FIVE

Today, Greg and I’s sweet baby girl, our lady bird, my honey bear, the magnificent drool nugget (that’s a new one), is five months old! Delilah Wren goes by many monikers (the least of which being her actual name), but what we really should call her is JOY, for she truly is the joy of our lives. Her sweet smile is a little ray of sunshine in our days. Hearing her laugh makes our already overflowing hearts burst, they're so full of happiness at the sound. Watching her learn and grow and achieve — well, it's just the best thing ever. She's changing so much every day and the way these past five months have just ticked on by so quickly has my anxious mama heart beating fast (don’t blink, you’ll miss something!) and my head in a state of disbelief. Has five months gone by already? I find myself wanting to freeze time, to hold onto those extra tender moments and sleepy snuggles just a bit longer, since I know they won’t last forever. And yet, time must continue on because I can't wait to see what she'll accomplish next… and who she will become.

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Since Delilah doesn’t have a 5-month check-up with her pediatrician, we don’t have the “official” stats. But we do know she is clocking in at over 13 pounds now and this string bean has definitely been growing lengthwise too, since her 0-3 month footed pajamas are a little too short. We’re about to transition into her 3-6 month sleeper options to avoid scrunched toes, but since it is always bittersweet to pack baby clothes away I try to put off the task of updating her wardrobe as long as possible!

On the activity front, here's a round-up of a few of Delilah’s favorite things this month (in addition to all of the faves from last month):

• saying “hello” to “her” plants hanging in the stairway (she tends to greet the leaves by grabbing on and tugging hard, uh oh!) and also looking out the nearby window to say “hello, WORLD!” :) 
• chewing everything, but especially her Baby Banana (she finally decided she likes it, and is more open to trying some of the many other teethers we have purchased, likely because her gums are really bothering her, poor baby)
• making the light-up star toy in her play gym go "twinkle, twinkle"
• squealing with delight when touching and subsequently pulling Daddy’s hair, including stroking his hairy arm during diaper changes! (she’s so fascinated, probably because Mama’s arms are smooth, haha)
• touching/squeezing/slapping Mama’s face (much to my chagrin)
• watching us eat (and trying to grab Mama’s glass when she’s drinking, eek!); she was endlessly amused when I ate a sandwich and showed her each time I took a bite
• Puppy Dog Pals: I try to limit TV but she does seem to enjoy Bingo and Rolly’s antics! “We’re going on a mission, going on a mission!”
• giving her real-life pups treats (this is something I tried just this week, and Delilah did well holding the treat and the dogs, especially patient Cali, did well to carefully take it from her hand)
• rolling (roly-roly-poly, as we call it) with assistance into tummy time and tolerating it much better than before! (we’re on the cusp of actual enjoyment folks, and one time she even rolled out of it herself, apparently on purpose since she didn’t get upset by the swift change in perspective)
• getting serenaded by Mommy or Daddy (she likes it so much that Mama singing “Amazing Grace” no longer seems to work as a means to get her to sleep at night... it just makes her smile)