Eden is 5 months

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