Norah: 5 Months

Well, I think it's becoming a pattern that I'm late on the monthly pictures and posts. Part of being a mom for the second time, I think. Norah is now 5 months and 1 week. I did manage to get a picture of her, but it sure is difficult when she's not sitting up quite yet, but leans forward on the couch which leads to falling on her face (on the couch). Another challenge is taking my eyes off the view finder to get her attention and make her smile, then as quick as possible look through the camera to refocus. Of course by this time she is not smiling anymore, usually soaked with drool, and on her way to falling over. In addition to these challenges, Charlie does not understand how he has to stay out of the picture while he helps me make her smile. Here's what you would have heard in the background of these photos: "NOO-rahh....Norah! Norah baby! Look up here! *snap snap snapping fingers* Norahhhh (getting incredibly high pitched and louder now).....can you smile??? No, don't fall over! Stay there! Don't lick the sign! Charlie, can you help me make Norah smile? Okay, Charlie get out of the picture, stand back here...Norah! Look at me!!! *wiping drool away* *Charlie starting to whine and cry* *Norah starting to cry* Okay, I give up. These pictures will have to do." So, with that disclaimer, here is a series of her 5 month photos :)

  
Stats: 13 lbs 14 oz. (our little peanut!) and about 25 inches long

What's new with Norah?
  

• Playing with toys! Ok, mostly chewing on them, but she is more entertain-able these days.
• Grasping objects and switching hands before putting them in her mouth.
• Enjoying hanging out on her tummy for longer periods of time during the day by. herself. :)
• Listening to her big brother read her stories.
• She LOVES watching Charlie. 
• Her hatred for the car is diminishing, and we generally don't have to listen to screaming the entire trip anymore!
• A nap schedule! Hooray! She is taking 3 regular naps now (somewhere around 9am. noonish/1ish and 4ish) and has a somewhat regular bedtime between 7 and 7:30pm. She wakes up twice in the night to eat (around 11pm and 3-4am-ish) and wakes up for the day around 7:30am. 
• Learning to fall asleep on her own. She does great with bedtime, hardly any tears ever, and most naps are the same way. This is a huge blessing!
• More playful in general with an emerging personality. She laughs and smiles constantly and loves to be bounced and cuddled. I love the "koala bear" phase she's in now where she holds on to me so tightly when I hold her :) She also loves playing with my hair...and not just grabbing it and pulling on it super hard anymore, but actually being mesmerized by it as she gently touches and bats at it. Ha.
• She's been "talking" a lot more lately!
• She still loves sticking out her tongue and feeling her gums as she continues to teethe without any teeth coming through yet!
• She rolled over from her tummy to her back for the first time in the last month, but hasn't done it since. She really is content to just stay put, which is fine with us for now! 
• Her favorite song: "A Bushel and a Peck" :)
• Blows raspberries and sticking her tongue out all the time!
• Stops nursing for a moment to look at me and smile or put her hand on my cheek. So precious!

So crazy how different two babies in the same family can be! By this time, Charlie had 2 teeth (and working on more), was sitting up, rolling over in both directions, and starting to crawl! He also weighed 17 lbs in comparison to her slightly less than 14!  At the same time, Norah is much easier to make smile or laugh, is content to sit alone longer than Charlie was, and goes to sleep easier. It will be interesting to see how different their personalities are over the years! So thankful for and blessed by both!