Month 5 in Pictures

Jonah is 5 months old and no matter how hard I try to keep him a newborn, he finds ways to remind me that he is growing up...whether I like it or not. Sigh.

This month brought lots of sweet sounds and cuddles. Jonah has enjoyed discovering how to talk more, blow those raspberries, and giggle, giggle, giggle.

He loves being held and carried around, but has discovered toys a bit more as he gains control of his hands and arms. He will play a bit more on his playmat and is enjoying his exersaucer.

Fingers remain his favorite--yours or his! Jonah loves to gnaw on some fingers. I believe he is teething and am guessing we will have a tooth before too long. You will notice that he is sporting a new accessory this month as I ordered his teething necklace to try to get a jump on the pain. Hoping it works for him like it did for Jude.

This month, Jonah was baptized. He cried the entire ceremony as he was hungry and tried. Once he got some milk in his tummy, he was ready to celebrate!

Jonah was sick for the first time this month....he had an ear infection and a nasty cough that we ended up treating like viral pneumonia. He had a fever for a week that finally broke. Throughout the bug, he was pretty miserable and ended up needing to be held a lot. It is hard to sleep flat on your back when your airway is so very compromised. Poor pitiful thing.

Those sick eyes get me every time. And because of all of the congestion, Jonah lost his voice. His cry, laugh, and squeal were muffled. Pitiful....and kinda cute...all at the same time.

Though he is still waking 1-3 times a night, Jonah remains a really great sleeper. This month, he moved to his crib, dropped his swaddle, and puts himself/soothes himself to sleep for naps and at bedtime. I put him down awake and happy and he will "talk", play with his blanket and hands, kick his feet...maybe fuss...not cry...until he falls asleep. I think thumb sucking helps a lot. I know he's tired when he finds his thumb.

He can sleep just about anywhere, but is beginning to prefer his crib and is transitioning to two long naps instead of 3-5 catnaps throughout the day. As much as I enjoy him napping so well, I'm not sure I'm excited about feeling confined to the house during nap times again.

I am really trying to cherish each moment and savor the baby stages. I find myself forgetting how old Jonah really is and how much he should be able to do or almost do at 5 months old. I am doing what I can to keep him a baby for as long as I can. I can't believe he will be ready to eat food soon. Nooooo! He is obsessed with food and watches every bite I take. He swats at whatever type of food or drink is in my hand....successfully covering his fingers in peanut butter one day. He was miffed when I wouldn't let him get those fingers to his mouth.

Little things I don't want to forget, but I know I will:

• the way Jonah rubs his feet and toes together
• the way he pulls his knees up and leaves them there

• the way his arms make little circles when he is crying
• the way he scratches my shoulder when I am holding him....it is so affectionate
• the way he claws at my shirt or grabs my fingers while nursing
• the way he clamps his jaw down and smiles at me when he is finished nursing (ouch...cutie!)
• the way he tries to eat my hair.
• the way he gives open mouth kisses after I smother him with some of my own
• the way he blows raspberries when talking to his brothers, so much so that Eli swears that it is Jonah's way of saying "Eli" and "Jude."

• the way he watches his brothers' crazy play and gets excited too
• the way he smiles when he sees his daddy, brothers, or even his own reflection--such a friendly, smiley baby
• the way he smiles at me when I come to pick him up from his crib
• the way he stretches when he's naked
• the way he "planks" when I try to put him in his car seat
• the way he gives a squeaky giggle, almost belly laugh when you get his sugar

• the way he grunts when you tickle him...he isn't sure he likes it
• the way he chews on his blanket 

I don't want to forget any of it. 

I catch myself looking at him a lot and thinking about how incredibly cute he is. I can't help it. Such a sweet and happy babe. Really.