Cora-5 Months

Dear Cora,
I know I say this EVERY single month but seriously, this one was the best one yet! You have come alive my dear. The laughs and smiles are constant and you babble the day away. You have learned so much this month as well. You learned to roll over but for some reason you hate to do it! Sometimes you roll over like "no big deal" but other times you scream and fight until you finally do it. You are a little bit of a stubborn one missy. You also learned to sit up! It is the cutest thing seeing your tiny little body sitting up so big and grown up like. Ever since you learned you hate being only half way propped up. You are constantly doing little crunches to try and sit up from laying down. I think you will get it soon.

You have become a great sleeper! Your 4 month growth spurt was terrible but since then you can go about 10-12 hours without eating. You still for some reason like to wake up at 3 am for your binky and to be swaddled again. I am just guessing you miss me. ;) You like to take  long morning nap and a long afternoon nap with a few short cat naps here and there. I am really digging this sleeping schedule we have got going on lately.

This month you weaned yourself. :( I was SO sad but have come to terms with it. Shortly after coming home from Arizona you started throwing big fits every time I would try and nurse you. It was like I was torturing you. After a few days of huge meltdowns for every feed I gave up and gave you a bottle. You downed it and haven't looked back. I was able to nurse you at night if you woke up but eventually even then you would be sad. I pumped for about a month but eventually my supply went down and I was missing out on spending time with you for pumping so I stopped this past week. I will miss those days of nursing but I do feel lucky we had 5 months of it.

I mentioned in your last letter that we were going to a cardiologist to check out a heart murmur. It turns out you have a little heart defect called vascular stenosis. It means that one side of your heart lets out too much blood making the other side work harder to make up for it. It is a  very minor case and nothing to worry about at this point. We go back next month to see if it has improved or gotten worse. Usually within the first year of life it can either heal itself, stay the same, or get worse. It doesn't usually get worse after the first year. So we will just be checking up on it as your grow. It was NOT a fun appointment. I thought it would be relatively short but we were there for 4 hours! We should have brought daddy. I had to pin you down for your echocardiogram and they didn't like for you to cry but you were hungry and tired and uncomfortable so it was sort of traumatic for you. I felt terrible. Thankfully, we survived. Next month we are for sure having Dad come along for help.

I love coming to your crib first thing in the morning. You are always so happy to see me and squeal and smile. You still do the most amazing stretches once I unswaddle you too. It is the cutest to see you pucker your lips and arch your back and just STRETCH AND STRETCH. I hope you never stop doing that. You are not much of a cuddler. You prefer to be facing out and not held in close. You like to observe the whole world. You are very aware of your surroundings and very quiet and inquisitive whenever we are somewhere new. You love to just look and take it all in.

The weather has gotten warmer here in New Haven so we have been spending lots more time outside. You are seriously the most content, happy baby when you are outside. You love to just look at everything. I feel like after spending the first 3-4 months of your life stuck in a 2 bedroom apartment you are ready to explore the world. I feel the same way baby girl. I am SO glad it is spring.

You are the best little errand buddy and I feel comfortable taking you just about anywhere. You are literally the easiest baby. I swear my next child will probably be crazy because you are just so chill. So many people in the ward comment on how easy going you are. You are just genuinely happy to be here. I am so grateful for you easy going personality. It has made being away from family and having Dad working all the time a lot easier. I don't know what I would have done with a colic child.

Cora Mae, I do love you. Every single day I think I fall in love with you more. From your early morning smiles, to you jumping like a crazy child in your exersaucer, to your happy screams in the bathtubs, and your giggles right before bed. I sneak in your room every night before I go to sleep and kiss your perfect little chubby cheeks. I still can't believe I got so lucky to call you mine. Promise to stay 5 months forever. You are the greatest joy and I hope you always know how special you are to me and your Dad. I love you baby girl, forever.