5 months old!

Avery Madison, you're 5 months old! I really had good intentions of taking monthly pictures of you but every time I put the month sticker on your onesie, you loose it. SO we're going to can that idea and just post pictures from the month! 

You're currently laying next to me in bed. You are a snuggler! I got up to get an apple and you woke up. We're currently in a pretty bad habit of letting you sleep with us. You sleep WAY better and when we tried to let you cry it out in your crib, you woke Parker up and that's just not an option! We'll get you sleeping in your crib soon enough. For now, I'm spoiling you rotten by letting you snuggle with me and you're spoiling me by not making me get up multiple times a night. It's a win/win... until we have to break you of it!!!!

Speaking of sleep.... during the day, you don't. You sleep some in the car and fall asleep nursing but you're not a great sleeper. You nap around 10, 2:30 and 5. Sometimes only for 15 minutes. Not for lack of effort on my part, though! Today I bought an ergo baby because I get VERY little accomplished around the house since you nap so little and Parker is trying really hard to give his naps up. So now, you can tag along while I do dishes and fold laundry without my back hurting like it does with the baby bjorn. It's pretty...

You still nurse like a champ and take a bottle maybe every other day. I think we're going to have to find you a support group when it's time to stop nursing. You may be a bit addicted. I've woken up a few times in the middle of the night when you've found it and latched yourself on. It's gotten a lot easier for me over the last 2 months and I enjoy it now (except on packed full hayrides... but when you're hungry, you're hungry!). You started gagging when you ate baby food so we stopped for a few weeks and will try again soon.

You love toys! You can roll both ways. You can also spin yourself all around. You don't crawl yet but you get around by rolling and spinning around. You're close to sitting up. You're strong enough, you just need to work on your balance. When you put both hands down, you do great! You practice in the Bumbo daily which usually ends in explosive poops. I have an odd habit of taking pictures of your explosions. I will spare you...

Despite not sleeping much, you are usually a very happy baby! You're ticklish, smiley and LOVE to jump! You and the doorway jumper have become fast friends! You also enjoy stroller rides and the baby bjorn, even though it hurts my back. I am your very favorite person on Earth but you sure are smitten with your brother! You like music. "You are my Sunshine" and "Come thou Fount" seem to be your favorites. You look at the TV every time Curious George comes on and you enjoy Baby Worship. When I get ready in the morning, Curious George usually babysits you and Parker. Halfway through the show I usually switch you to the doorway jumper.

You are a blessing. You're growing too quickly and I wish time would slow down. You are a daughter of THE MOST HIGH GOD and HIGHLY FAVORED! We adore you, Avery Madison Wise!

4 month stats

Avery Madison, we skipped your 4 month pictures and update since we didn't take you to get all of your shots until Friday. You're ALMOST 5 months old. When I started this post you were playing under your exercise mat in the middle of the den. I just had to stop typing and snuggle you because you rolled all of the way to the fireplace and conked your head on a Thomas train set. Poor baby girl.

You weigh 14 pound 6 ounces (50th %). You're 25 3/4 inches (75th%) and your head is 16 inches (20th%) I can't believe your head grew 2 inches in 2 months! Clearly you're so smart that your head had to grow rapidly to keep all that knowledge in. 

I'll do your full 5 month report in 2 days. You are a joy!

Best Buddy!

Of all of the babies in play date, you and Shiloh are the ONLY girls! Parker and Lily play so well together which means we hang out with the Alls family as frequently as possible! Naturally, that means you and Miss Shiloh get to hang out too! Currently, I'd say she's your best buddy even though she'd less than 3 weeks old! The other day, we were at their house having dinner and taking pictures of Shiloh in her room. The 2 year olds needed a little attention so we laid you and Shiloh in Lily's bed. Immediately, you two started interacting! Please excuse your lack of hairbow... we used yours for the photoshoot!

You were determined that Shiloh looked like a tasty snack. We're going to have to watch you when you get teeth or you'll quickly get uninvited to play dates! I look forward to watching you and Shiloh grow up together!

So what if my bow is bigger than my head?

I've always thought there was NO such thing as a bow that was "too big!" Before you were born, I even made you a bib that said "So what if my bow is bigger than my head?!" I brought 14 bows to the hospital for you because I needed two of each color... little bows in case you had hair that I could clip it into and big bows in case you didn't and needed to wear bows on a headband. I also tried to convince your dad that once your head was out, to clip a bow in your hair. Obviously, since I had a c-section and your dad wasn't in the room, that didn't happen but I bet a bow was in your hair within 8 minutes of me meeting you after I was released from the ICU. So.. you get it right?... I LOVE bows...

You have over 80. I may need professional help or to be on a TLC show. Hoarders? My strange addiction? Maybe my own obsessive bow reality show. Nonetheless... I found this AWESOME new place to buy bows cheaper than I can make them. PolkaDotPosies.com Check them out! $3 and under! Seriously! They sell 6.5 inch bows and I figured I'd buy 1 (ok 3) and see how big 6.5 inch bows REALLY were. The verdict is....

