Ella Grace {5 Months}

Dear Ella,

I'm sorry I am little bit late on posting this, but hopefully you'll forgive me. We were in Ohio on your actual 5 month "birthday" and all of our family and friends there LOVED meeting you! It's been a super busy month with you, sweet girl!

Height: 26 inches (73%)

Weight: 14 pounds, 2 ounces (24%)

Head Circumference: 16.5 inches (44%)

*I hate the months we don't have pediatrician appointments, because I have NO clue how accurate these measurements/percentiles are!

Clothes: You are beginning to fit more comfortably in your 3-6 month clothes, but some things (i.e. dresses) are SO big still! You are SUCH a peanut! And I'm totally ok with that because I want you to stay little forever. Every day we try on a few outfits before settling on one that fits correctly...it is a guessing game as to whether you will fit into a new 3-6 month outfit, or if we have to wear a 0-3 month one again. You are still wearing size 3 month jammies at night, although your toes are just about to pop out of them! You are also still in size 2 diapers.

Nicknames: Elle Belle, Peanut/Peanut Butter/Peanut Weanut/Princess of the Peanuts, My Little Stinky/Stinkyhead (with love!), Snuggle Bunny, Love Bug

Milestones: You rolled from your back onto your belly a few weeks ago, and while you've only done it a few times, I know you're quite capable! You just aren't very into rolling...and that's ok! When you're on your tummy, it looks like you are trying SO hard to crawl--you just want to get moving, girlfriend, instead of rolling! You will completely move your body around 90 or even a full 180 degrees and you'd much rather do that than roll! You are also SUPER close to sitting up unassisted. Usually, Daddy and I will just barely hold your hand and you are so confident....then as soon as we let go, you realize you're on your own and fall over! We will keep working on it, and I know you're going to hit this milestone in no time! I've also noticed this month you've become even more aware of what's going on around you (as if you weren't alert enough before!). You respond so well to my and Daddy's voices, and you even are starting to recognize your name. You also know when you are in an unfamiliar place, and you will constantly look around to make sure I haven't left you. 

{see? almost sitting up by yourself...and getting sassy!}

Sleep: I don't know how I got so blessed with such an amazing little sleeper! You go down for the night around 9 PM and sleep until 8 AM! You still will occasionally wake up and babble in your crib around 6:45-7 AM, but if I come in and put your paci back in, you smile at me and fall right back to sleep! Naps are getting a little better too and we are starting to get on some sort of a schedule. You usually take naps from 9:45ish-10:30ish, 12:45ish-1:30ish, and 4:15ish-5:45ish. Some days you even catnap around 7 or so, especially if you haven't napped well that day.

{look how smart you are--you are showing me you're FIVE months old with your fingers! and of course they are always in the mouth...}

Best Moment: Watching you roll over (both ways now!), and when you {almost} sat up by yourself at the park a few weeks ago! But, honestly, I love every day with you; playing, laughing, reading, and jumping! This is such a fun age! 

Worst Moment: The hands down winner is when I had to pack up my classroom. You knew we weren't sitting on the bed watching Real Housewives, and you refused to nurse. It was so hard to get anything done with my fussy little lady! Glad that's behind us! 

Likes: Anything that crinkles especially fruit snacks wrappers, putting anything and everything in your mouth (especially your hands!), getting into the car seat, going on walks, the Rock n Play, sitting up to see what's going on, listening to music/people singing songs to you, watching Bravo and ESPN (#parentsoftheyear right here)

{mmmmmm hands!}

Dislikes: Being in unfamiliar and/or over-stimulating places (i.e. Mommy's school, loud restaurants with lots of TVs, etc.), rice cereal, going in your crib to nap when you are not tired, being away from Mommy and Daddy, long car trips to Ohio (ok, maybe last one's a dislike of mine, too!)

Health: Still insanely healthy! A little congestion at times, but that's it! 

{stop looking at me, swan...errr, owl}

Eating: We tried the rice cereal a few weeks ago and you did not like it at ALL! We still haven't tried again, even though your grandma Sue really wants us to! You are still nursing every 3 hours or so, but we have cut out the "dream-feed", so sometimes you eat after only 2 or 2.5 hours so we can still fit in our 6 feedings. You are starting to get more and more distracted during feedings and it's getting harder to keep you on the boob! Usually I force you to stay on for at least 7-8 minutes each side, but some days, that's a struggle! You just want to watch the Housewives with me! ;) When you take a bottle, you drink anywhere from 4 ounces to 8 (!!!!!) ounces. I promise I fed you earlier on that day you drank 8 ounces! I don't know why you drank so much!

Peanut, you are becoming such a wonderful little person and I love seeing your personality start to shine more and more each day. You are such a funny little lady! I love that you are so aware of all that's going on around you, and because of this, I know you are becoming so intelligent! You bring so much joy to my life, Daddy's life, and everyone who meets and interacts with you. You are such a happy baby, and we are so thankful that you are ours!