Dear Cricket (Five Months)

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Dear Cricket,

My sweet girl, you are getting bigger and bigger everyday. When I look back at your newborn pictures, you’re a completely different baby, even though it seems like we took them just yesterday. I’m desperate for you to stop growing up…or at least to just slow down a bit!

Cricket, you are the best baby ever. If every baby from here on out would be guaranteed to be as good as you are, I’d have a hundred more. You smile and giggle constantly, rarely cry and are so joyful. Every morning you wake up, focus in on my face and grin from ear to ear. Your dad and I joke that you’re just happy to be alive, happy to have another day here on Earth. It’s the best feeling for me to see that innocent smile every morning, so thank you for bringing joy to my day. We’ve asked so much of you over the past few months; there’s so much to do, so many places to go and such a crazy schedule to keep, and you’ve been flexible and agreeable in all of the madness. You have been such a trooper — willing to be dragged around and happy just be along for the ride.

Those morning smiles come at a different time each day, really depending on when your big sister decides it’s time for the household to wake up. If left up to you, I think we’d be in bed until almost 9 each morning, but E.V. tends to have us all up between 6:30 and 8 each day. You loooove to sleep, especially if you’re getting simultaneously snuggled. ;) In the morning you take a quick nap around 9:30 (usually at the gym), sleep two to three hours around lunchtime (while E.V. sleeps too), and then take one more nap in the evening to tide you over until bedtime. You almost never cry when I’m with you, but you definitely get antsy around 6:30 each night. It’s that last hour until it’s time to snuggle into your crib for the night, and you demand every bit of my attention during that hour. I always tell anyone who watches you that “screeching is normal but tears are not,” and, man, do you screech during that witching hour! ;) We play games, sing songs, practice crawling and standing and sitting…pretty much anything and everything to make you smile!

Speaking of crawling and standing and sitting, Cricket you are obsessed with trying to be a big girl! You are eager to catch up to E.V. in every way, and you’re getting there much sooner than I’d like, haha! You can roll over from back-to-belly and belly-to-back, scootch yourself a few inches this way or that, sit up for a few seconds on your own…and I’m not ready! If you could just NOT hit milestones so quickly, that’d be fine with me. ;) (But I know that won’t happen, little one, because you are a determined, confident baby, and no one can hold you back when you put your mind to something! ) You love to play like a big girl, too, grinning and encouraging her while your big sister practically wrestles with you! You are so stinkin’ tough, and there are many times where I think that surely E.V.’s hurting you, but when I tell her to stop, you both just look up and me and smile like, “What, Mom? We were having fun!” I can’t help but smile back at you girls in those moments; you two are perfect for one another.

You love your Bumbo, playmat and your bouncy — and anything you can get your mouth on! I’m pretty sure you’re starting to work on your first teeth because, man, do you love to chew these days! You’re constantly testing things out with your mouth, gnawing and drooling like crazy! You have a particular affinity for Sophie la Girafe (we have three of them), frozen toys, your raspberry-shaped pacifier and fingers. (When you suck on your thumb, it’s pretty much the most adorable thing EVER, and although I’m not eager for you to make a habit of it, it’s so cute I don’t mind it at all right now.) This month you’ve found a love for books, and when we have tummy time, you’re happiest while laying with one in front of you. You even screech when you are done inspecting a page and want me to turn it to a new one. (No joking!) You are constantly exploring this big ol’ world, scratching and grabbing at everything within reach — including the dogs, my hair (ow!) and your sister. You have a voracious appetite for your surroundings, and I love that about you. Surely there is nothing timid about you, my dear!

With each day your “look” reveals itself more and more, and with each passing day I think you look less and less like your big sister. In truth, she’s changing too, and at this exact moment in time I think that E.V. looks more like Daddy and you look more like me, but we’ll see. There are still many years to go before we’ll truly be able to tell. What I do know is that you are beautiful, that people gush over you like crazy and are always complimenting you. (It’s those almond eyes!) Right now your hair is dark and your eyes are still blue like Daddy’s, but I still think you favor me. ;)

Crickie, we love you sooo much. There may have never been a baby more loved EVER; between E.V., Daddy and me, you are never alone and never un-doted-upon. I can’t imagine our lives without you. You are my tiny, happy sidekick, and you are truly a part of me in every way. In fact, in the rare moments when we are separated, you are all that I can think about. I love to hold you, hug you and make you laugh. I thrive on the moments we have together, just snuggling and talking. You are my world — our world — and we love you to pieces.

Happy five months!

Love you,

Me (and Daddy and E.V.)

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…and back to real life!
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