dear elsie

Dear Elsie,
Today you are five months old. Oh my word, you are wonderful. I forgot how much I love the changes that happen after four months, but babies actually do get easier. Try to remember that when you are a mama. I forgot that even in the two years since your brother, but had even written about it when he turned four months. You never were too challenging, but something magical happens between four and five months. Life begins to feel less overwhelming again.

This month you took to your exersaucer and love playing by the christmas tree. You playing and laughing under that tree is the best gift to me. You're happy and I'm hands free. You squeal and squawk and hum to yourself, looking at the ornaments, pushing buttons to make music, spinning yourself slowly in circles with your legs.

You have lots of neck control, so I can hold you on my hip. This is so helpful for mama multitasking. You no longer love your rumblebuns (there is an actual name for this...is it a bouncer?) because you'd rather be sitting up.

Your sleep at night is getting longer and longer. This happened right after we started you on rice cereal. I think you just needed something filling your belly.

My very favorite moment of the day with you is when you wake up in the morning. You will talk and fake cough for a long time until I go into your room. And then when you see me you light up brighter than the sun shining in the window. You make me feel like I am the greatest woman on the planet. You smile and laugh and wave your arms and we gaze and giggle at each other.

You love your brother and he loves you. We work on being gentle and sharing and being gentle some more. But his favorite thing is for me to put you in his crib with him. I'd never leave you unattended, but boy does he love to snuggle with you and sing you songs. "Sing Songs Baby Elsie!"

I love you so much, Elsie. So, so much.