Dear Daniel, (five months!)

You liked this swing for a few days,
but now you're over it.

Wow, kiddo, you turned five months old on Sunday! This month has gone by so very fast, even though it's been harder than other months.

It's been a tough month because you've been crying a lot. Once a week or so, you cry so hard that your voice is hoarse the next day. It makes us so sad to hear the effects of your crying lingering in your voice, but fortunately, it doesn't seem to bother you at all! Maybe you're starting to feel particularly grumpy about teething?

You're always
chewing on something!

Your mouth must be hurting because you're chewing all the time. My fingers have gotten very sore from the constant gnawing. Over the past week, we've received some new teething gifts from your grandparents (thanks, guys!), and you seem to be enjoying getting to know all the new textures. It's nice to have more things to try when you're feeling fussy about your teeth. I remember what it felt like to have my second set of teeth come in as a child, so I can only imagine what it feels like to have that happen for the first time. Ouch! Good thing you (most likely) won't remember it.

You found your feet this month and promptly put them in your mouth. It's usually the left one that you prefer to munch on. You do it a lot on the changing table and when we're lying in bed together in the morning. Also, if I leave you to play by yourself on the floor for a while, I often find you wearing one wet sock when I retrieve you from your play area.

Yummy left foot!

It's fun that you're enjoying your feet so much, but it's made it more challenging to do EC since you found them. Often, when I squat you over the toilet, you put your foot in your mouth instead of peeing. Speaking of EC, we have yet to have you pee or poop in the bathtub, because we always offer the potty before and after the bath. You're almost always dry when I get you up from a nap, and if I don't take you to potty right when you wake up, you'll pee on the changing table right after I take your diaper off. I think it's pretty amazing that you'll hold it so long to avoid being wet!

This month, you've gotten increasingly vocal in happy ways, too! You still like to talk a lot when we're driving somewhere in the car. You wake up most mornings chatting to yourself happily. Sometimes, you like to sing along with us when we're singing to you or when we have music playing. You certainly do seem to like music! I really enjoy our times singing to you together. One thing you're still warming up to is Music Together class. I've been working on making that a happier experience for you, particularly with a long transition time before class starts. When you get over-stimulated by the class, we go and stand in the corner away from all the people.

You don't laugh often, but when you do, it's so delightful. Your papa and I spend lots of time trying to get you to laugh. I'm pretty sure you're amused, but you seem to enjoy watching us make such an effort for no reward. All the silliness gets us laughing though, so it's worth it anyway. We took lots of video of you making joyful noises, and here's some of it: (There's also an extended version for anyone who might be interested in watching it.)



Earlier this month, I took you back to the doctor to get weighed again, and you're 14lbs, 5oz! This means you're on the same percentile curve that you were last time. This confirms that everything is just fine with your weight gain. Basically, the doctor said you're tall and skinny...and since I know your Papa, I can't say I'm surprised about that one! The doctor tried so hard to make you laugh when we were there, but you wouldn't even crack a smile for him. I thought it was pretty funny how you refused to fall for his tricks!

In the past week or so, you've figured out that you can grab me by the hair. Now I have to be careful how close I get to your face or you might get a handful of my hair and pull! You pull on Papa's hair, too, so I think you just enjoy the textural experience. You and Eddie regularly have baby/kitty cuddle sessions. I took some really cute video of the two of you doing this last week. He curls up next to (or partially on top of) you, and you pull on his ears and fur while he soaks up all the attention. It's definitely a mutually-beneficial relationship. You two are pretty darn cute!

Aside from the crying, your tendency to not stay asleep for long stretches during the day seems to be slowly diminishing. I can almost always get you to take an hour or more nap in the morning, and then if I lay down with you, you'll have a nice long nap in the afternoon. Then, in the evening, you nap in the Ergo on Papa before bedtime. Between those three longer stretches and your more typical, shorter naps, I think you're getting more sleep these days.

"Are you looking at me, Momma?"

Another thing you've started doing is popping off the breast during nursing time if I'm not looking at you. You definitely want all our attention all the time. If I try to talk to Papa, drink water, or eat a bite of food, you pop off and look up at me, waiting for my undivided attention. It's cute...until the milk gets everywhere and we're both wet. I know you're just so interested in discovering your environment, so I'm trying to limit distractions during mealtimes so you'll focus and eat.

You love holding hands!

You also really love to play with our hands. When we're holding you, when you're playing on the floor, when you're in your bouncy seat or car seat—you often would like to have a Momma or Papa hand to entertain you. Sometimes when you're fussy, all we have to do is give you a hand so you can wiggle our fingers around, and you calm right down. It's really sweet, and I'm glad having a little closeness from your parents is so comforting to you.

The other really sweet thing you've been doing more this month is petting our faces. You sure love to make eye contact with one of us and just pet our faces endlessly. We've made eye contact and face-touching part of the bedtime routine, and it really seems to keep you happy and calm. Between that and cuddling with your blanket, we get through most bedtimes lately without much crying, if any. I love it when you have a happy bedtime!

I had this dream a couple of weeks ago, where I was holding onto your hands to support you to a stand. I was holding you like that, just like we do sometimes when you push up that way, and all of a sudden you took off running away from me. I stood there stunned, thinking, "Whoa, wait a minute! Since when can you do that?!" I woke up realizing that it was definitely a sign of the times to come. I know it's only a matter of time before you take off running away from your Momma. That will be an exciting day for both of us!

These five months of constant growth, change, and development have been so amazing to experience with you. I love you more than words can say.

Love,
Momma