5 Months Yesterday!

We are so blessed to have the sweetest little girl in the world!  We've been having so much fun over the past five months; we can't believe it has been five months already!  She is growing up so fast!  Here's what Madelyn is into now:

• wearing 3-6 month clothing
• wearing size 2 diapers
• She can "tripod" (sitting while using her hands for balance), but we still stay close by because she still tips over pretty easily. 
• Favorite toys:  Lulu in a Tutu, jumperoo, the remote (although we don't give her this to play with, but she still wants to hold it when it is nearby), her Nuby teether, looking at books (and trying to eat them), her lovies, her barking doggie
• She eats about every 3 hours, but she is much more efficient at nursing.  It takes her about 20 minutes to eat.
• She will take a bottle (most of the time) in the nursery at church or for Daddy, but it has to be warmed.  She still has her moments when she just will NOT take a bottle.
• She still goes to sleep while I am rocking and nursing her.  We play the ocean waves on her Sleep Sheep while she is drifting off to sleep.  She wakes up about once a night, sometimes twice.  She usually sleeps about 8 or 9 hours before waking up, then I change her diaper, feed her and put her back to bed.
• She tries to put everything in her mouth, even if it won't fit.  She tries to put her doggie in her mouth, which is a hard, plastic, barking, rolling toy that is way to big for her mouth; she usually ends up getting frustrated that she can't get it in her mouth that I take it away and give her something else to play with.
• Maddie naps in her swing about 3-4 times a day.  Her naps are about 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours long.
• Her favorite song is "Wheels on the Bus."  I'll sing it to her, moving her legs round and round, side to side, or up and down while we sing.  She just smiles and giggles.
• Madelyn is starting to have some stranger anxiety.  It seems a little early for it, but she will stick her little lip out to people she doesn't know when they say hello. 
• She loves Hershey and wants to pet him when he is close by.  Hershey prefers to keep his distance.  :)
• She likes to stand with help.  She will hold our hands and help pull while we pull her up to a standing position.
• Madelyn enjoys bath time and is really kicking in the tub.  I got soaked the other night in one kick!  Somehow she always kicks the water towards Mommy and not Daddy.  Just wait....it's coming, Daddy!!
• She enjoys having lotion rubbed on her legs.
• Sitting in the bumbo seat will usually make her poop.  We're starting to call it the poop seat!
• Madelyn loves looking at the tree in her room.  She can see it while she is getting her diaper changed or while we are rocking in the chair, and she just coos at it.
• She giggles when I tickle or kiss her little neck or blow raspberries on her belly.  Daddy can also get her laughing by making silly faces and noises.  Maddie loves her Daddy!
• Maddie coos, grunts, giggles, laughs, and squeals.  She says, "oooo,"  "uuuhhh," "gooo," "aaahhh-ooo," "whooo."  She's becoming more vocal.  We're trying to work on "Mommy" and "Daddy", but I think it will be a little while. 
• Maddie is definitely noticing food more.  She is still strictly on breastmilk, but she has interest in other food.  She tries to grab at my bowl of cereal in the mornings, wants to hold our cups, and reaches for any thing that is nearby.  We can't wait to see her reaction when she does start eating solid food...we'll probably wait until 6 months to start solids.
• She loves being outside.  We try to go on a walk everyday.  She'll either ride in the stroller, in the Moby wrap with Mommy, or in the carrier with Daddy.
• She is a good car rider.  Mommy is starting to ride in the front seat with Daddy again!
• Maddie has really started to notice her feet.  She loves the pajamas that have characters on the feet, but she also just stares at her bare feet.  I've also noticed that she will look at my feet some too.
• Madelyn was kept by her first babysitter (that wasn't family).  Mommy and Daddy went to talk to the Easter bunny and to grab a bite to eat.  She was asleep when we left, and she woke up crying!  We had to come home a little early....so attached already.
• No doctors appointment this month.

I couldn't pick just one picture....
She was getting tired, so there aren't any big smiles, but lots of cute Maddie faces!