Smile!

You are five months old today, andI can't believe how much you have grown and changed in the last few weeks. Your hair is getting lighter and that awful first haircut of yours has finally grown back out. You are almost 12 big pounds now (although you haven’t gained any length so most of it is in your thighs). Your eyes are opening more and you are becoming more active and playful. Your cry sounds more like a baby than a newborn these days. And this weekend we hit two major milestones.

Thursday I decided you needed to learn how to smile and so I began to teach you. I would give you a big grin, point to my mouth and say “this is Mommy’s smile” and then I would pull your mouth up into a smile and say “this is Audrey’s smile!”. After a few times of this you would do a quick up down motion with your mouth and I would give you lots of praise. Then Friday morning after we got out of bed and dressed for the day I asked you to show me your pretty smile, and you did! I didn’t even have to do it for you the first time! This was so encouraging for me. The reason language comes hard for special kiddos like you is because they don’t understand symbols. That’s all a word is, a verbal symbol. So the fact that you understood so quickly what I wanted from you thrilled my heart. Most of Friday we kept practicing, and even if you couldn’t get a full smile, or hold it for very long, your mouth was busy and you were definitely trying. Then on Saturday we went to Honey and Grandpapa’s house for Grandpapa’s big birthday celebration! He held you and tickled your chubby chin and you just smiled and smiled for him. I couldn’t believe it! After I tried so hard to coax even a tiny one, you gave them all away freely to Grandpapa. But I was glad you two had that special time. I tried to capture your new smile in a photo, but someone was a little camera shy and this is the best I got.

Friday was also the first time you reached for a toy! Daddy and I gave you your first Christmas present last week since we knew it would help you learn and grow. It is a jungle mat with lots of toys and lights and music and different textures. Sometimes you like it, sometimes you don’t. Friday you were very interested and after lying real still and watching the lights for awhile, you then reached up and hit the little parrot! Not just once or twice but several times. I could barely believe my eyes. Grammy showed up just in time to watch you play. You were so cute! I have tried to get you to reach for the toy a couple times since, but this weekend you decided you would much rather be held than put on the floor to entertain yourself. Imagine that.

You saw almost every one of your aunts and uncles this weekend! Uncle Shane, Aunt Lori, Aunt Lesley, Aunt Paula, Aunt Shelby and Uncle Clayton. You have such a good time with them all. And you loved Grace and Frank. When they talk you concentrate and try so hard to see them. I think you know they are your cool older cousins and you love them. Aunt Paula is staying with us tonight and we had fun playing with your glasses.

Here is “Professor Aunt Paula”.

And “confused student Mama”.

And this is “annoyed cat Misty”.