five months...

My sweet boy,

I'm just the luckiest mama ever to have had your first five months at home with you (with one more full month to go). In the last month, your personality has blossomed and it seems you are learning at least a dozen things each day. You are a terrific supported sitter now and I have a feeling you'll be doing it your own very soon. You enjoy your Prince Lionheart seat and spin (and chew on) the attached toy with vigor! You spend at least 30 minutes a day in your exersaucer, jumping, laughing and playing with all of the attached toys you are getting to know so well. Daddy and I get such a kick out of watching you learn new things and hearing your coos, giggles and squeals of delight.

Another new 'toy' of the moment is one that is never far....your foot! The changing table continues to be one of your happy places and as soon as we lay you down for a change of diaper or clothes you grab a foot - or both - and have it up to your face for a closer look with lightning speed. And those toes must be as delicious to you as they are to us because they find their way into your mouth much of the time. So stinkin' cute!You had your first taste of food earlier this month (organic rice cereal and banana) but, I felt you really weren't quite ready yet so we held off for just a bit longer. You have your whole life to experience all of the wonderful varieties of food in your world - and we do hope you'll be adventurous - no need to rush.

George, you are growing so quickly and right on schedule. At your four month pediatric appointment you weighed in at 14 lb, 10 0z and measured 25.5" long. The doctor joked that the growth charts were modeled after you as you continue to be right around the 50th percentile for weight, height and head circumference. You handled your vaccines really well and reverted to smiles seconds after the tears started when the nurse distracted you with juggling and bubbles. And your hip is doing much better. You are in the harness only from bedtime to waking in the morning. As of today, there are two weeks to go until your next appointment when, we hope and pray the orthopaedist is right, you'll be sprung for good. You've been in the harness for exactly four months now and, while we are grateful that your dysplasia was not severe and didn't require more aggressive intervention, we are ready for you to get a clean bill of health and to help you move on.

You are not even close to sleeping though the night. Every couple weeks or so you give me a night with only one wake up but, most still require two or more middle of the night feedings. I know that this will lessen over time and establishing a good night-time routine for you has started us on a better path to sleep: harness and pj's, quieting the house and dimming lights, read a book or two, one last feeding then, bed.

Each morning, your Daddy and I wake to your coos and content chatter over the monitor - starting our days of with smiles. You are such a happy boy, so interested in the world around you, at ease around other people and oh! The flirting! Your grins charm everyone you meet. It's that elusive charisma and you seem to have an abundance.

I look a you at least once a day and marvel that you are here and ours. We're starting to see traits of me and your Daddy in you. You inherited my habit of raising one eyebrow and you have Daddy's half smirk. There are times I look at you and I know you are an exact, scale replica of your father. Then you change up your expression and I see that maybe, just maybe, you have a little bit of me through the eyes and nose. A little bit of both of us and a whole lot that is all wonderfully, uniquely you.

I love you to the moon and back,

Mama