....REALLY REALLY silly looking and HUGE! Looks like we'll be saving your 6.5 inch bows for kindergarten and sticking to what you wear best... 4.5 inch loopy and pin wheel bows! This bow makes you look like the most perfectly precious present! BUT I want people to see your face, not just your bow! So, I stand corrected.... there is a such thing as a "too big bow!"

Avery "talking"

Last week at nana and poppi's house you were SUPER smiley and giggly. I'm gonna be honest and say you've cried the majority of the last 3 days so it was a nice treat to find this video of nana being silly with you at 12 weeks old. You were happy that day ;) You're usually a preciously happy baby but the last 3 days you haven't been yourself and it makes me sad... and tired... but mostly sad because I don't know what's going on. Are you growing? Are you teething? Does your tummy hurt? Do you just want attention? I wish that "your baby can read" system worked on 13 week olds and I could just have you point to a card that expresses your needs. ... or maybe you could sign your needs but then I'd need to learn to sign... oh I digress. You fell asleep in your car seat on the ride home from the lake so I put your car seat in the pack n play and you're still O-U-T. I feel kinda bad that you're still in your outfit and you're in your car seat but clearly you're content and I'm surely not going to rock your boat! I hope you wake up happy... I want my sweet, happy, baby girl back!

Happy 3 months Avery!

Little lady, you are 3 months old today! 

Goodness gracious, you are precious! You make every day more fun! You are simply AMAZING and your dad, brother and I are completely smitten by you! 

You wear size 2 diapers and 0-3 months clothes in most brands but some 3-6. You've had a BIG month of 1st! Sitting in the Bumbo... playing in the exersaucer... spinning in the doorway jumper... swimming! WOW! You enjoy the Bumbo the most. You talk CONSTANTLY! You babble and coo and laugh... it warms my heart! In general, you're a happy baby. The only times you cry are if you have gas, are hungry, or need to be held. You want to eat food so badly! You put everything you can in your mouth and gum it! So much so that I wonder if you're getting teeth. You are still solely breastfed and I'm pretty darn proud of that. 

Apparently your Avery doll is tasty because if she's in arm's reach, she's in your mouth in seconds!

Parker likes to take bathes with you, show you how the toys on your exersaucer work and pat your head. When you pull your toy and make it sing, he cheers "yay Avie!" You are pretty fond of him and follow him around the room with your eyes. Your focusing is pretty amazing for a baby your age. You have full head control and are VERY close to rolling over.

This picture CRACKS ME UP! You were so fascinated by the tutu I made you!

The 3rd of our play date buddies was born last week and the other 2 are due any time! You'll be the oldest and will seem so much bigger for a bit but you all will really only be 3 months apart! So fun! Jonah is 2 1/2 weeks younger than you, Marshall is 3 months younger than you and Baby Girl Alls and Landon should be here within the month! :) What fun friends we have!

While your brother and his buddy Logan played train world...

you and I did a mini 3 months photo session. As usual, I put your onesie one with the coordinating month sticker and you immediately get upset. Something about doing monthly pictures (which I envisioned to be a fun little monthly project) just makes you cranky. SO... all of the pictures of you with the month sticker you're either crying in or have a paci. Of course now, you're sitting in my lap eating my arm, happy as a lark (I think that's the phrase... I've never really seen a happy lark... or a lark at all for that matter.) Put it this way... you're really jovial in my lap.

You thought the tutu was pretty cool!

If only your eyes were open! Funny, nonetheless.

I had to grab a quick pictures before she went in your mouth!

Snuggle bunny!

Poor Avery doll

See what I mean... sticker on... crabby girl

Not thrilled!

Sweet baby, girl... you are loved and cherished! Your dad and I were talking last night that we feel like life really started when we had you. Our family feels complete and we're both the happiest we've ever been as a family of four. Happy 3 months!

Exersaucer and Doorway Jumper

Saturday night (July 30th) we put you in the exersaucer and doorway jumper for the 1st time. I am willing to try just about anything to make you happy and give me a few minutes with BOTH hands free! 

The exersaucer is so cute. You sit in it and stare at the TV, watch brother or look at the toys on the exersaucer that Parker moves for you. You can't reach them just yet. I put a pillow under your feet so they don't dangle.

Checking out how Parker makes your toys sing!

Hmmm... how do I make this move?

The doorway jumper is still a bit advanced for you but you have figured out how to spin yourself in circles! I've got to keep a CLOSE eye on you while you're in it because Parker thinks it's a swing and has so graciously pushed you in it a time or two. Bless his heart, he means well. 

Who me? No, I didn't swing her!

Going in circles

MOM, HELP!

You and your brother are our heartbeats! You're growing SOOO fast and we just love each day with you!