Mary Hardin at 5 months old!

Mary Hardin is 5 months old.  She is vibrant and full of joy, giggles and smiles.  If you make eye contact with Mary Hardin you are sure to get an honest, smile of excitement and love.  I pray that this spirit lives within her for all of her days.

 
Mary Hardin LOVES to be outside and especially loves riding in the stroller.  Unlike her sister was at this age, Mary Hardin always stays wide awake while riding in the stroller.  She looks around with such curiosity and wonder.  It is almost like she wants to take it all in.

For example, on Sunday evening I took the girls for a stroll.  Mary Hardin and Lillie were both awake the entire ride.  After we got inside I took Lillie out of the stroller first to wash her hands (she picked up an open band-aid at the playground - YUCK!).  After we finished washing hands, we returned to the living room to find Mary Hardin sound asleep in the stroller. 

Mary Hardin is long and lean these days.  The only thing that gives her any bulk are the cloth diapers, which we are loving.  She adores her sister and is primarily entertained by Lillie's antics.

She is getting closer to sitting up on her own - she can hold a tripod for about 30 seconds before she dives for her feet.  Although most of the time I think this is on purpose.  She LOVES her toes.  In fact, I think she is most happy when she has both feet in/near her mouth.

Mary Hardin is officially a thumb sucker.  It has taken some getting use to but, as Mary Hardin gets more comfortable and QUICK at finding her own soothing method I think it will work out well.

Eating.  Oh eating.  She does it.  Not well, but enough.  She is often not happy about it.  We are headed back to the Pediatric GI on Monday for a solid food plan.  We have been given the go ahead to start rice cereal but aren't suppose to dive into anything else without meeting with the specialist.  Honestly, I feel like what is the hurry?

Sleeping is going pretty well.  We have found some type of groove in the past couple of weeks that seems to work out if the stars align at daycare and she eats what she needs to while she is there.  It is really hard to get on a great schedule because we go get her at 5:45 not knowing what the day has held for her.  But, all things considered I think she does fantastic.

Lets talk about all things considered... sweet Mary Hardin has eczema.  No big deal, really.  The only thing that breaks my heart is that it is on her face (also on her legs, feet, elbows, shoulders).  I feel guilty when we use the steroid cream on her face to calm it down but I also feel guilty when she is clawing at her face because I didn't use the steroid cream.  Total no win for me.  Her right eye still has a blocked tear duct which seems to be harboring some icky bacteria that we have been struggling to get rid of for a few weeks.  We finally moved to some oral antibiotics which seem to be doing the trick - thankfully!  We are praying against a trip to the pediatric ophthalmologist. These things are just minor baby hiccups.  Not biggies but enough to make anyone a little cranky.  However, Mary Hardin seems to take it all in stride.

I am so very thankful for Mary Hardin.  She brings our family great joy.