My cuddlebug, my silly little giggle machine, my stinkopotamus, daddy's sweet hazelnut- you are getting so many nicknames. What a month this has been for you, our happy little girl!
First the big news: You rolled over! You can now flip over from your tummy to your back. You can’t do it very often yet and it takes a great deal of energy and concentration to achieve such a gymnastic feat, but you are definitely doing it. No more playing on the ottoman for you!
The other news is that you have started full time daycare! You are such a big girl. Daddy is sure going to miss his days at home with you; he has loved story time and afternoon walks together. You have adjusted to daycare beautifully, just as we knew you would. You love your teachers and checking out the other babies and exploring the new toys. You enjoy the music and bubbles too! When you come home you are pooped! You take a long nap before dinner and your bath.
so tired after her first day
You’ve also transitioned to sleeping unswaddled this month. At first you were very distressed about your flailing arms and new found freedom, but then you quickly remembered how much you love to sleep. Now you are happily snoozing through the night again. You usually get ten or eleven hours (7:30/8:00PM to 6:30/7:00AM) of sleep each night on a regular basis. Oh I am such a lucky mommy!
So what have we done this month my love? Well… we’ve gone out to smell the springtime flowers and enjoy the warm breezes. On Memorial Day weekend we went in the pool. It was a little cold and yet, you loved it! (I’m going to stop worrying about making sure your bath stays warm from now on) You splashed and kicked and floated (sorta) in the water with a big Maya smile. You are so happy in the water; you even have your very own kiddie pool in our yard. It's fun to watch you sit in it while you splash and laugh- this is going to be such a fun summer!
You had your first cold this month. Also, you were nice enough to share it with Mommy (very generous of you my love). You were all stuffed up and you did not like the nasal aspirator. You had a fever, but a low one. You had a rough time sleeping when you couldn’t breathe well, I don’t blame you. Still… just like with everything you do… it was with a smile on your face. Sure you got crabby at times, but for the most part you were my cheerful baby girl. And boy are you cheerful! You are bliss. You are sunshine. You are innocence and joy. Things that get you laughing include: kissing your feet, raspberries on your belly, peekaboo and silly faces. Also, falling down on the bed as daddy says “aaaaah-boom” cracks you up.
You are curious and your budding brain is developing so quickly! You are beginning to recognize toys, and people and show memory. Something I think is very cool, is that you are beginning to express anticipation. It’s remarkable to watch you open your mouth when you see your bottle. I love it when you squirm and kick your legs when you see the rinse cup rise above you in the bath. Your hand-eye coordination is also improving. You can reach for toys and put them in your mouth. Everything goes in your mouth. You have found your feet, you grab onto them in your swing. It looks like you are doing some complicated yoga pose as you sail through the air. Its getting harder and harder to get a photo of you without your foot in your hand!
You are smart. You seem to know your name; sometimes I can get you to turn your head when I say it. Or maybe you are just looking for me, I don’t know. You love to look at your reflection in the mirror and you smile at the adorable baby staring back at you. You are clever. You demand attention by fussing and you know that crying will make me coming running. You are a social butterfly. You break out into the happiest, cutest smile at the sight of another smiling face. You love tickles and kisses. You are strong. You can 'stand' while we hold you. You are calm. You had your first trip to New York and attended a Bat Mitzvah as well as Grandpa’s 60th birthday party. Oh you were so good! You met so many people! You went from stranger to stranger in loud, crowded rooms and you were as happy as ever.
I know there will be more rolling over, this was the first of many sniffles and there will be lots flowers to smell and pools to splash in- but this is such a wonderful age and I am trying to remember each of your ‘firsts’ and enjoy them (the good things at least) as they happen. You seem to be on the verge of teething. You are beginning to show an interest in food. What will next month bring? What will you discover? Where will we go? Who will you meet? I look forward to exploring all of it with you and daddy.
