This past month you have become SO FUN! You love looking around and responding to sounds and people talking to you. I remember the first time you were sitting on my lap and twisted your body around to look up at me to see me talking to you.
You started eating real foods this month! Your first taste wasn't what I expected AT ALL. You pushed out the sweet potatoes and made the cutest faces. Since that first experience, you have started looking forward to eating solids. You are so smart and even grab the spoon from my hand to help me feed you. You'll put the spoon in your mouth all by yourself! So far you have tried: sweet potatoes, green beans, apples, pears, prunes, oatmeal and bananas. Your favorites seem to change on a daily basis, but if I had to pick a favorite so far, it would be a tie between sweet potatoes and green beans.
Another huge change this month is you never want to lay on your back now! It only takes you 2 seconds to roll from your back to belly and we can't get you to play any other way on the floor now. You twist your little body around when we change your diaper and most of the time I'll let you flip to your belly naked to hang out before putting a new one on. You're SO proud of yourself and we are so very proud of you also!
Your hair is coming in so much now that by your 5th month mark, your birth mark is becoming less and less visible. Your eyes are still a deep blue, but they are lightening just slightly.
You are still in size 3 diapers and are transitioning to 6-9 month and 6-12 month clothing now. We have no clue how much you weight, but you are thinning out slightly and definitely getting longer!
Your favorite toys this month include your bouncer - you LOVE to bounce up and down non-stop in that thing. You enjoy hanging out on your tummy on the boppy playing with your activity table and making the music and lights play. This month I have also noticed a big increase in your love for your blankies - you love holding onto your swaddle blankets and it's just about the cutest thing ever.
You've started to condense your naps and take a solid morning and afternoon nap on most days. We started swaddling you for naps at the beginning of the month, and by the last week you've decided you are a big boy and can nap with one arm out of the swaddle or on your tummy in your crib.
We've packed up your baby swing, your baby bathtub and the rock n play. You are such a big boy now!
You continue to be a great baby out in public! I just stick you in the wrap if we are going to Costco or you hang with us at a restaurant without fussing. You did grab for Mama's iced tea one night at dinner and spilled it all over us and the diaper bag. We've learned our lesson!
You survived your first blizzard! We got over two feet of snow and enjoyed being "snowed in" together. We blew bubbles, set up different play activities and took lots of photos. You were only out in the snow for about five minutes - long enough to snap some photos.
This month you had your ear appointment at Hopkins. You slept the entire car ride there and were such a good patient. You failed the left ear test where it measured how you respond the sound by the vibrations in your ear (I believe) but passed the test where the doctor placed head phones on you and went into the other room and called you by your name in each ear. You responded (and even looked each direction for her) at the same sound level in both ears. Because it is a state mandated exam we are going back on February 11th for the sleep deprived test. It will be a hard morning keeping you awake so you eat and fall asleep at the appointment, but we don't want you to have to be put under for the test.
You went through a growth spurt this month and were up every 3-4 hours for a solid 4-5 days. Mama's immune system crashed on the last day and she got sick, but we both got through it! I missed snuggling with you in bed in the mornings after you started sleeping through the night again.
We purchased an air purifier for your room so you can breathe easier at night! With the air purifier running, you don't seem to inch your way across the crib now so we think you are sleeping more and tossing/turning around less.
Social events this month included: Rory's first birthday, Grandpa Pete's birthday and the Superbowl!
Benjamin, you continue to amaze me. Your smile is contagious and you are the sweetest thing I've ever known. You are growing to be such a fun, smart and active little guy and I hope you feel how much we love you every day. I look forward to snuggling you when you wake up in the morning and smelling your hair after you take a bath. You have such a wonder when you are in new environments - you are observant and study your surroundings. You feed yourself with your left hand (with a spoon), but like to hold onto toys with your right... totally confusing my opinion of you being a lefty! I wish I could stay home and play with you every day, but I am so looking forward to the next couple of weeks as the temperature warms up enough so I can take you on walks again. You are the favorite part of my days. I love you!
