Mango At 5 Months!

Can you believe it?!? Can you really believe it? 5 months already! She was just born, was just focusing on our faces, was just rolling, just smiling, just cooing. Now she's flipping through her books on her own, talking to us, laughing constantly, doing all kinds of crazy baby yoga moves and learning something new every minute it seems. I never doubted for a second when people said they grow up in a flash but I really can't believe how time just sped up the minute she was born.

She was smiling right before this... she definitely knows when Mama breaks out the camera now

We're getting ready to start solids, and by that I mean I've gotten the baby food maker out of the closet, though it's still in a box in the kitchen. Part of me knows she's ready but another part of me isn't ready myself to start this next phase. While she does show interest in what we eat, she's not actively trying to eat it so I think we'll target right after the San Antonio trip as the official solid start, basically right when she turns 6 months. Our playdate this past Sunday had three 6 month old babies and they were all on solids already, so we'll just continue to play it by ear.

I also can't believe next month will be officially 6 months breast-feeding! For being such a challenge initially, I'm so thankful I've made it this far and am hoping I can make it a little further. My goal is anywhere around 8-12 months and as that grows closer I'm thankful to have that wonderful bond with Moira now that she's so much more aware. Pumping at work is no easy task too (there are 5-6 other pumping moms on a given day and we share 2 rooms so every day is a scheduling struggle), plus I've had days where I've forgotten to pack bottles (I now just use Lanolin milk bags, which I keep a huge box of here at work), where meetings throw everything off, when I've worn non-pumping-friendly clothing and that takes an extra 10 minutes, but I try to be grateful that I even work in an environment where I am given the facilities to do this, as well as have a great group of other pumping moms to provide support for each other. One lawyer mom I met this weekend who was going back at 6 months had to wean her son already because she's in court all day and can't exactly exit mid-trial to pump, so I'm very thankful for how accommodating they are here to new moms.

All bundled up for our playdate!

This weekend was also the kick-off of the working moms playdate, which was so nice! There were 2 lawyers, 1 woman who worked for Marc Jacobs (even she doesn't buy their baby clothes though, haha), and another mom I knew from earlier meet-ups who works for another ad agency. I know Moira's interacting with other babies everyday at school but I love to see her in action and also connect with Mom's on how they balance the work-home-mom-wife/partner role they now juggle.

Moira is coming home happy, learning all sorts of new tricks and even doing art! We've made a point to read to her as much as possible but also give her Mango time to just hang out and play by herself. Yesterday when I picked her up at school it was the first time she smiled when she saw me and that was the best! She also had been finger painting and we had our first fridge art!

Next stop, art school!

In non-Moira related news I just got a new account at work, Trulia, which I'll be adding to Blue Cross Blue Shield and Brandman University. It's a lot, but I'm also looking at a bigger picture here that might hopefully include some steady working from home (especially once she gets into the school closer to our home) and a few other things that may or may not involve having a larger salary.

Upcoming:

• DC for Megan and Tom's baby shower and seeing Aunt T and Uncle Chris is coming up soon! 
• I also asked for an extra cheesy card from Bill for Valentines, but I think I may have beaten him to the punch there ;) I'm normally not a Hallmark holiday type of person but I feel it's nice to make the effort to connect and show our appreciation for each other as much as possible now that we have Moira.
• Getting SOOOO excited for Texas! These cold days have got me practically counting down the hours. Plus, I haven't been since April so I'm a little homesick for the sweet Texas air and endless blue skies
• Going to a Duke v. Syracuse watch party at Bill's friends place, possibly with the Mango in tow
• This Friday is take your favorite stuffed animal to school day! Wonder who Mango's going to pick?!
• Also looking forward to the baptism in April, Teresa and Chris' reception in May, our Smokey Mountain adventure and a mini weekend trip to Rhode Island in July, and lots more little things coming up