Five Months Old!

Lyla is five months old today! Can you beieve it? I know I can't! Somehow five months seems significantly older than four months--I have no idea why. I have a feeling Lyla is really going to start sprouting this month (I know, she's not a plant!). Her newest and most adorable trick these days is blowing raspberries. It took her about two days to master the skill and now she won't stop. She was just getting so much better at the drooling to the point that I didn't have to put a bib on her 24/7, and now since she has improved oral motor control to control her spit, she's decided to start fliging it at people! (it's a lot cuter than it sounds!). She really seems fascinated that she can control this fun new game.

The sweet potatoes were a success, and yesterday we tried carrots which she also seemed to enjoy--we will slowly try some more veggies as well as oatmeal over the next couple weeks. She still only eats "solid" food once a day, usually around dinner time. She seems to enjoy the experience but it is certainly not a meal--more like a "flavor exploration." I ordered her a high chair that I hope she likes. I think she will enjoy sitting with us at our level during dinner time, and being able to watch me in the kitchen while I'm cooking, and not being below me in her swing or bouncy seat.

Her fine motor skills are improving too. She's much better at handling toys--she's reaching for them when they're out of her grasp, and using both hands to manipulate them. Sometimes I'll even catch her trasferring objects from one hand to the other.

One of the cutest things is that she seems to have learned the concept of a game. Yesterday she was getting a kick out of putting her fingers in my mouth, and when I would nibble on them she woukd squeal with delight, then take her hand out of my mouth and watch me with anticipation that I was going to do it again. Then she'd put her fingers back in. It went back and forth for a while. You could definitely see all the wheels turning from the expressions on her face. She's one smart cookie. At day care the caregivers have told me that when she's ready to eat she knows exactly which bottle is hers (there's twelve babies in the room) and she'll stare it down while it's warming up in the warmer. Then when they take it out she starts flapping her arms even if she's on the other side of the room. She also knows how to hold her own bottle.

I thought she'd be rolling more by now, but she hasn't quite figured out how to move that darn arm out of the way. It really is quite tricky! She uses her legs to push herself all the way over to her side but cannot seem to figure out that she has to tuck her arm in. I'm sure she'll get it eventually. She is sitting with assistance--she likes to sit up in the bathtub as opposed to being reclined, and often when I dress her she'll sit up as long as I'm holding on to her--she's by no means ready to do it on her own, but with a little support she's getting there. She's also sitting in her boppy pillow.

It's officially fall now which means Lyla has to get all bundled up when we go outside. This is probalby the only thing I like about the cooler weather because she's so darn cute in her adorable hooded jackets (see what I mean below!)

Here's some photos: