Afton does not laugh easily. She really makes you work for it. There have only been a couple times when we have really got her going. Most of the time it is just a quick courtesy laugh and then she moves on to something else.
Afton's personality is really coming out. I see it most when she eats while Pete is around. She will stop eating and stare at Pete until he notices her and then she will give a big smile and go quickly back to eating. Upon which Peter laughs and she stops eating and turns back to him looking at him like "What's so funny?" She is also very social and has a hard time eating and sleeping when people are around. It isn't just the noise, because if no one is paying attention to her she CAN eat and sleep, but if she thinks she can be part of things she won't.
She is pretty serious about her eating/chewing/sucking on things
She isn't really particular about people yet, she will smile at almost anyone that gives her attention unless she is tired.
She really doesn't cuddle or snuggle much. She will lean her head against my chest for a few minutes when she is trying to go to sleep but then she will get interested in something and pick her head up to look around or arch her back. Then I just have to set her in her crib and let her settle down.
She loves music but not when she is settling down to sleep. I think maybe it's because I sang to her every time she was going down for about two weeks straight and now she associates it with sleep. Although it is probably only my voice because Michelle has told me she sings her to sleep sometimes. Any routine I have ever had for putting her to sleep no longer works so we have to get creative. She won't let me rock her or hold her laterally or sing to her. Right now I hold her up right and sway from side to side. I used to hold her binky in her mouth but now she gets mad at that. So I just let her move around while I sway. Oh but music--she loves to be sung to or listen to music.
She also loves books! She will sit still while we read MULTIPLE books or the same book 4 times in row if you want! As long as they are colorful, she really likes them.
She is really close to sitting up on her own!
Afton's sleeping positions have gotten wild. For about three days she slept like this (pictured below) and it seriously worried me because she has always just slept on her back. I worried about her cranked neck (not as bad in this picture as it sometimes gets) until I realized that is exactly my favorite sleeping position! But then for a few days she got into this phase of rolling too far onto her stomach and not being able to roll back (I don't know why because she first rolled from her back to her stomach but she hasn't done it in months--maybe she forgot how?). Well I got tired of turning her over so she just had to cry it out and eventually gave up and slept on her stomach. She has slept on her stomach about three nights in a row as well. So who knows what is next!
Afton had a couple firsts during her 5th month:
RICE CEREAL! She didn't really think it was a big deal the first time but she is slowly hating it more and more. She turns her head and won't open her mouth. Although if she starts talking I will stick in the spoon and get some in and she won't complain. So I really think it's the spoon thing. Maybe I should try different spoons? I just bought 4-month plastic spoons at Babies R Us.
PONY TAIL! While it is really fun to put a pony in for a few minutes and admire her crazy hair, I feel like she is too young to be wearing a pony! I can't even imagine how I will feel when she wants to start wearing make-up! Pete has also expressed that he likes her naturally crazy hair and not ponies. So we just do it when we feel like playing dress up.
