5 months is a long time.

Five months is a long time. I take a break for vacation and come back to a little girl that has changed by strides. Things I love about Baby Ains:
1. I love how long her eyelashes are. Fortunately, somewhere in our gene pool is the miracle gene for eyelashes. I myself am envious of my children's good fortune and acknowledge that I'm not the donor of this gene as I strive to buy any mascara that promises volume, length, and all around miracles in the lash department.
I love it when I'm squishing my cheek against hers and she turns her head to follow some movement in the room because her eyelashes tickle my cheek. I purposely impose on her personal space and keep my face close to hers just to feel her blink.
2. I love it when I'm in the same room and I feel her eyes staring at me, following my every maneuver, anticipating my return glance. And when I do finally concede and make eye contact her face lights up and she sticks her tongue out in pure delight. This never gets old. I find it a compliment that she wants my attention just as much as I want hers!
3. I love kissing the back of her neck, right behind her ear. She doesn't seem to mind the display of affection, cause she'll let me smooch her repeatedly in that spot without moving her head in annoyance or pushing me away.
4. I love it when her bottom lip protrudes because she's rubbing her new bottom teeth against her top gums. Although I think her expression and concentration is so cute, the thought runs through my mind "I hope she's not sharpening those things!" It hurts when little teeth bite.
5. But one of my most favorite things is when she smiles. Not just those complimentary smiles that every person seems to have on hand, but the smile that you can actually watch form as if in slow motion. When the eyes start to squint, the eyebrows relax, and the forehead flexes to the back of the head. I just love those smiles, because you know that you've earned it. When I came back from vacation and she saw me next to her crib to pick her up in the morning, she bestowed me this smile and I melted.