Letters to Avery: 5 months

Dear Avery,

I've been staring at the screen in a daze for the last few seconds trying to gather my thoughts.  And the thought that keeps coming to me is, "I'm tired." But that may have as much to do with you as it has to do with your two brothers, and basketball season, and life. 

You're five months old now and your forth month was a fun one!  You can now roll over both ways, grab on to everything, and make everyone in your family laugh.  You love to be part of the action which means you do great at basketball games, watching your brothers play, and all the other craziness we have going on in our lives.  You tolerate the car so much better now and dare I say, I think you might actually like it.  That has done wonders to my mental state.

You like your pacifier now and I LOVE it.  (Thank you, Grandma).  It helps you go to sleep and generally, be a happier baby.  Just this week we finally bought you two of your own girly pacis...Jackson was good about sharing his, but I figured you deserved a few of your own.

Each morning, you sit in your bumbo seat in the middle of the table and watch your brothers eat.  We call it, "the puking chair," for what should be obvious reasons.  You entertain your brother with your spitting up and various other tricks... they think its hysterical when you knock the napkin holder and salt shaker.  And I'm not sure you understand that you're the one that makes them laugh, but you always look pretty proud of yourself.

Your night sleeping has been.... interesting.  Yesterday, I told your dad, "Well, at least she isn't screaming through the night anymore."  We both shuddered at the memory.  You have made progress, but we've got some work to do.  Each night, usually around the 3 or 4 am hour, you are AWAKE.  Its usually 40 minutes to an hour, and for most of that time, you're perfectly happy.  But did I mention, AWAKE.  I've got some good reading done during these periods, but frankly, I'd prefer to get some good sleeping done instead. 

Avery, we've made it through five months, through most of winter and much of basketball season.  I can't say its downhill from there, but thanks for sticking with me when my fuse was short and patience thin.  You haven't made our lives easier, but you have made it much more full and I speak for Brady, Jackson, and Daddy when I say, we love you very much.

Love,

Mom