At almost five months I think newborns are precious but I am so glad you are not so young anymore! We love that you are so strong and mobile. You scoot and push and grab. You scratch and kick and flail. Your hands grab hair and skin and find their way into your mouth time and time again. We can set you down and you will entertain yourself, if only for a few minutes. You see something new and your mouth forms a perfect "O" while you pant slightly. You are determined to drink whatever we drink and eat whatever we eat. You do not mind the hum and buzz of power tools and Pop hammers through your naps. You talk to us and use your eyes to communicate too. You are sitting up stronger and will relax in our laps. We push you really high and fast on the swing and you are utterly delighted. You giggle when I bite your feet.
Every time I open the car door you look at me with lit up eyes. It is the best feeling. You ate so much this week, as all the other weeks, and do best in a calm dark room. You rolled both ways with ease. You bonked your head but only cried for a moment. You napped on the go. You slept well most nights. You wore a sun hat and spent a lot of time naked. You played in the bathtub with toys from my childhood. You read a book from when Pop was little. You still prefer chewing on books to hearing them read but the pages do seem to hold your attention much more than they used to.
It is high time to introduce more foods to you, as you tend to flip out over the fact that we are eating and you are not. You have chased ice cubes and tasted mashed potatoes. You gnawed on lettuce and kale. I plan to prepare a few different options for you to try. Sweet potatoes with cinnamon. Mushy banana. Curried peas. Roasted bell pepper. Raw fruits blended with breast milk. Runny egg yolks. Fresh hummus. I did not expect you to want foods so soon but it's pretty clear you have your mind set on taking part at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We are anticipating a nice bounty from our garden and are hoping you like tomatoes like we do. The beets and carrots have your name on them as well. We do not plan on following any one approach to feeding you, instead preferring to try it all. I like reading up on methods from the first half of the twentieth century before cereals gained popularity as the "right" way. If any one thing's for sure- you'll let us know what you think.
Your personality is really starting to emerge. You are already stubborn and determined, only held back by your still developing strength. You arms can hold you up in a push up. You can grab your toes and bring the to your mouth. You can bring yourself up on your knees. You can swivel and scoot, quickly too! There are many things to write down and remember about you right now. Your concentrated efforts at everything you do. Your many noises, like the quiet grunts and squeaks while attempting to crawl or the breathless pants accompanying flapping arms of excitement. The way your feet touch together when you lay on your stomach. The gentle rolls. As you lengthen your face changes. Your hair growing in as you spend less and less time on your back. You mimic us, practicing new expressions, observing and absorbing. You use your entire play gym as a teether.
We are preparing for your first big trip and your first time on an airplane. We think you will be a good traveler and we are only nervous about our very early start time. You love watching crowds of people, so the airport should be right up your alley. You will hopefully nurse some on the plane to avoid painful ears and we will bring your favorite toys. If all else fails we will be armed with the iPad loaded with home videos of the dogs playing and our camera roll playing a slideshow. We can't wait to show you off, hike with you in the woods, and watch as your Uncle graduates. This is the beginning of many more trips, of taking part in celebrations, and meeting new people in new places. It is a special thing for us, to have the chance to travel with you, to see everything through your eyes! I experienced that while visiting Cheekwood with you and your Grandpapa. You slept but also studied your surroundings with a fresh wonder and alertness only babies possess. It is a fabulous thing, one worth pursuing by all. We can travel without leaving the city or take you to other countries- you will be amazed either way. We love you for that, one of your finest qualities.
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