Five months

Our little guy is five months old, and we can't believe how the time has flown by! I don't have any new pictures to add, because I am typing from my work laptop. Benjamin is asleep and I am getting ready to go to bed. I never thought I would look forward to sleep so much that I would go to bed at 8:30 p.m. But, I do, because I know I will be waking up whenever Benjamin decides morning is here. We still have trouble with getting him to sleep through the night. Most nights, he wants to eat around four ounces somewhere between 11 and 2 a.m. He then gets up at around 5 -6 a.m. to eat and usually goes back to bed until 7 or 7:30 p.m.

Today, Benjamin weighs 18 pounds and is almost 28 inches long. I thought this was huge, but then I looked at my baby book and learned I was 27 inches long and 17 pounds at six months. So, he isn't too far off...and he is almost exactly the size his Uncle Mike was at that age.

Benjamin still looks like my baby pictures, but every now and then he has a Jeremy look about him. His bright blue eyes attract lots of attention. I love how expressive they are. You can see joy, curiosity, frustration and recognition in those eyes. They also can make the most pitiful "I don't feel good" look. We don't like to see sad eyes! His hair is still pretty dark, but it has highlights in it. I wouldn't be surprised if it turns blonder.

Benjamin's favorite activities are playing with mommy and daddy and people watching. We combine the two by sitting on the front porch swing and waving at neighbors. He can be completely fussy and miserable from teething, but if a neighbor stops by, he gets a huge grin on his face and puts on a hilarious show of flirting. He LOVES attention.

Miss Linda says some days Benjamin laughs at nothing in particular. At home, he laughs at just about everything we do. He also laughs at things the other kids at daycare do. They keep him so entertained, we don't need to send toys with him. At home, though, he loves to play with rattles and stuffed objects. His favorite is a stuffed rattle, that when you pull on it, it vibrates.

Benjamin started on his first vegetable yesterday. I have pictures for the next blog. As soon as he finishes his green beans (one more day) I plan to start him on carrots or squash. I haven't decided which. It is so much fun to see him light up at new discoveries. He shuddered at the first bite, but then he wanted more and more. He pays more attention to what we are eating now. Jeremy brought him to see me at work today, since I had to work the weekend shift. They had just been to the park, where Jeremy had so much fun introducing him to the swings and the slide (carefully, of course). Anyway, as I was eating my unhealthy dinner of chicken nuggets and french fries (I was desperately hungry and in a hurry), Benjamin watched each bite. Jeremy told him he isn't allowed to have chicken nuggets for a long time, or that is the only food he will ever want.

Benjamin still loves to babble, but he isn't making any repetitive sounds yet, except for ahgoo or gee. He can almost sit by himself. He can hold it a few seconds and then topples. He likes to hold his bottle while we feed him. We are still trying to teach him not to bite as he is getting weaned.

I could write all day about our bundle of joy...so feel free to stop reading if I am boring you! I absolutely love how Benjamin lights up when Jeremy comes home, or how he smiles at us when we pick him up from Miss Linda's house. We love how he coos and laughs and is so happy with everything. We think it is precious how his two little teeth stick out as a reminder that our baby is growing up so fast! His furrowed brow indicates he is thinking very carefully, and his pursed lips usually indicate concentration. Lately, he sticks his tongue out the side of his mouth whenever he isn't chomping on a teether. His favorite teether is from Mike and Christy. It vibrates in his mouth. He has figured out how to hold it there and chomp. So smart!


Well, that's all I can think of right now. I could write pages and pages about how much I love Benjamin. As he fell asleep on my shoulder tonight, I wished I could push a pause button and enjoy the precious moment longer. Already, he is less cuddly as he tries to further explore his world. But, he still is as sweet as ever.