Birthday girl

Like the cake face? Live, from Spring Hill, Fla., home of Grandpa Robert and Grandma Julie

Five Months

Dear Sweet P,

You are now five months old. The clock on your first half-year of life is tick, tick, ticking away and this month has been a big one!

It started off with the whirlwind of your first airplane trip -- we went to Colorado so you could meet all our family there. You are a champion flier (so far!). On the ride out, you slept peacefully for four of the four-and-a-half hour flight snugly on my chest. On the way home, you were up a bit more, but content to watch Mason or nurse.

You can roll over easily both ways now, and regularly do. You don't like to play on your tummy, but you sure like to sleep on it, with your little tushie sticking straight up in the air. If you're not on your back, then you're on your side doing this adorable little pose that makes it look like you're running across your crib. (Note to mommy: capture this on photo!) You are a wiggle worm, in perpetual motion. Your hands or feet are always kicking or flailing. You love your toes. You eat them with regularity.



You are full of coos and babbles. You've giggled twice. You put EVERYTHING in your mouth. This makes me very nervous because big brother has approximately 4,000 little Lego pieces, 265 army guys and a selection of plastic-bagged toys.

You now eat solid food. We started with oatmeal (no rice cereal for you, my once-a-week-pooper, says the doctor.) You still poop about one day a week. Lately it's been Wednesdays. And it looks like guacamole. Must be your second food, the avocado, doing that to you. You're up to sweet potatoes, pears and bananas now. You make funny faces when you eat. Especially the first few bites of something new. I laugh.



Your hair is long enough that it gets in your eyes. I've started pony-tailing it. You have two looks. Straight-up and Alfalfa-like, or a little curl depending on whether it's wet when I put it up.



Your smiles and squeals are infectious. Right now, you're chilling on the bed behind me. Screaming in delight. Daring me to stare at the computer and now your cute self. We are buddies. We spend lots of time together while Mason is at school. We are inseparable. When we are not in our apartment, we are on the road -- you strapped snugly into the sling and perched on my chest. I love the way this feels, and think you do, too!

You love your Dad-O and your brother. You light up when Mason walks into the room. Sometimes you blink and flinch when he comes running toward you to smother you in kisses or 'zerbert' your tummy, but you love it -- and not so secretly. When Dad-O is around, you do this funny, very intent stare at him. As soon as he looks at you and smiles, you get coy, smirk and turn away. I love that, too.

I love you dear child!

Mamamamamamamama (that's how you say it ... I'm sure you know exactly who you're talking to when you babble that, right?)

"Tree" months

Piper hit the three-month mark today. As you can see, she's a growing girl -- and now bigger than her bear!



We celebrated the day by decorating the Christmas tree ... well, we would have done that whether we had a three-month birthday to celebrate or not, as we always do it the day after Thanksgiving.

Mason LOVED breaking out all the ornaments this year and asked about each one -- who it belonged to and where it came from. He did a great job finding a special spot on the tree for each and every one of them.



Dad-O (with Piper propped on his other shoulder, no less) gave him an assist for the finishing touch.



Mommy had to pose them in front of the tree ... and under the tree! Too bad we already had the Christmas cards printed, because this one is a winner.

Piper at 2 months

Here's our growing girl and her bear...



Showing off her Barbie band-aids after her trip to the doctor and first round of vaccinations...



And just a cute shot of her sticking out her tongue, because she's found that she has one and uses it for more than just showing Mommy how hungry she is!



We went to the doctor today and she checked in at 23.5 inches long and 11 pounds, 5 ounces. For those keeping track of the numbers, she's in the 90th percentile for height and 60th for weight. Either way, she's growing well! Remember last month's prediction of blue eyes? Well...this month the doctor says "dark" eyes. Different doctor, though, so I guess we'll keep waiting and see what develops over the next few months.

In general Piper news, like I said, she's found her tongue and likes to play with it by sticking it out. It's pretty hilarious when she sticks it out while trying to "talk." I'll try to come up with a video of that sometime soon. She also loves her bouncy seat and seemingly has figured out that by batting the monkey, she can make it sing to her. The baby gym is also a popular attraction and every time Mommy and Grammy are chatting on the phone (which is A LOT) she wants to join in, though always looks a little confused to hear the voice, but not see my mouth moving when I put the phone to her ears!

Piper at 1 month

In my pre-blogging days, I sent out e-mail blasts to "Mason's list" on each of his "monthly" birthdays. Once he hit one year, we graduated to the blog ... so here we are. I'll try to post all Piper's pertinent info here each month so all interested parties can follow her growing progress!

Here she is with her special teddy bear that Mason built for her with the help of some Great Aunties back on our trip to Colorado. Great Aunt Patty took the cap home with her and had it embroidered with her name and a little rose (Piper Rose, get it?!) and sent it once she was born. So, expect the teddy to be a mainstay in these pics so we can see how she overtakes it in size, eventually!



At her one-month checkup, she was 9 pounds, 15.7 ounces. Had she not left a present in her diaper just before hopping on the scales, she would have tipped it at 10 pounds to be sure! Everything checked out a-OK. The doctor was happy with her growth and predicted a blue-eyed baby. Time will tell...