Violet - Five Months

Lions, lambs, beavers, and now butterflies - social butterflies to be exact. Yes we seem to have an animal theme going on in your monthly posts, my love. For the longest time you had some serious stranger anxiety going on. Heaven forbid another human being happen to look at you - they would quickly be put in their place by a sudden onslaught of wailing and tears. Mommy, Daddy, and Grammy seemed to be exempt, but even Pop Pop, Opa, Grandmom, and your dear aunties and uncles were seriously scary to you.

Part of the reason we started going on an outing each day (other than our mutual sanity) was to get you used to the wide world and the many people in it. Either your mama's evil plan worked (muhahaha) or you just grew out of it, but within the past couple of weeks you have decided that people (even strange ones) are A-okay.  Grandparents and aunts alike can now look at you, smile at you, and *gasp!* hold you without incurring a melt down. On the contrary, they often get to see your beautiful smile these days!

Now 'solid' foods, on the other hand, may be your new nemesis. Although you seemed to quickly develop an interest in rice cereal, squash and carrots so far have not ranked high on your list.

When you aren't being fed disgusting orange mush, you pretty much smile ALL of the time now. Big glorious toothless smiles. That's right - I said TOOTHLESS! Your teething troubles have gone on hiatus (thank the stars) which may also explain your permanent smile and maybe even the disappearance of your Stranger Danger! alarm system. Where before there was a speck of pure, white evil poking through your precious pink gums, there is now just some harmless baby slobber. And that's how we'd like to keep it. (At least for a while anyway. I suspect that you may eventually need teeth...especially with the way you stare down and try to grab everything that Mommy puts into her mouth.)

You've absolutely perfected your rolling-onto-your-belly technique. The phrase 'practice makes perfect' isn't lost on you, babe. You even practice in your sleep. (Which made for some sleepless-someone-please-shoot-me-now interesting nights). You almost can't help but roll onto your belly. Unfortunately this can be a bit problematic as you haven't equally perfected your roll-back-onto-your-back technique. Luckily you have a mom and dad who are happy to roll you over when you get stuck. And sometimes your grabby little hands *whoops!* take the covers/changing pad/Mommy's hair with them.

Your hair has started to grow back in a bit (while Mommy's seems to be ripped falling out), which hasn't prevented the old ladies at the Salvation Army from cooing over, "What a beautiful little BOY you are!" (Despite your frilly pink outfit and dolly) Sorry ladies - I forgot to braid her hair today. My bad.

You've become a sports fan this month as well. I mean, sure, over the summer you hung out with your dad while he watched the Tour de France and the World Cup, but now it's football season. Unfortunately it looks like you're going to have to be a Browns fan, and thus doomed to a life of ridicule (love you Hubster *wink wink*)

But I think secretly you may be a Steelers fan. Don't worry, I won't tell your father. (did I mention that I love you Hubs?)

Although I've read to you since you were a wee newborn, you seem to have really taken an interest in books this month. You like to grab the pages, turn the pages, and yes, you even try to eat the pages. It's so fun to watch you grab at the pictures and look puzzled when you can't get them into your mouth. Because let's face it, that's pretty much where everything goes these days.

You read about giant squids:

Brown bears, red birds, and purple cats:

And noisy lions, owls, and elephants:

It seems that we have a bit of an animal theme going on with your books as well. Your favorite book is definitely Noisy Peekaboo, as it has lots of little flaps for you to grab, pretty pictures of babies and animals, and it makes noises too!

You love to sit up these days, although you are still pretty wobbly if left to your own devices. And just this week you started to push yourself up onto your hands instead of resting on your chubby wubby forearms. You are SO strong! I think your mama will have her hands full before long because you want to be mobile. You get so frustrated when you can't get something you want - you swim, you thrash, you flap your arms like a bird (or maybe a butterfly?). You just need to get that tiny heiny up in the air and I think you'll be cruising around like a pro.

Speaking of heiny's, I can't believe that you are getting so big (96th percentile for length and 67th for weight!) and so grown up. Where does the time go? Soon you will be half a year old, sweet love. I can't wait to see what exciting things this next month will bring.

Happy five months to our beautiful little butterfly!

Love, Mommy and Daddy.