Elle's Fifth Month

Oh,wow... what a month!  Little did we know what a sleepy mess our nights would become this month. Yes, a sleepy mess.  I'm not sure why it happened, but Elle's sleep slowly dwindled away.  At the height of it all, Elle was only sleeping on us or in the swing at night.  To some, sleeping with their baby is a beautiful thing, but Aaron and I were tired and moody!  All the while, Elle was happy, smiling and delightful during the day.  I found myself wondering how such a sweet girl could make me feel so frustrated at night.  We knew we all needed a change - and fast!  Aaron and I decided that it would be best to sleep on the couch for a week, and give Elle some time to sort herself out in a quiet environment.  We knew she would cry, and she did.  But she never cried endlessly... thank goodness!  At the end of it all, she still does not sleep through the night (I still nurse her one or two times), but she is in her bed when she sleeps, and we are in ours.  Phew!

This month's HIGHLIGHTS :)
-Elle is rolling over from her back to her tummy consistently.  Reece also loves to roll her over... especially when we are not looking.  Fortunately, Elle loves it too!  She always smiles when Reece is near and doesn't seem to mind.
-We are now giving Elle a bottle of formula for her last feeding of the day.
-We attempted to feed Elle rice cereal on her five month birthday, but she wasn't a fan.  Her face wore a smile and gag at the same time, as her eyes asked, "What in the world are you doing to me?".  We will try again in a couple of weeks.
-Elle LOVES the bath!  As soon as we place her in the tub, she smiles.  She loves to kick her feet and splash around, and tries to catch the water as we pour it on her.  We have now made a bath part of her nightly routine.
-We put her in the Exersaucer this month.  It took a few tries, but she is happy now that she has her balance and has figured out how to get all of the animals in her mouth!
-Blowing raspberries is a new hobby for Elle, and Reece laughs hysterically when she does.  He laughs saying, "Elle. Spit!"  Aaron and I think it is so cute that we all sit around and blow raspberries together... a fun family activity!
-Elle continues to be calm and observant.  She isn't bothered by much and is quick to smile and laugh.  Her smile is contagious!
-She loves to "talk" when she wakes from her naps or is lying on the floor.  When she gets going, she is LOUD!  She also has a raspy howl that she uses when is is watching the wind blow through the trees outside.  She loves to talk to the trees!
-She also loves to stand.  She pushes to a standing position any chance she gets and will hold your hands as long as you'll let her.  She is still pretty wobbly and is working on building balance.  I think she is a long way off from standing on her own (thank goodness!).
-Elle and Reece each came home from our Christmas vacation in Visalia with a cold.  Fortunately, Elle is so easy going that she smiled through it all... even the suctioning of her nose.
-Reece simply adores Elle.  He loves to smile at her and make her laugh.  Her laugh makes him laugh, and the sound of their laughter fills our little home and our hearts with joy!

 

Five months!