A Changing Chica

My baby is 5 1/2 months old. I am torn. I can't get over how fun five months is. She can do so many cool things! However, in my mind she has officially become a big baby, never to be a newborn again.

My soft, cooing, tiny little thing full of brand-new-ness is gone, and in that place is a funny, studious, gorgeous little girl who likes to take a big breath and shout out a note at the top of her lungs until she runs out of air. Over and over again. Today she did it for five minutes straight, through a song and a half on my iPod. Cracked me up.

Hazel gets up on her hands and knees and rocks back and forth now. She isn't crawling yet, but she still manages to make her way all around the room. She pulls herself with her arms and slides on her belly, too. She looks like a little 'gator baby when she moves.
Hazel has officially started solid food as well. She has taken well to sitting in the high chair and being spoon-fed runny rice cereal. Mostly she likes to grab the spoon and chomp on her bib, but I've been pleased with how open she is to new experiences. So far, so good.
She's getting to be so much fun to hang out with. I'll lay on my back and put her on me, tummy to tummy, and nuzzle my face in her neck, and the two of us giggle like schoolgirls. She is adorable. Truly my little buddy.