Thursday, December 6, 2012

Dear Cora: 5 Months

Dear Sweet Girl,

  Goodness. This past month of your life went by so quickly, I sort of can't even believe that November actually happened.  Every month you grow more beautiful to us, in every way. You are so, so adorable with your squishy cheeks and thighs; and so pretty with your long eyelashes and sweet lips. Your personality is this fantastic mix of loving attention and being entertained by others, while not being loud or demanding. Well, maybe a little demanding, but you are only 5 months old so that's okay.



  Gosh, you're pretty. So, here's what you're up to lately. Feeding is pretty much the same as the previous month - every 3 hours from 7am-10pm. Your nighttime schedule got all wonky for most of the month, though, because at the beginning of November you got your first cold, immediately followed by you cutting your first two adorable bottom teeth. So, I got up with you lots at night when you were sick, then when your teeth were hurting you, and you sort of forgot how to sleep through the night. Once we were through the busyness of the Thanksgiving holiday I stopped feeding you when you would wake up around 1 or 2am. You are still briefly waking around that time, but you usually just kind of fuss for 2 or 3 minutes and then fall asleep again. I get up to feed you between 4 and 5am, and lately you've been waking again around 6:30. I bring you to bed with us to feed and cuddle you until around 7 when we get up and start our day. There is part of me (the part of me that is exhausted at 6:30am) that is SO ready for you to be sleeping through the night, like at least from your 10:30 feeding until 6 or 7 like you did for about a month; but the other part of me knows how brief these months are and is a little sad about how quickly they are flying by.

  Back to the feeding, though ... you aren't quite as distracted as you were a month ago. Or maybe you are, but now I'm confident that you're getting enough to eat (you were 15 lbs, 5 oz on your 5 month birthday, gaining 14 ounces since your 4 mo. appt.), even though you spend less time doing so. The bummer, as far as you eating goes, is that you seem to be realizing that your teeth have something to do with eating, so you've been trying them out. Ouchie. The first time I reacted to a bite from you and told you "no", you looked up at me with surprised eyes and then cried huge crocodile tears. I think it was the first time I hurt your feelings :(

  In other developmental news, you started rolling over this month - back to belly. You don't do it very often, because usually you are so wrapped up in watching whatever your brother is doing that you have no interest in challenging yourself to flip over. You have not rolled belly to back yet.


  You've also fallen in love with your feet this month. You LOVE being bare, down to your diaper, and being able to grab those little toes.  You are particularly pleased when you get them into your mouth.


  Your biggest accomplishment was learning to sit, unassisted! Honestly, I had barely even tried to let you sit on your own so I was totally shocked when I thought I'd give it a try the other day and you didn't fall over. You are pretty young for this milestone, but I think it's because you are toted around in a sort of sitting position all the time as I try to keep up with your brother. It'll probably take you a little longer than normal to master some skills that involve being on your belly on the floor, because we just don't have tons of calm, still floor time.


  You have also grown increasingly cuddly. You have the sweetest way of nestling into us, and you are so content to just stay snuggled in for a while ... especially if we make sure you're facing your brother. Oh, and you love your Daddy. You light up for him and he completely adores you. I don't think he can say often enough how pretty you are. I'm so glad we have you and your brother. We just love you so much.


 Here's what you were up to over the past month:

Your first fall family hike!


Your first time to see Christmas lights - We took you and Liam to the Bentonville square to look at lights & drink hot chocolate. You can join that part of the tradition next year!


At Thanksgiving you got to meet lots of your Mississippi family for the first time. Here you are with Daddy's cousin, Hanna, and her little boy, Samuel. He is just a month younger than you, and his big sister is about 6 months older than Liam, so it was so fun seeing you kids together!


Your sweet gal pal, Rooney, lives a couple of streets over and her parents are in our community group. Roo's aunt is my oldest, dearest friend, so I love imagining you two girls being precious friends as you grow up. Of course, I know God will direct your friendships, but I definitely pray that you love each other!


We took you to Silver Dollar City for the first time last weekend! You and I rode on your first ride together, just like your brother and I did two years ago.


You did great on the train ride & seemed to really enjoy the lights. Maybe a little less enthusiastic than your brother, but most people are!


And finally, here are your five month pictures. Liam "helped" me get you to smile, and I think he did a great job!







   You light up our lives, little girl. We love you so much!

 Love,
   Mommy

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