The third time around is surrounded in wonder. I think
because really, none of this is new to us, but we are utterly fascinated by how
it all happens. How little brains and little hands and little giggles grow to a
unique and special personality. It’s amazing. Really, really, amazing.
This month I’m particularly struck by how fortunate we are
to have three healthy children and a sweet little 5 month old who is so pleased
with the world. She’s amazingly happy, and an amazingly easy baby. At five months
milestones are surrounded with oohs, ahhs, and a gentle reminder that it all
goes far too quickly.
Dear little Eden,
This month I swallow up your joy as an antidote to the world
that is around us. You are such a bright spot in our days, full of innocent
smiles, coos, and your terribly funny fake cough.
You start each day around 4:00 am, when you wake up, hungry.
Your dedicated daddy comes to get you and brings you in to me, where you nurse
and fall asleep by my side until we wake up around 7:15. It’s the perfect mix
of co-sleeping for us. You get the majority of your sleep in your crib and I
get to rest in bed and we spend the last three hours wrapped up in the warmth
of my bed.
It certainly is warm, you always wake up sweaty, inheriting
that from your dad too. You have a lot of him in your personality and it shines
in how you tackle your days.
We usually rise to the boys getting up, wanting to head to
the basement to play. Our first stop is your room, a new diaper and the first
outfit for the day. Your spitting up has decreased tremendously but you still
surprise us with it, averaging out around 2 outfits a day now (which is an
improvement over the four or five that used to be typical). Soon after you are
dressed, we make our way down to the kitchen. I usually put you in the swing
while I gather the boys’ lunch and make breakfast. They talk to you and shake
toys, rock you and smile. They continue to adore you. I think you have two
lifelong protectors in them. After the boys are settled we head back upstairs
to get things managed for heading out- you usually play on your mat with toys,
Collin reads you books or you lay on their beds while I am making them and
helping them pick out clothes. Like a little sponge, you take in their routines
and watch with increasing interest. Every three minutes, it seems, they stop
what they are doing to come close to you and nuzzle in for a squeeze or kiss or
to say how much they love you. Its very, sweet and reminds me how much goodness
they carry in their hearts and how lucky we are to be a family.
After they are ready, they entertain you while I am getting
dressed. They love to show you all the toys that have lights and sounds, which
I discourage, but they continue to try. They really like your ball popper, and
you seem to like it too, watching the Elephant shoot the balls up into the air. Sometimes you'll lay on your tummy to watch it, and even though you can roll over you've lost a bit of interest in it and haven't done much this month. You are already budding delight in books. When Collin reads he often lays next to you and holds the book overhead, and you stare contently at the colors on the pages. This month you also had your first go at the jumperoo. Your little toes just barely reached the pillow nestled below it, but once they did you seemed to wonder what exactly you had found. Your face was a mix of gleeful autonomy and contention that we had put you in some sort of contraption. The glee won out though and you seem to like it.
You find Collin particularly funny, and I love watching your
bond grow. He’s taken to picking you up and holding you in his lap. You are
continuing to practice sitting up on your own, and he’s the perfect support for
you. Together you are a fantastic team. Owen is often right there, too, wanting
to read and lay with you. He sings songs to you and you stare at him with sweet
adoration.
Once I’m ready for the day we head toward your first nap and
morning nursing. You get settled and take a nice 1.5 hour nap in the morning,
as the boys and I leave for school and Candy arrives. We are so lucky to have
her in our lives, and you two are like two peas in a pod. Your face lights up
when you see her.
When you wake up its time to play- stories, and tummy time,
toys and walks. You love to be outside and to hear funny sounds. This month you
figured out how to make bubbles and do very well with tummy time. You are able
to hold your head up for extended periods of time, which is fun to see. Play is
bookended by bottles and naps, so that by the time 2:15 rolls around, you are
asleep again. When your dad gets home you get to spend one on one time with
him, which I think you both love. I know that we both love getting to know and
play with you individually, as well as together as a family.
After an afternoon nap- usually about 2 hours, you are
getting close to the 4 pm bottle and I’m nearly home. You hangout with dad
getting dinner ready or figuring out the evening schedule as it seems like
there is nearly always something going on.
Once I get home I usually scoop you up, missing you after a
7 hour stretch apart. My heart always aches about that, but I know you are in
excellent hands and I am fortunate to get to spend Monday am and Friday all day
with you, meaning there are only three days when those 7 hour stretches happen.
I snuggle and hold you, talk to you and the boys and we share dinner. You are
very interested in food and stare fondly at whatever I put in my mouth. All in
due time, little Eden.
Then, around 6 pm, we start the winding down bedtime
routine. Jammies and nursing, books, and swaddle, then on to rocking. I love
rocking you and I’ll be sad for the day when you don’t need it any longer to go
to sleep. You are in your crib by 7 and sleep through until 4, when our days
start again.
You are an excellent sleeper and eater- you are gaining
weight, and chins, at a rapid pace. You eat about 5 ounces a meal (every 3 to 3.5 hours) and it shows
in your chunky thighs and cheeks. You smile constantly and are so happy to see
everyone. You laugh, hysterically at anyone who is willing to make funny sounds
and you’ve figured out how to get our attention with a fake cough that is
pretty funny as well.
I find myself enjoying each stage all over again, but also
feeling sad that it’s going more quickly than ever before. It’s true that as
you age your sense of time accelerates, everything goes by more quickly and
hanging on to the moments is more and more difficult.
They say that three is hard. That three changes things
because you are outnumbered. That three is the most drastic transition. But,
still, five months into this, things are pretty easy. There are more of us, and
there is more love, but you’ve been nothing but joy and we’ve learned so much
from having a baby girl in our lives. We are all so very blessed, and we can’t
wait to see what six months brings.
Happy five months baby girl.
All our love
Momma and Daddy
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