Dear Ana,
In the relative scheme of things, five months doesn’t seem like much, but the things you have learned or done in the five short months of your existence amazes me each and every day. Your hand-eye coordination has improved drastically this last month. So much in fact, that you can put your binky in your mouth. All. By. Yourself. I now have to accept the fact that you no longer need me. On the plus side, this new skill now keeps you busy for several minutes. I no longer pop the binky in when you are upset, rather I hand you the binky and you put it in yourself. Occasionally you even put it in the right way.

But this months most entertaining accomplishments involve 1) your feet and 2) your tongue. You finally discovered your feet a couple weeks ago. I have been showing them to you (slightly by accident) each and every time I changed your diaper, but only recently did you realize they were actually connected to you and not another toy your mama busted out to distract you. But in the last few days you realized your feet could reach your mouth. Now there has been no stopping you from chomping on those tiny toes like I have been doing since the day you were born.

As for your tongue, you mostly use it to blow raspberries, make tiny spit bubbles, or allow it to slowly sneak out of your mouth like a curious snake (the cutest thing ever, by the way). But while we were in Minnesota, walking through the Mall of America, you started making the strangest noise. I even stopped pushing the stroller to make sure you weren’t choking on something. You had discovered that you could use your tongue to draw in your top lip and make the strangest sucking, slurping sound. I thought maybe you didn’t realize your pacifier was out and slipped it in for you. You promptly spit it out and went back to sucking on your own face. Good times.

We all know how much your father loves soccer, and without wanting to push you into anything, he wants to share this love with you. Even your “baby exercises” involve drills like quick feet and high knees. When you guys hang out he often has a soccer game on in the background and you just love it (I am sure the bright colors in HiDef have something to do with it, but don’t tell your father). Imagine his excitement when this month you actually went to your very first game! We took you to watch your cousin Emily play. Daddy can’t wait to take you to a Timbers game, but I told him he has to wait until there is a game that starts before your bedtime. Don’t worry, that time will come before you know it.

Another great thing about this past month is that we have really nailed down a bedtime routine for you. We start with a bath, followed by a baby lotion massage, then we get you into your jammies and read you a bedtime story before one last feeding. You love reading books with Daddy. He does great voices and sometimes even lets you chew on the pages. Just the way you like it. But the best part is just before you start getting fussy and super tired (about the time we start the feeding) there is this tiny window where you are the happiest baby ever. I mean deliriously happy. The other day your Auntie Megs was over during this window and each time you looked at her you burst out in uncontrollable laughter. You giggled nonstop for about five minutes straight, and I can honestly say that was one of the happiest moments of my life.

Oh and have I mentioned just how much you love chewing on your foot? Specifically your right foot?

All my love,
Mama