16 February 2013 – 5 months

Dear Lyla

Mummy knows that you aren’t at a monthly milestone right now, so it seems a little odd to be writing this right now, but she is scared of remembering when some of your “firsts” happened.

You started sleeping significant stretches at three to four weeks, and you slept through the night for the first time when Mimi and Pa were staying, so between four and five weeks. Since early December, you have been waking at least once a night for a feed, but occasionally you will surprise us and sleep right through.

You have got two teeth. The first (lower gum, just right of centre) broke through on the Wednesday before Mummy had to go back to work. You had had a bit of a runny nose, and were rather snuggly. You have been excessively dribbley for weeks and you had had rosey cheeks and chin for a day here and there. The second tooth came last Tuesday, and you were in a bit more pain with it cutting through. You started to put two fingers in your mouth for comfort just before the first tooth came through. You won’t use a dummy, but enjoy sucking on your index and middle fingers (either hand will do, but you prefer your left).

You started at childcare three days a week a couple of weeks back, and you love it. Mummy was ringing to check on you a couple of times a day, but has settled in now too. You love to watch all the other kids, and try and get up or out from where you are to join in.

You started on solids on Christmas Day. We were at Mulwala with Mimi & Pa and Aunty Heidi & Uncle Adam. You ate rice cereal, and you didn’t love it, but it was okay. You are now eating pumpkin, sweet potato, potato, carrot, banana (which you adore!), yoghurt and custard. You still get rice cereal for breakfast, which you tolerate better at childcare and prefer it more if it includes banana purée. You had a reaction to broccoli and tinned peaches, so we are taking the transition into solids slower.

You can sit up for short periods with your arms out supporting you in front, but as soon as you get distracted you face plant. You like to recline back while sitting between my legs – Daddy comments that it looks like I’m an armchair for you. You are also scooching backwards. You raise yourself up with your incredibly strong arms, and then push back, moving the rest of your body and lowering your chest to the floor. You raise your upper body again with a massive grin, and make lots of excited noises. You can easily roll back to belly and belly to back, but don’t really use rolling as a means of transport.

You love to communicate verbally to anyone who will listen. You blow raspberries and make lots of “ah” noises. You gasp in excitement, only it’s not quite a “gasp”, more using your vocal chords while breathing in. It is usually followed by an”ah” where you can hear your grin. It makes both Daddy and I smile. You have great facial expressions when you make your excited noise.

You like to giggle when we pretend to eat your belly, pushing us away with your arms, grinning like your mouth is going to expand larger than your face. You also giggle when we blow raspberries on the back of your neck, and have other tickley spots.

You like to munch on your Sophie giraffe, and have a favourite blue hippo that you like to have in the car. Any soft toy that has a sound seems to be good in your books. You particularly enjoy the crunkly taggy blanket when having your nappy changed, or are lying in your cot and meant to be awake.

You still love bath time, and we have taken you to the indoor pool twice, and you were pruney well and truly before you wanted to hop out both times. You still don’t like having your fingernails or toenails trimmed, but love weekend mornings being able to lie in Mummy & Daddy’s bed and play with us in our half asleep daze.

We love you precious girl, and can’t wait to see the little lady you grow into.

Love Mummy
xxxooo