Jude @ 5 months

I wrote this January 5th, the day after he turned 5 months but wanted to wait until his well-baby to get stats - then I forgot about it. But on January 8th he weighed 17 lbs 6 oz (~75%) and was 28.5 inches long (~98%) and I don't remember his head but it was about ~75% too. 

Dear Jude,

 

Oh, I could just eat you up, you're so darn cute.

This month you've really seemed to grow a lot, just less floppy and closer to a mobile, hip sitting baby.Not sure I'm ready for that. You are funny though, you seem to know how to do something but only pull it out occasionally for a week or two before deciding that you're okay with it. Not sure when to "call" it as a milestone completed when you do that.

You were rolling over as early as Thanksgiving but wouldn't show anyone. I saw front to back but knew you could do it the other way too. Then there was a day or two when all the kids saw you multiple times but I couldn't manage to. But it clicked a few weeks ago and now you're a rolling fool! Same thing seems to be happening with scooting backwards. I saw it once about a couple weeks ago so I kept watching for it but nothing. Then a few days ago you did it again! I've tried to show you daddy but you just look at me like "what are you wanting me to do here?" but I'm guessing by next month you'll be stuck in all the corners.

What just happened? How did I end up stuck under this bookshelf? You put me down way up by the carpet?

Another thing you learned this month was how to scream. You've always been quite vocal but this particular noise isn't one anyone in the house really appreciates. Sometimes you scream because you're mad and sometimes it's because you're playing near people but nobody is paying attention to you and you've figured out how to get people to look your way. So you're killing our ears and impressing us with your wits at the same time!

You seem to be moving from chewing all your fingers to chewing mostly your thumb. It's almost always in your mouth but you rarely actually suck on it, just chew. You'll also grab anyone else's fingers and gnaw on them too so watch out. And the last few days you've started chomping your gums on me while you nurse. That has to stop soon!

 Taking a break to scream...

back to the thumb

We got you a new high chair right after Christmas. You will tolerate it for a few minutes while I cook as long as you have lots of toys to throw on the ground. 

And a bit longer if you have siblings to supervise

You have started reaching for our food and stole a cup today at church while we were all chatting and put it right up to your mouth but luckily it was empty. I think you're going to be excited about foods next month. 

You can sit for a few (20-30?) seconds by yourself. Jonah loves to put you sitting up with his legs and arms around to catch you when you start to tip while he calls out "He's sitting! He's sitting!...on wait, he's tipping!" Boy, does your brother love you. And you feel the same way about him. Nobody, not even me, can make you smile quite like Jonah can. You just light up when you see him and smile so big your whole body wiggles sometimes. 

Norah loves you to but your reception to her attention varies. 

I need to do better about getting pictures of you with Lucy as I never seem to have any. But she's awesome at watching you while I shower or do a quick chore (so not prime picture taking). She's gotta be careful with her hair though because you have quite a grip!

You're still my little walking buddy although now you are a cute little bear walking buddy. 

Unless we walk inside. Then you get bored and don't tolerate the strolled quite as well. I haven't been able to wear you as much because of my health issues but my core is getting much better and I've been able to get back into baby wearing and you do love it. I put you on my back for the first time this week and that was fun too but seeing you look up at me so means I'll probably stick to front carry for a tad longer. How could I not want to see this sweet face. 

I think we're past the 4 month sleep regression. It was a rough week or two. You don't sleep through the night but we're getting some longer stretches and you go down with a fuss. You're back to taking at least decent naps fairly consistently too. But the downside to that is you have become an early rise. 6 am is okay, 5 am is not! But you sure do look like a little angel when you sleep.