Five Months!

Dear Owen,

My sweet little Bear, you are five months old!  You've really found your voice and you love to chat with us, the doggies and occasionally at inanimate objects.  You also learned how to screech and you love to hoot and holler at everything.  You are still growing like a weed, although I mostly notice it with the way that my arms hurt and when you grow out of clothes.

Tummy time has become non-existent.  You roll over pretty much any time we place you on your belly.  Around the beginning of the month, you found your feet and now you spend much of the day in a "happy baby" pose, my little baby yogi.  It's made for some funny moments since I swear you use your feet to help you fart and poop.  You are starting to sit up on your own by leaning over a little and using your arms!

Sleep has been interesting!  You are so much more aware of your surroundings and aware that your crib means you are alone.  For the most part, you sleep from around 7p-7a but occasionally you wake up in the night to poop, make some noises or practice all of your new skills.  You don't sleep as well when we are out and about now and unfortunately, it seems like you are just one of those kids who falls apart when they are tired.  When you miss a nap, you aren't the happiest camper.  You started doing this hilarious thing where you shake your head back and forth as if to say no to help you fight a nap.  It's a big sign to me that you need to go down for a nap ASAP before you reach meltdown status.  Generally, our routine is a morning, mid-day and later afternoon nap.

Our routine also involves lots of fun playtime with other babies.  We go to a playgroup a couple of times a week and you seem to really enjoy watching and interacting with the other kiddos around your age.  We have a standing playgroup date every Thursday morning and it's such a nice time for me to sit with other moms that are going through all of the same phases and things.

You have always been observant but now it seems like you are starting to really understand more of your surroundings.  The dogs have been the biggest thing you have started to figure out.  We're working to teach you to use "gentle hands" when you are playing with the puppies.  I'm amazed at how patient they are with you and they do love to be around you.  I can't wait to see your friendships develop over time.  You definitely have a preference for your dad and me but you still love to spend time with other people.  We spent a week in San Antonio at the end of the month and you had a great time and got to go to your first big cookoff!  You also had your big baptism party and had a blast celebrating with a bunch of our friends and family.  We've said it before but you are lucky to have so many people that love and care about you.

Speaking of food, this month was full of milestones for you.  We're loosely following Baby Led Weaning, meaning that you are completely in charge of feeding yourself.  After your four month appointment, we decided to let you start playing with food since you met all of the recommended criteria in the BLW book.  We gave you avocado on Labor Day at lunch and your dad, Mimzy and I just laughed and laughed as you played with the food.  As the month went on, you became so much more coordinated with your eating and you seem to be having a blast.  We let you try a ton of stuff and you make a huge mess.  The week after your pediatrician appointment, you grabbed your bottle from me and started to feed yourself.  It's amazing how much you are trying to do on your own now.  As someone who was always pretty independent, I am so proud to watch you learn and grow.  You are an amazing little boy and we are so lucky to get to spend our days with you.  You are almost always happy and your smile and laugh brighten every day for us.

Love always,
Mommy

Stats and Milestones:

Height and Weight:  (measured at home on 9/30) 28 inches, ~22 lbs.

Diaper Size:  size 3, size 4 at night

Clothing Size: mostly 12 and some 18 month

First time in the baby swing at the park:  9/4

First time to take a bottle on your own:  9/5

First time in a restaurant high chair:  9/24

First time to sit up unassisted:  9/27

You are back to sleeping pretty well!  Most nights you go down around 7-7:30 and wake up between 6:00-7:30 the next morning.  We'd love it if you slept a little later but we can't complain.  

You generally eat 5 times a day at 7-8 oz per bottle.  

You usually take three pretty decent naps a day.  Morning, mid-day and afternoon.

You are awesome with pushing up during tummy time and love to roll back over onto your back.  You've come close to rolling from your back to belly a bunch of times but you just lay on your side and flip back over.  You are starting to sit up on your own.  

Nicknames:  Owen Bear, Mr. Bear, Beary-Boo, Mr. O, The Baby, Big Bear, Beary, Baby-Boo

Things you love:  your feet, playing with food (especially avocados), taking baths, laughing, playing with the doggies, when your daddy comes home from work, rolling in the BOB stroller, your new big boy stroller that allows you to sit up

Things you don't love:  when meal time is over, going down for a nap when you are overtired