5 Months & Erwin Family Changes

They say parenting gives you gray hair.  I am positive that taking photos of this little 5 month old has particularly added some silver to my head! :)

Lessons learned:
#1.  Don't even worry about using a real camera ever again for her monthly photos.  I am far too novice to get the lighting settings okay, things centered, the bear, kid and white board all in the screen, and even halfway expect it to not be blurry or her to be smiling.  Ha.  From now on I will grab my phone and snap some photos.  I am purposely including all of these for your entertainment and my future laughs.  ;)
#2.  If I'm crazy enough to try this again, don't use the 50mm lens.  No wonder I had to stand so far away.  Ha.
#2.  Don't try to take photos in the crib anymore.  Crib = jump up and lay down and turn around and laugh and roll over and do anything but sit.
#3.  Just be grateful to have a happy, healthy 5 month old who is full of LIFE, who won't sit still for a posed photo, who loves kissing her bear more than posing with it and is capable of rolling and standing.  Those things are what really matters.  I ended this photo shoot by giggling with her and just throwing my camera on the other couch.  Who needs to take pictures when you can get slobbery kisses instead!?

At 5 Months Old, You:

• Weigh 13 pounds!  I weighed you last night on our home scale and it said 13 pounds even. 
• Wear size 2 diapers and usually 3-6 month clothes.  Of course, I have said before, clothing companies are crazy and are all sized differently - you can fit into some 0-3 month and even some 12 month clothes.  
• Are enjoying tummy time a lot!  You lift your upper body up high and try to scoot.  Fun times are had on our big blankets!
• Understand how your toys work!  You can press buttons, pull parts and turn your toys around.  When you learn something on a new toy I can literally see the excitement on your face!  You sputter and spit and squeal. :) 
• Love to talk!!  You are very linguistic and have added a wide variety of gurgles, spits and "body sounds" to your vocabulary. ;)  
• Are losing your rockstar hair!  I am a little sad about this although I know it will grow back.  Check out this head of hair from almost 5 months ago:

This past week included several changes and HUGE prayers answered for our family.  I thought I was going to have to go back to work full-time (spent hours bawling over the thought of leaving Grey), but God has blessed in several ways, and I am able to only work part time!  I will be working for Holden Uganda on Tuesdays (and most Thursdays) while Grey spends time at daycare, allowing me to catch up on and expand HUF in the direction we are headed.  We had been discussing the need to hire someone to manage HUF, and the Board asked that I would step up and take the hired position.  It was something Chet and I very prayerfully considered, and I am honored to get the privilege of doing something I will be passionate about.  We enrolled Grey in daycare this afternoon.  I really like the director and teachers and feel that it will be a great thing for her.  (I of course will be crying/sobbing the first day I am sure!)  She is obsessed with children and other babies, so she will have quite a few to share her slobbery exuberant kisses with!  ;)  I expect a few phone calls going something like, "Well, Grey has had a good day, and she is okay, but we are working on keeping her from [accidentally] rolling on top of the other babies and smothering them [with love]."

Grey, as I think about this week in my life two years ago, I hold you closer, thankful that the Lord has taught me to appreciate every second with you even more.  We are just a few days away from your brother's 2nd birthday, and this afternoon I stare at you realizing I will never fully understand God's plans for our family (until I am in heaven), yet those plans included YOU in our lives...and I cannot imagine my life being any other way.  I am infinitely in love with your preciousness.  I am infinitely happy to be blessed enough to call you my daughter.  I love you and thank you for giving me infinite reasons to smile each day.  

He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  Romans 8:32