Selah's 5-month update

Here is a horrifying scientific fact: 5 months is almost 6 months, which is half a year. This is especially horrifying to me today because as I write this, Selah is not only 5 months old, she is 5 months and 10 days old (thanks procrastination), meaning she is closer to half a year old than ever before. GULP. I am not ready for her to grow up!!

Christmas Eve

This last month with her has been truly interesting. In it, she experienced Christmas, New Year's Eve, a visit from my parents, a visit with Adrian's parents in Wyoming and much more. She rolls over like a champ most of the time now, can almost sit up on her own, and has developed SO much personality.

 We spent a couple of weeks in Wyoming, and while we were there, I really felt like she turned into a child with oodles of personality! It was more than a little scary and I confess - I kind of feel like I don't know her as well anymore. Maybe it was just that she suddenly developed these funny habits that I didn't expect, but she's kind of a different child these days.

For example, she LOVES to be upside down. I mean seriously loves it. It started with her pushing herself backwards off the Boppy with her strong little legs, until her head is hanging over the edge of the pillow and she can see from a new perspective. She also thoroughly loves it when Adrian grabs her by the ankles and holds her up in the air. She arches her back so she can see him and the ground and smiles and coos.

I also have a feeling Seh is going to be mobile much quicker than I'll be ready for. She already scoots herself around in circles with her legs when she wants to. One night during her last bottle, she pushed herself off the Boppy (headfirst) and ended up about 4 feet away on the bed, just scooting on her back. She stands up for several minutes at a time, as long as we hold onto her hands.

Her sleep is so-so. She doesn't wake up to eat, but she's not sleeping solidly through the night either, like she used to. She'll wake up and have her arms stuck halfway out of her swaddle or wake when she wants her pacifier back in. So, we're currently trying to get her transitioned out of the SwaddleMes that she sleeps in. It's been rough going, but she is slowly getting the hang of it. I'm going to try a Snooze Sack when it gets out of the landry. A few nights ago we also moved her bedtime up an hour. This means last bottle at 9:15, and bed around 10. Glory be - she still sleeps till 10 or 10:30! Maybe that means if want her day to start at 9:30, she should go to bed even earlier?

It's been a rough month with her sleeping less well and being more fussy. I know I keep saying it, but I seriously think she's teething. She loooooves her Sophie Giraffe that Grammy and Papa Don got her for Christmas, and freaks out if she drops it. She has also had a couple of "Mama only" meltdowns - once when Adrian wanted to play with her and then Monday night when we had a bunch of people over for his birthday. That was fun :/

Speaking of fun, her vocal range is hilarious. She has ramped up with even more screeches and squawks in (nicknaming her Pterodactyl and Screech), has continued gurgling and cooing, and has added in blowing bubbles and making tooting noises with her mouth. It started really cutely with her cooing and smacking her lips together, then she began spitting every time she did it, and now she just spits a lot and tries desperately to blow bubbles. This, naturally, leads to lots and lots of soaked clothing. She is still in some 3-month stuff if it's long enough, but mostly in 3-6 month and regular old 6-month stuff. Length is the key!

Though she's more mobile, more fussy, more tiresome and more stubborn - she is still a fantastic baby. She rocks at her daytime schedule, is SO smiley the majority of the time and is truly a joy to have around. We love, love, love, love her, so much.

5 months old!!