Five Months

Dear Lachlan,

While we were in the office taking your five month pictures today, I had a flash back to your first month. It seems crazy that you're a month shy from being half a year old.

How much you've changed in the last month!

We ended up giving you cereal a little after you turned 4 months. I was expecting quite the reaction but you were pretty straight faced and seemed to enjoy it. We started out with just a tablespoon or so and have moved up to about 1/4c of cereal mix. We decided to go with the oatmeal rather than the rice as you already have issues being "regular" and it seems to have helped a little bit in that department.

Up until about 4.5 months, you slept on your back. You gradually started to turn and eventually preferred to sleep on your side. That preference has gone from side to stomach. Speaking of sleeping, you've had a bit of a regression, especially the last few nights.. we're talking waking up every 2 hours or less. We've tested the waters with giving you a few minutes to cry and then going back in. Usually, you cry because you're exhausted and can't settle yourself down enough to sleep. You're to the point now that you start on your back, roll to your side and end up on your stomach. When you wake up in the middle of the night and you're on your tummy, you cry. We assume that you're crying because you're too tired to roll yourself over. We're hoping this is short lived as it is a little exhausting!! :)

You've made the move and almost always roll to your tummy when we put you on your back. Sometimes you go back to tummy and back to your back. You've started to tuck your knees under your body and stick your butt up in the air. Obviously, I am new to this and am not too sure how the progress works, but with the positioning and your determination, I wouldn't be surprised if you are crawling by the time I make another monthly update.. guess time shall tell! You do turn yourself around in a circle when you are down on your tummy.

I think I may have felt a TINY bit of a ridge on your gums. You sure have been drooling a lot so it wouldn't surprise me if something pops through sooner than later. You've been drooling for quite awhile but its now getting to the point where your shirt is constantly wet from drool.

You started your new daycare with Michael and Tina. We are SO happy and it seems that you are as well. When you see Tina in the morning, you smile and kick your legs. :) You've been a happier baby all around since starting there. You're a lot happier in the evenings when we pick you up than you were when we would pick you up with Sharon's.. I am thinking there is more to it than just being a coincidence.

You're grabbing everything and anything.. including daddy's beard, our nostrils, lips, glasses, skin on our necks, etc. Everything you grab, you put in your mouth. You've started to show interest in petting the animals. Salem doesn't so much appreciate you pulling his fur, but you seem to enjoy it! Hopefully they all continue to be gentle and patient with your new found love of grabbing and pulling.

You giggle and blow raspberries now. The raspberries are hit or miss and are on your terms, but we enjoy the special treat when we get it! You giggle when we make stupid faces and sounds, blow on your belly and when we make high screeched noises and attack you with our face. I am waiting for the day when you start laughing uncontrollably. When you laugh, I lose my breath. You make me smile so much that I often find my cheeks hurting. You're starting to cuddle a little bit. When we hold you upright, you sometimes lay your head on our shoulders. You fell asleep on me yesterday, which is a rare occurrence. I enjoyed every minute of it.. even the warm pool of drool I had on my chest when you woke up.

With the funny and happy times comes the scary times. You've developed a small case of stranger anxiety. Sometimes when you see people, they get too close to your face or just startle you, you scream and cry. We went out to dinner for father's day and you did not like our waitress. She said hello, your bottom lip curled under and you let out some horrible high pitched screams. I tried settling you by holding you, rocking you, shhhh'ing you, giving you a bottle, walking you around, etc, etc and nothing seemed to work. So, we had to leave. Way to ruin your father's first father's day, kiddo! :)

We've finally gone back to cloth diapering and am hoping that we can keep up with it. You don't seem as uncomfortable when you're in them and they fit you so much better now that your tummy and thighs have filled out a little bit! Since our daycare provides diapers (and won't use cloth) we won't really have to buy any more diapers now other than having a small handful on hand as you have to go to daycare in the morning in a disposable. Either way, we will save money from here on out!

You've discovered how to use your jumperoo and really get a kick out of jumping up and down. Im sure by next month you'll be flying in the air and it'll be one of your favorite things.

I decided to give you avocado as your first food (minus the oat cereal of course) on your 5 month birthday, which is today. I suppose that is next month's writing material but for now, we will leave it as you not being too impressed!

I think as far as learning new things and skills, this month has been the most eventful. I still miss you like crazy when you're away (sometimes even when you're only in the other room sleeping) and I am pretty sure I will for the rest of my life. You light up my day when you give me that big smile every morning when I come in to your room. You allow me to see the good and happiness in the smallest things in life. You give living life and everything we do in it a whole new meaning. Being a momma is one of the greatest feelings I've ever experienced. The amount of love that exists in our little family is unreal. I hope someday you are able to feel as grateful to have me as your mom as I feel to have you as my son. I'm looking forward to the rest of our lives together as a family.

xo,

Mommy