5 Months

Little John is 5 months!  Johnny.  Johnny 5.  J5.  5.  He has many names.  As do all of our children!  On his chosen tree portrait day the mosquitoes were fiercely attacking us, so we weren't able to stay out there very long to get especially good shots, but we captured the moment.

The boy has undergone some changes this month.  Major ones.  It all began with me being completely exhausted and fed up with his and therefore my lack of sleep.  Enter baby sleep boot camp.  I remember reaching this same exact point with Matthew at 5 months.  It was time.  Steven asked me one day if one of the signs of readiness was that his sleep was getting even worse.  Yes, I think so.  He had about 30-40 min. of crying around midnight the first night and then slept until 6:30.  The next night I just heard him talking at one point but not crying.  Success!!  But then a week later he learned how to roll over from his back to his tummy.  He pulled that trick during the middle of the night and mightily angered himself.  You see, he can't get back over.  After several days of going in and rolling him back over and enduring his mad screams he finally made peace with sleeping on his tummy.  And we're still working on rolling in the other direction.  The point is, he's sleeping for at least 10 uninterrupted hours and it is glorious.  He wakes, I feed him, and he'll sleep another couple hours.  Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah!

He hasn't found his thumb really...he'll chew on it or suck on the thumb and finger at the same time.  He's sitting up pretty well, and in a couple weeks I think he'll have it down.  The boy is active, and his face lights up when there are toys around.  Which is all the time.  His brothers love to hand him toys.  Most often several toys at once...or the whole toy box full of baby toys.  And Johnny loves to watch them play.  He is especially watchful when they are playing cars and Will makes all his screeching and crashing sound effects.  

He still loves to be carried around so he can be part of the action up close.  And be close to me.  Because he loves me.  :)  He loves to be outside, and it usually fixes any fussiness, so we're out there as much as we can be before the mosquitoes feast on our flesh.  He is really getting interested in what we are eating.  He licks his lips and works that tongue like he's getting ready for a big mouthful, and when the spoon doesn't head his way he looks disappointed.  No longer can I sit at the dinner table with him in my lap and eat peacefully.  He is lunging for my plate.  So, I am gearing myself up for my least favorite stage: spoon feeding.  He's ready.  Let's hope he enjoys the solids more than Will did.  I'm pretty sure he's going to be a fan. 

I found this photo of Matthew in the same shirt for his 5 month picture by the tree.  Kinda funny that I unknowingly dressed them the same.  Chubby Matt!