5 Months

Baby Gabe, I cannot believe you are five months old! It is amazing how time flies! On the one hand, it feels like I gave birth to you a year ago- my labor seems like a distant memory, and on the other hand, it seems like we haven't had you for five months. The next thing I know we will be celebrating your first birthday. It is a good reminder for me to slow down and take the time to savor you and enjoy every moment with you. I finally feel like I have accepted the fact that I have three kids and that life will never be the same. It may never be as organized as it used to be, but at the same time, the sweet moments we have had have been so beautiful that it almost hurts. When I look at you, my heart feels like it will burst, you are so precious and perfect and wonderful. I am so glad you came to our family!
Some of the things that have been happening with you are:
-You got your first tooth at 4.5 months- it is on the bottom and it is still coming all the way up. It made you really fussy and you stopped sleeping through the night, but recently we let you cry it out a few nights and you are back on track and much happier now that you are getting more sleep.
-You are such a content baby- as long as you are fed well and burped well and have had enough sleep, you will just lie down and look around. (For at least a good fifteen minutes, occasionally longer)
-You really want to sit up but you are not quite there yet. I will sit you in the Boppy sometimes and you can hold on for a little while, but then you suddenly throw your body and you land either backwards or forwards.
-You love to interact with people. You love it when people talk to you and smile at you- you grin and coo right back. It is so sweet! One time I was in Relief Society and you woke up. You were super hungry having gone without food for about four hours (normally you eat every three hours-except when Daddy watches you, then you go about 5 hours) and I was taking you out to go feed you. You were really upset and then my friend Denise smiled at you and you laughed and gave her a smile. And then you went back to crying. I guess you don't want to miss an opportunity to interact with others, even when your tummy is hurting.
-You enjoy sitting in your high chair and getting to be with the family at meals. I haven't given you solid foods yet, you really aren't interested and so I certainly am not going to push it.
-You still suck on your two fingers all the time!
-You adore your siblings. Noah is especially in love with you. He said to me the other day "I wish Gabe and I had been in your tummy at the same time, and we were babies together, then we could be together all the time." He really loves you and misses you when he is away at school. You are still a novelty to the children and whenever I bring you down for the morning or after a nap, the kids get so excited, saying "Baby Gabe's awake!" Noah cannot bear to hear you cry, so when I put you down and am getting stuff done, as soon as you start to cry, Noah is right there-he picks you up immediately and you stop crying. I can see now how youngest children in large families get spoiled with their siblings always playing with and picking up at the slightest sign of distress.
-One day Noah wanted to change your wet diaper and you were so excited to have him leaning over you, you just kicked and kicked your legs. Noah was getting frustrated because he couldn't change your diaper while you were moving so much. It was so cute to see how much you love your big brother!
-You are finally interested in your toys. You still can't hold them very well, but you love to try.
-About a week ago, you discovered your tongue. One night you and I kept sticking our tongues out at each other. It was so cute!
-You still have lots of spit ups, but after changing my diet, it seems like you are much improved. I stopped eating beans and you are a much happier boy!
-You love to put your feet together up in the air. It's so cute!
I love you little one.
Love,
your Mama