23/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2014."

You are just plain silly sometimes, my sweet boy.  Yesterday morning you feel asleep in the swing for your morning nap, and then your papa and I looked over at you to find you like this!   You were just chilling with the pillow smashed up against your ears.  It was hilarious, and you held it there long enough for us to get this cute pic.

You are rolling like a champ now, talking and yelling most of the day away, kicking and throwing your toys around, and still giving me lots of hugs and snuggles (my favorite).  I didn't think anything could get better than that sweet newborn stage, but man oh man, it really gets better and better every day.

I love you, bug!

24/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2014."

This pic sums up our day to day experience perfectly.  You are rolling and moving all over the place.  I usually put you on your play mat while I make breakfast, and this week when I walked in to check on you, I found you like this.  You are a wild and crazy little one!  This 5 month mark is definitely a fun one, but you make me a tired mama some days.  (I love it though!)  

You are talking and yelling up a storm now too.  You make loud crazy noises when you are playing and after you wake up, and then you make soft sweet noises when you are tired and are trying to fall asleep.  Its pretty much the cutest thing ever.  When I'm rocking you, it almost sounds like you are singing yourself to sleep, and then it slowly trails off and your body goes limp and you fall asleep in my arms.  (And then my heart explodes!)  But then when you are awake and playing, you like to yell and grunt and make this weird raspy sound that seems to crack you up.  (It makes your mama and papa crack up too.)

As far as sleep goes, you are doing so much better.  We did some sleep training this past week, and you can now basically put yourself to sleep at  night without crying.  It's pretty awesome, and you are getting much better rest now.  We have a strict bedtime routine, and you seem to love it.  You laugh and smile the whole time we read your book and sing your songs, and then we lay you in your crib and kiss you good night, and you turn your head to the side and fall asleep.  (Some nights you fuss a little to get comfortable, but not for long.)  We are much more rested now because of this and get to enjoy our days with you more since we have some of our energy back.

We love you so much that its not even possible to put down in words.  I can't imagine you not in our lives, little bit.  You make everything better!!!

23/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2014."

My sweet happy baby!  You sure have changed our lives for the better.  These past couple of weeks you haven't been sleeping well at all causing your papa and me to not sleep well either.  But no matter how many hours of sleep you get, you wake up with the biggest smile and laugh, and it makes it all worth it.  We love you to the moon and back no matter how many times you make us get up at night.

22/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2014."

Today was your first day swimming, and you loved it!  We didn't get to stay out too long because it was hot and you needed a nap.  I'm looking forward to many more pool days this summer at Mimi and Pawpaw's house with my sweet little water baby.

21/52

"A portrait of my child once a week, every week, in 2014."

My little lion!  I fall in love with you over and over again every single day.  You are the sweetest, silliest, goofiest little one I know, and I couldn't enjoy my days with you more.  Bath time is one of your favorites.  You like to grab at the water and play with the wash cloth while we are trying to scrub you down.  You never cry or fuss when you're in the water.  (Even if we accidentally squirt you with freezing cold water.  Oops!)  I love drying you off and rubbing lotion all over that sweet, soft, little body of yours.  And after we are done with everything, I pick you up and we snuggle.  I wish I could bottle up that smell of yours and save it forever.  You make me such a happy mama!