5 Months

Dear Elsie:

What a character you are quickly becoming! Even though you are still so young, your personality is starting to shine through and we think you are a doll! You are such a happy and content baby. I think we finally have tackled acid reflux and you are happy seriously all the time. You love to laugh like crazy and when you get going you crack right up. The other day I was showing you a ball with different colors and you thought it was so funny. Your laugh is adorable! Grandpa Harold described it best when he said that it sounds just like a baby squeal that you would hear in an ad. You end every laugh you make with a little shrill/squeal at the end and you love to tip your head backwards and purse your lips when you laugh... you look just like your daddy when you do it. You laugh over anything and we love to see your eyes light up and get you going! You have found your screaming voice and talking voice for sure. Random times you will just let out a little scream and if I try to contain it you get even louder. I swear your favorite place to practice it is at church. We love your ahh's and random noises you make. You also love it when we sing you songs and when we dance to music. You think it is the funniest thing in the world. You still love books and your new favorite is the animal noise book. You especially like the lion growling, the kitty meowing and the monkey noises. You are starting to play on your tummy with toys and are getting quite good at it. You have rolled over (front to back) once but you don't have the desire to do it again. You have started to pivot while on your tummy though to get to other toys. You love playing in your activity center and in your bouncer with the lion toys... You have a thing for growling noises. We have started you on rice cereal because you are seriously obsessed with grown up food. You always start at Mommy when she eats your drinks and you are always opening your mouth when you even get by food. You so far have had rice cereal, pureed avocados, sweet potatoes and peas. You will of course always eat anything but you don't really dig the avocados. Daddy always lets you have licks of things and you get so excited. You get this serious look on your face like you have every intention of eating what you try. We gave you the mesh thing with fruit in it and you had a ball. You chewed on it for a while and were so content to have food in your mouth. You have had two vacations to the Torrey cabin and the Oakley cabin, both which you loved. You are stating to stay up longer so we are getting to do some fun things. You are really good about being in crowds and being around people you don't know. However, if someone talks to you in a low tone your pout your lower lip and whimper, which is pretty funny. You have grown like a weed this past month and really filled out, which I think it has to do with the fact that you prefer the bottle. At about 4 months and 3 weeks you weighed 14.5 pounds and you have the cutest little chubby thighs I have ever seen. You are the sweetest little girl with an easy temperament, but you are not afraid to tell us when you prefer something. You still love any type of movement (the car, the swing, walking). I started to make you take your naps in your crib and after a few days were fine, but when we came back from Oakley you were exhausted so I reunited you with your swing. You were in heaven!! It was hysterical. You just snuggled right in and just enjoyed the ride for a good 30 minutes, content as can be, and then you took a 3 hour nap in it! Boy how you love that thing! We cherish every moment we get with you and we have had so much fun playing and interacting with you more as you grow and develop. You are so aware and alert now. You are aware of your name and you look at us when we talk to you, you will always turn and try to find us and you are starting to love playing with your cousin Brooklyn. You are the light of our lives and we couldn't love anything more. Always remember what a special gift you are to your family and much we treasure you. You are such a smart and beautiful baby girl with such a sweet spirit. We feel so blessed to be your parents! You will always be our littlest princess!!

xoxo Mommy and Daddy