five & 02|52 (plus a few)

Writing a post about my girl's five month milestones, and the second picture in the 52 week project should be easy for me, but it isn't. I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel this intense pressure to write something worth reading. I guess that's what happens after a post goes viral? I don't know. Even admitting that gives me anxiety that strangers will use that vulnerability as a weapon. I suppose that's why I haven't really addressed the response, or why I probably never will aside from this.  I feel silly even writing this. I didn't expect my audience to expand from a couple hundred to a few million. That so many would share their hearts with me, and that I would be given some once-in-a-lifetime opportunities because of a blog post. It's strange and wonderful and terrifying all at once.

I just keep reminding myself, though, that not even a fraction of the five million + that read those words will come back to this space. Most have probably closed that tab, and forgotten my words by now, so I will come back here, and write how I would before. Mediocrely, at best. For me.

And for her.

Anabel is five months old. She is 14 pounds and 8 ounces. Almost double her birth weight! She is working on growing several teeth at once, and aside from the exhaustion that brings (to all of us), five months is the best month ever. I know I say that every month, and I know I am definitely one of "those moms," but I can't help it.

I don't think I have ever spent so many consecutive days in stitches. She is just so, so goofy. A clown by default. I can see her sense of humor developing and it makes us so thrilled for the months ahead. She is a rolling machine. She can almost sit up. She is a biter. A distracted eater. She likes the taste of her toes. Still crazy about Sophie the Giraffe. She is iffy about bath time, as she has upgraded to her bigger tub. She's on a mission to steal my water bottle, and figure out how to use it. She thinks Chance, our dog, is pretty darn hilarious, and when I click my tongue, too, but no one can make her giggle the way Steven does. She's also taking a liking to riding on his shoulders.

We celebrated her first Christmas with my mama in town, and her first New Years at home together, just the two of us. She also spent some quality time this past week with her adopted aunts, Mary Claire, Madeline, Marielle, and Sarah too! She still likes her comfy woombie (she will probably sleep in that thing until she's twenty), and refuses to go anywhere without her tiny mink blanket (the one my mom bought while I was pregnant, and I swore up and down I would never use). I thought I would mourn the time going by so quickly a bit more, but honestly it's really hard when life with her just keeps getting better and better (and better).

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