{Dear Baby} A rather long letter to my 5 month-old

Dear Baby, 

You just turned 5 months old but you certainly don't behave like one.
I so often tell your Daddy how much you are like a 6-month old when you are only four.
You've achieved many milestones this month and we are really, extremely proud of you.

Unlike the first few months when I was struggling to understand you, get used to the routine, and cope with being a momma, this month was spent cuddling, singing, dancing and simply enjoying your baby moments.
This month, I truly love being a momma.
Your momma.


For the past month:

You've learnt to be more social.
You smile more often now.
You still stare at strangers but when they do interact with you, you are no longer stingy in giving them a big, wide smile.
You have a pretty smile, so smile often, my baby.

You are also starting to get chatty.
You listen intently to our conversations and contribute a few babbles once in a while.
You don't seem to enjoy baby talk as much as adult conversations.
You babble A LOT when you have a soiled diaper. That's our cue for poo-poo for now.
As you explore the sounds you can make, you have also almost said "hungry" on a couple of occasions. It might have been sheer coincidence but your grandmothers and aunt (and of course Daddy and Mommy) have heard you saying what sounded like "ah greeee" when you wanted your milk.

And you sing, baby.
You babble (oww.. oww.. oo.. ah...),
You complain (we could totally hear it in your tone),
And you sing (melodiously).
Sometimes when I latch you, you unlatch yourself and start cooing melodiously. I don't know what that is supposed to mean but it is really funny. And it takes all my weariness away.


You are also showing keen interest in our food.
You are no longer satisfied sitting at the parenting station watching us eat.
You want to be carried/seated on my lap so that you can see what's on the dining table.


You have better hand control now.
You attempted holding your own milk bottle on a few occasions.
You are learning how to put the pacifier back into your mouth by yourself. I've seen you fiddling with it.


You continue to sleep through the night and I'm very grateful for that.
You no longer fling the beansprout pillow onto your face. You have better hand control, like I said, so you move the beansprout pillow around. I still wake at the sound of it though, because I get worried. You no longer sleep on your back like a little baby does. You flip to sleep on your side sometimes. When we see that, we know our baby is growing up to be a little girl.
I miss seeing you sleep like a newborn.


As you manage to flip, you've been working on your crawl.
Worm crawl, as a friend's sister puts it.
A very apt term. It really looks like a worm crawling.
And you pivot very quickly now.
You must be excited to discover these new skills because they allow you to get hold of the toys you want to play with. Time in the playpen must be slightly more enjoyable now.

At 5 days to 5 months old, you manage to do a four-point kneel, followed by a flop to advance yourself forward. You kept doing it for a good 15 minutes. When I witnessed this, my heart couldn't stop thumping, because I'm so excited and so proud of you


You used to cry when you wake up.
Then after you learnt how to flip, you flip over when you wake up, then cry because you don't exactly enjoy being in that position.
Nowadays when you are awake, you continue to lie leisurely in bed, look around the room, give us smiles when you spot us, then flip over to move around in the cot for entertainment.


Some activities take a longer time now.
You latch slower because you stop to sing.
Baths take longer too because you don't want to be on your back. And putting on your clothes and diapers when you are on your tummy is no easy feat.
That said, Mommy enjoys all the developmental milestones you've met, and the new skills you've learnt.


You love

Sticking out your tongue

Baths and Swim (still!) 

Cuddles with daddy and mommy
Big spaces
 

You hate

Lying down, except when sleeping


Your favourite toys
Crinkly toys. In fact, anything that makes the plastic crinkly sound so that pack of wet wipes has become one of your bath time favourites too.

My baby,
Thank you for making me a momma.
Thank you for being easy on me though you do have a strong character and can have a rather fiery temper at times.
Thank you for giving me smiles when you wake up each morning. Without fail.
Thank you for wanting to be with Daddy more during the nights, because he works so hard so that I can be home with you, and he totally deserves it.
Thank you for wanting cuddles, even if that meant that no chores get done.

My baby,
Thank you for being you.


Love you,
Mommy




This is unlike my previous letters to you, where I usually write in point form.
I had the opportunity to look and observe all these little details this month, so I want to remember them all.