Happy Five Months!

Madison turned 5 months old on May 22nd. It's hard to believe that my baby girl could be that old already! Everyone tells you that they grow so fast, but that doesn't even do it justice. It has already raced by even faster than I could have imagined. She is closing in on half a year! She has already changed so much. She is no longer a newborn, she is becoming her own little person! Before I know it she will be crawling, walking, talking, having a birthday! I wish I could remember every little thing she does and freeze each moment in my memory. Here are a few things that she has accomplished up to this point.

Madison has become so much more stable and stronger. She has complete head control. She no longer has a bobble head! Her trunk is stronger now too. She can sit up and stand with little help, and she can sit/stand up better in her exersaucer now too. She also has started to arch her back. The first time she did it she was sitting in her Bumbo and I was afraid she was going to get out of it or tip it over. And you I have to be careful when I hold her because she will arch and throw herself back. She scared me really bad one time she did this, I thought I was going to drop her when she did it. Also, when doing tummy time she uses her arms more and can push herself up quite well (if she doesn't cry and spit up) and even rolled over once.

Madison has a huge personality and is a big talker. She has been quite vocal for some time, but she has just continued to grow in her babbles, gurgles, growls and squeals. She carries on conversations, or thinks she is conversing anyway. She has also been more more generous in sharing her laughs, and it is so much easier to get her to laugh. She has also become ticklish and this is a great way to get her to laugh. I love to her her laugh, its one of my favorite things! And of course she smiles so much, she continues to be a happy baby!

Madison has become such a Mommy/Daddy's girl. Just in the past week, she has wanted either Scott or myself. It started on Mother's Day and I thought it was because she was tired, but it has continued. New people make her cry, and sometimes even Grandma gets the quivering chin and pouty lip! And if she isn't crying with someone else, then she is looking for me. It makes me feel good and bad at the same time. It makes me feel good to know that she loves me and I make her feel comforted. However, I want other people to see how sweet she is. I want others to see her laugh and hear her giggle. I am sure it is just a phase, but hopefully it won't last for too long!

Eating! Madison now LOVES to eat her rice cereal and oatmeal! She only gets 1-2 tablespoons, but she inhales it! Usually the first bite gets a bad face, but once she realizes what it is she can't eat it fast enough! And when it's all gone she is still sitting there with her mouth wide open wanting some more.

Madison is using her hands more and more everyday and is gaining more dexterity. If she sees something she wants her hands can pretty much go straight to it. One of her favorite things to grab is faces. She especially likes to grab/rub my face or Scott's face when we are trying to rock her in our arms to get her to go to sleep. And since she has gotten so strong it doesn't always feel good. I thought one time she might have actually left a bruise under my chin. So I am always telling her to be gentle. Not that she has any idea what I am saying, but one day she will. I started giving her a small blanket or her baby doll to hold as I put her down so she can grab and pinch that instead of me! Our faces are not the only thing she can grab. She grabs and plays with many toys and she loves grown-up things, like phones, remotes and cups. I used to be able to drink a glass of water while I was nursing her, but now she gets so distracted by a cup that she will stop nursing, grab it with both hands and bring it to her mouth! We may need to take advantage of this and give her a sippy cup and see what she does with it.

I also have gotten Madison on quite a "strict" schedule. Strict in that I try to keep to the time table, but it's still flexible that We can go out and Madison can nap on the go. Here is a sample of a typical in the life a five month old Madison:

8:00 am- Madison wakes up (this is when she wakes up, if she's not awake I let her sleep as long as she wants.) I change her diaper and then take her in the kitchen. I then make her Oatmeal or Rice Cereal and feed her.

8:30 am- Nursing (usually takes 15-20 minutes)

8:45-9:30 am- Playtime (on floor gym, in exersaucer, tummy time....)

9:45-10:30 am- Naptime (in crib)

10:30-11:00 am- Diaper change, cuddle time, playtime (whatever it takes to hold her off until her next feeding)

11:00 am- Nursing

11:30 am- 1:00 pm- Playtime

1:00- 1:45 Naptime

2:00 pm-Nursing

2:30-4:00 pm Playtime

4:00-5:00 pm- Naptime (maybe..usually doesn't last very long)

5:00 pm- Nursing

5:30-7:00 pm- Playtime (maybe 10 minute catnap in there)

7:00 pm- Rice cereal

7:15-7:30 pm- Bath time, lotion, Pj's

7:45 pm- Nursing

8:30-9:00 pm- Bedtime

This ended up being a much longer post than I had planned, but now I can always remember the details of my five month old!