5 Months Old!

Dear Gage,

Today you are 5 months old sweet boy! You are doing so many more things in just one month's time, you are amazing!

The biggest change is that now you are rolling over constantly. We put you down on your back and the next thing we know you are on your tummy!

Although you seem very proud to have accomplished a roll, you have a hard time getting back to your back, or anywhere at all, which frustrates you after awhile. We help you back to your back and you roll right over again! In that position you look like you are ready to crawl - I would not be surprised if that will be happening soon since you are such a determined boy!

We can no longer call you our Squealer since you squeal much less these days. Now you make more of a low-pitched "uhhhhhh" sound, especially in the car and especially right before falling asleep in the car. This month we're affectionately calling you "little booger" because you are not napping well and are showing the slightest of temper. I am sure you are teething since you are constantly drooling and wanting to chew chew chew. You still prefer soft things like your burp cloths and stuffed animals over teethers.

You just took your first trip on an airplane! We flew to Seattle, WA to visit my good friend Johanna and her family. You were an excellent traveler, I could not have been more proud. Johanna's little girl, Annie, just loved you to pieces! She loved to hold you and play with you and give you new toys to keep you happy. You loved her too! You would always smile when she was around.

You had your first cold on our trip. Daddy brought it home and gave it to Mommy and between us we gave it to you. It made me very sad to hear your stuffy nose and cough. You were such a trooper though, and before we knew it you were all better and that pesky cough was gone.

While we were gone I spoiled you and held you to sleep everytime since I didn't want you to cry with your bad cold. Now that we're home I can see that you've gotten used to that. You are not falling asleep very easily on your own anymore so we're starting over. It is very hard for me to hear you cry. But today it only took 10 minutes...and help from Mommy with a pacifier and a push over from your tummy to your side..and then you slept for almost 2 hours! That is the problem with you rolling to your tummy and not being able to roll back...it keeps you awake and unhappy!

Some other tidbits...

- You have just started to eat cereal! You don't like it very much yet but are getting used to it more each time.

- You are taking 7 oz. of formula now in bottles with medium-flow nipples. Your feedings are much faster now and I think you love it! Even though you're not a usual thumb-sucker (yet anyway) sometimes I catch you sticking your thumb in your mouth along with your nipple - silly boy!

- I find you sleeping on your side a lot. That just shows me what a big boy you are becoming!

-More and more we are getting comments from strangers on your beautiful blue eyes. Of course we agree!

-You are very ticklish and we get you to laugh a lot by tickling you, and by bouncing you and throwing you into the air.

-We have been putting you in the exersaucer over the past month and you love it! You get so happy when we help you push the music buttons.

-You are now reaching for everything! Whether it's my nose, chin, hair, computer keyboard, or our food, you want to have it!

I think I could go on and on but I better stop with that. We are so proud of how you are growing and are showing such a delightful personality. You bring us such joy Gager, our lives are so much brighter with you in it.

Loving you always,

Mommy