Olivia at Five Months

My baby O,

Today you are five months old.

This month you have managed to work your charm into everyone’s life. We have always thought that you were a very special little girl, but this month you have managed to let everyone around you know just how special you are. Everyone wants to see you, wants to hold you, and just be around you in general. I know that I have told you many times, but you are very special, and I am so happy that you are a part of our family.



While you are still immobile, you have certainly expressed to us how much you want to move around and be like a little person. You’ve grown especially tired of lying on your back and taking the world in, and you are now ready to be a part of it. If I could manage it on my end, you would be sitting on my lap all day watching and grabbing at things. That is when you are happiest and most content – sitting upright, watching your dad or your sister or me do things around the house. Your facial expression shows that you are in awe of all that you see around you. I think you are taking so much in, and inside you wish that you could get up and do what we do.



You have also shown us that you’ve grown tired of your tummy time. Every time I place you on your stomach, only a minute goes by before you get irritated. You look like you are swimming. Your hands and legs flail about, and you are going through the motions of crawling. You can’t get there yet, but I think it will be soon.

You’ve mastered the “perfect kick” this month, so full of strength and reach. Your sister used to be fairly in control of you, hugging you and touching your toes when she wanted to. Now, when she comes up to you, you kick those legs, sometimes booting her in the head. She does a double take, but you’re just letting her know that you have a say, too, and that you are getting closer to being her playmate.



We had one minor incident this month with you. We decided to take you and your sister to your father’s 4-wheel club meeting. Usually, I’m pretty prepared – a bottle, diapers and wipes are always on-hand. However, as we were leaving the house, I mentioned to your father that I didn’t have any wipes and didn’t think the likelihood of me actually needing them was going to be the case. I was wrong. You did your business in the middle of the meeting, and I had to take you to the public restroom. I had no wipes and nothing to lay you on, and they didn’t have one of those fancy baby changers. Instead, I raided their entire stash of paper towels and laid them all over the counter (it actually was a nice, long marble countertop). There was a pretty thick padding between you and the counter. The next part you and I both were not happy about. I had to wet paper towels to clean you up. I know that it wasn’t the most comfortable thing, totally rough and all – I was taking turns cursing at the paper towels and apologizing to you the entire time. Fortunately, it was only a few minutes of drama for both of us, and we were both happy it was over.



We are still waiting for you to roll over, and you are more than ready. We practice with you every day. In the wee hours of the morning or when you are trying to fall asleep at night, I see you attempting over and over again. Practice makes perfect, and I know you are going to get it down soon. You can go from stomach to back, just not the other way around. Fortunately, you are able to roll on your side, which has become your most common sleeping position in the last week. The first night it happened, I called your father in to see you, because you looked like this little person so happy in her slumber – so glad to finally be in a comfortable sleeping position. We pulled a blanket over you, and I almost cried.



You are already growing up too fast for me, and I wish more than anything that I could slow down the process just a little bit. I love holding you, rocking you, talking to you…but what I love most is rubbing your fuzzy head, kissing it, and giving it butterfly kisses with my nose. Oh, my little O…

I love you,
Mommy