Fun in the summah sun

Mabel will be 5 months old this weekend. Recently, Mabel has been enjoying the summer sun via pool, beach, and yard. She's got a neat dome that we can plop her in and she remains shaded and also blocked from bugs. Mabel and I have spent some time sitting in the yard- which she tolerates for about 45 minutes. I can't blame her- I wouldn't want to be covered in 60 SPF AND thrown in a dome AND stuck in generally one position, unable to sit up unassisted yet. We've also gone to the pool here, at my parents' house, and at Mabel's uncle's. She's been a good water rat and I am just counting us lucky that her swim diaper has held up and we don't see a brown surprise exiting into the shallow end. I would die. I mean, who really knows if these swim diapers work, but for now, she hasn't had the urge to shiz while swimming- phew! Her most notable milestone at this week is the starting of solid foods. We put her on rice cereal a couple weeks ago, but for the past three days, she has encountered the delight of puréed sweet potatoes-mmmm! Truthfully, they are not terrible, to which I can attest after spilling some and lapping it up from my hand. Classy mom! We are now way more into bibs than ever before as we attempt NOT to get orange ickies on her sweet little outfits. This is where I wonder why people buy super- expensive duds for the bambinos. At some point, that baby food gets unwieldy and cumbersome! It's been quite fun to watch Mabel actually eat- and grin in the process--- that formula must get pretty flipping boring after a while, and variety is the spice of life! Some time- markers: loves the Sesame Street songs sung by Cookie Monster, Grouch, and Elmo (on her wooden toy); is making quite a range of sounds; is so mobile that we have to strap her into her bouncy chair and swing; is very well behaved and quiet in the car (just sits and watches trees and cars); can grip and grasp at finer/ smaller things than before; pulls at things above her (on playmat, in swing, etc); tucks both lips in and makes the cutest "mmmmmm" sound i have ever heard; laughs heartily :)