Folks, we have a 5 month old!

I literally remember when you were just born and I was sitting down in our family room with you thinking that having a newborn was so hard and exhausting and all I wanted was for you to be like 5 or 6 months.  The perfect age, right?  Well, somehow that time is already here.  I have no idea why 5 months ago I thought that was the perfect age, but let me tell you this - it is pretty dang fun.  You are just such a blessing and sweetheart.  

Here's the list of what you are doing now...

• You are still rock that beautiful, toothless baby smile quite regularly.  I'm not going to lie...it pretty much melts my heart.
• We think you are starting to get "stranger danger" aka anxiety with strangers a bit.  Just a few times when someone you have never met approaches you, you do a little freak out and all you want is your mom.  Don't tell anyone, but I secretly like it when only I can make you feel better and comfort you.  Must be a mom thing.
• You scream more (not as loud or as much as your friend Jackson) and make lots of noises.  You even belly laugh with your giggles sometimes.  I love that.
• You ALMOST have the back to front roll over mastered.  You were trying SO hard for everyone on our trip to Iowa...you just cannot seem to figure out what to do with that pesky hand!
• You still grab EVERYTHING and you grab it hard.  Like I thought one more you were going to rip my earring out.  (note to self: no more hoop earrings). Hair is still a favorite of yours and you put it in you mouth.

• You are still love day care.  Your teachers were so sad when we told them you wouldn't be there for 2 whole weeks because of the holidays, traveling and we are off work!!
• You take 4.5 ounce bottles pretty regularly at school!!  Moving on up little man.
• You have become the distracted nurser.  We have to go into our own room and it needs to be quiet and kind of dark...otherwise you nurse for like 3 minutes and then pull off and whip your head around to check out the room/surrounding/gas station (nursing in a car on the way home from Houston = fail).  I often wear my nursing cover in the morning too because when dad walks in the room you want to look at him and smile.  Cute, but not effective to get you fed!!
• You had antibiotics for the first time.  You got your first ear infection and bronchial infection.  Not fun.  And guess what?  Your ear drum ruptured the first time...I hope that doesn't signal bad ear stuff to come.  You did not-so-good taking the antibiotics, but next time we'll make sure they are bubble gum!!!  But at least we got that first sickness over with.  For being sick though, you were still pretty resilient and sweet.
• Sleeping??  What sleeping?? Haha.  Seriously kid, I kind of wish you never slept through the night because then I would think it just wasn't possible!!!  This last month was rough with being sick (both of us) and the holidays and traveling.  We worked on getting you out of the swaddle, which I would say for the most part was successful.  You are doing well in a sleep sack and only every once and a while if you are inconsolable at night we will swaddle your arms.  One step at a time...
• Still drooling a TON and all the time, but no teeth yet.
• We got your high chair and you are such a big boy and sit so good in it and play with your toys while mom and dad eat at the table.  Your dad is just dying to get you started on rice cereal and then solids, but I'm a little intimidated and just don't have time the first half of January because I'm taking an intersession class.  We'll see how long I can hold him off. He did buy rice cereal at the grocery story today...
• You are starting to balance more when you sit up - Dr. Natasha said by six months you should have it down and I'm positive you will!  You can kind of prop yourself up for a little bit and then usually fall, but you are getting there.  I can't believe it is already time for that.
• You can still fit into some 3-6 month clothes, but you are a too long for all your Carter's 6 month PJs, so those are all 9 months now - which is crazy.  No more straight up 3 month stuff for you...all 6 month and mainly 6-9.  Growing SO fast!!!   
• What happened to my thumb sucker?  You were all about it and all of a sudden you want nothing to do with it.  Or a pacifier!! How are we supposed to soothe you?  The only thing I can come up with is singing to you....
• You still move all over the crib.  You are figuring out that it's not that bad to move around a little bit and are getting better at going back to sleep
• When you are at home on the weekends (or over the holidays) you only take 30 minute naps.  Seriously - I think you need to nap longer and you don't.  Our first fight.

• Still working on figuring out at night how to calm you down and get you to sleep without picking you up and/or feeding you.  That has not been very successful, but the latter part of the month you were sleeping in all different places...so January we'll start over.  Positive sleep vibes!!!  It's getting harder to hold you and rock you though because you are so big and long!!!!
• Still rocking those size 3 diapers.  Looking good little man.

We took you to the doctor right before Christmas and you weighed 16 lbs and 1 ounce - you are almost double what you weighed when you were born which is nuts!

Look at that sweet baby smile.  You were trying to show off in front of the camera too and do the "sit up on your own" thing.  You did it for like 20 seconds and then fell.

See?  Right on your noggin.  Immediately the photo shoot was done and the camera thrown aside for mom to console you because I thought you were going to start crying.  You didn't.  You just looked at me when I picked you up and smiled.  Tough guy here!!

It has been SUCH a privilege to be your mom baby Charlie these past 5 months and I know your dad feels the same way about being your dad.  It's just so fun to see all the new things you learn and all the toys you play with you and way you turn your head when you hear our voices.  We love that you know us and love us.  Because we love you so so much.  It's pretty remarkable.  And you make everything a little more special, especially the holidays.  I loved seeing you eat the presents this year and cannot believe how big you will be next year.  This next month I'm sure you will change even more!!!!!!!  I love it and hate it all at the same time.