5 months old

Here he is, five months old! FIVE MONTHS! Where has the time gone?

This time last year Sam was a growing in my belly -- my pants were starting to get tight and I was starting to feel pregnant even if no one else could see it. The semester was ending. I was exhausted. My morning sickness hit primarily at night, so my routines consisted primarily of school work, sleeping, and eating plain dry cereal like Cheerios.

Now a year later, I have a great big baby in my arms, one that wiggles like crazy because he's just getting so curious to touch and discover all of the world around him. Today he does not seem happy sitting still but doesn't have the ease of mobility to explore things around him without assistance -- must be really frustrating for him!

At five months old, Sam ...

• Has rolled over numerous times, both back to belly and belly to back, but isn't "rolling."
  
• Squeals and smiles with delight, but doesn't regularly laugh -- that's an extra special treat we see every once in a while.
• Likes to nap at least twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.
• Sometimes sleeps through the night. Sometimes wakes as much as every two hours.
• Sometimes falls asleep on his own with ease, sometimes he cries a while.
  
• Eats about every 3 hours, ranging 2.75-4 hours.
• Has really discovered his hands. This started this past month by reaching, tapping, scratching anything that was at the far reach of his arms. It was so amazing to watch this discovery of the world that began beyond his finger tips. He then started pinching and grabbing thin flexible things like blankets and fabric. Now he reaches for anything and everything he can and promptly brings it to his mouth.
• Has begun teething. I still see a white spot in his gum that seems pretty obviously the first emergence of a tooth. However, it seems to have halted, so I guess it will probably come in spurts and he might not really have his first tooth for 6+ months after all.
• Has really dry skin, but the Eucerin creme (applied day and night), bathing every 2-3 days, and using hands instead of baby wash cloth seems to have really cleared up the eczema. His cheeks remain pretty red a lot of the time though.
• Still has changing eye color and hair color. Guessing the hair will be golden/reddish blonde and the eyes blue of some nature -- don't know how blue, whether they will be more gray or more green or what.
• Has tried rice cereal and is starting to like it, but I have decided to wait another month before trying again.
• Is really strong, but can't sit up on his own yet.
• Likes standing when you hold his hands to help balance, and can even balance while propped against a low table or something, but he's not THAT stable. I think it must be hard to stand on those little chubby feet when he's got such excess chub. His little toes are always curled, trying to dig into the hardwood floor.
  
• Likes socializing and getting a change of scene.
• Likes bath time.
• Likes it when we sing to him.
• Laughs to Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.
• Gets a red unibrow when he gets worried or worked up.
• Loves blowing raspberries.
• Loves to play in the clean laundry.
  

And as the mother of a five-month old, I can now...

• Know when my son needs to eat or take a nap -- a learned skill, one that does not naturally appear when one becomes a mom.
• Can rock my baby to sleep when others can't.
• Breastfeed in a variety of situations, though I choose to always keep it private. I'm not bold enough for public nursing.
• Know how to make my son smile, squeal, and sometimes laugh.
• Take time to make art! though it's not a LOT of time...
  
• Take time to learn new things! though it's not a LOT of time...
• Take time to clean house! though it's not a LOT of time...
• Get out of the house pretty easily again, but now find that I am more comfortable in the house anyway.
  

I shall close with a note directly from Sam, who now likes to help me at the computer:

"j miukkSEAuytghfg"

exactly. couldn't have said it better myself.