spoiled for the past few months to have her sleeping 10+ hours in a row. Eating as also been a trial and lately it seems like she just isn't getting full enough with milk. I think her lack of sleep is a result of not being full enough. So hopefully she can last one more month until we start cereal.

-Even though this new schedule can be a little frustrating, we have created so many special moments because of it. We loosely follow a sleep-training schedule, but lately I have been rocking her to sleep at night and I don't regret it one bit. I missed snuggling with her and when I wrap her up in my arms she falls asleep almost immediately. Some of my favorite memories will be of her silently studying my face, touching my cheek and nose, and mouth with her hands. At times it feels like that's how she's showing me her love...and then she grabs a hold of my lip and digs her finger nails into it :)

 Little Things:

 -She gets to snuggle in bed with us on Saturday mornings. This is one of my favorite pictures :)

-We get such a kick out of her dramatic arms. We caught her with her arm over her head a few times like Truman does.

-I love to experience how much Truman loves her. He begs me to be the one who moves her from the swing to the crib.

-She had her first big-girl ride in the stroller! On Valentine's Day we took treats to the neighbors and she got to sit up in the stroller as opposed to sitting in the car seat.

-I took her swimming at the YMCA with my sister-in-law and nephew. I was really worried she would hate it but she had a blast! She loved watching all the kids play and splash around and she took a super long nap afterwards so we will be doing this often :)

-I feel like this month I'm really enjoying the slow-moving moments. I catch myself thinking that it doesn't really matter right now because she doesn't know what's going on, but these are important bonding times and I will cherish the memories I have of holding her in my arms a little longer than "they say" to and laying under the play gym with her instead of tending to that growing laundry pile.

And in case there weren't already enough photos...

We've been listening to Page CXVI's lullaby album alot lately. If you don't have it you should. Find it here.