Cooper: Five months!

Cooper, you are five months old today! That's so close to half a year ... which is so close to a year. How is that even possible? I was telling your daddy yesterday, it feels like the past five months have flown by ... but at the same time, I can't even remember life without you here. Funny how someone so small can just take over your life, huh?

This past month, it just seems like you've grown up so much. You've continued to work on rolling over. You still don't like tummy time all that much, but you have grown to at least tolerate it for about 10 minutes at a time. You love the exersaucer. You really love to rock back and forth - you do it in the bouncer at Miss Robin's, in the exersaucer at home, or when we are helping you stand. Right now, daddy & I are working with you on sitting up, and you can actually hold yourself for 3-5 seconds, then start getting excited, rocking, and losing your balance.  If you use your hands or bend over, you can support yourself for quite some time.

Your hair is starting to come back in, and it's still dark! Some days your eyes look green, other days, they look brown. You still love your tongue.

You love to smile and be the center of attention {you may not look like your mommy, but you certainly act like her!} Miss Robin tells me that if the other kids lose interest in playing with you, you'll let out a huge screech to remind them that you are still there! You like to "talk" to the other kids as well as adults. You really love watching TV, and get mad if you hear it but can't see it.

You had some firsts this month - your first Easter, your first friend's birthday party, and your first illness. You handled Hand, Foot & Mouth like a trooper, and mommy felt even worse for you when she got it a week later.

We don't go to the doctor for a visit until next month, but I'm guessing you weigh around 17 and a half pounds. Once we finish out the Size 2 diapers that are open, you are moving up to Size 3s. You wear mostly 3-6 month clothes, but I pulled out a 9 month sleeper this weekend and it fits you well too. Sigh.

You are very interested in what others eat. While we are having a meal, you stare at us, and move your mouth to mimic us. We are hopeful that means you'll really enjoy food when we begin at 6 months! Right now, you continue to be exclusively breastfed. A typical day is: nurse at 6:45 a.m., bottle of pumped milk at 10:30 a.m., bottle of pumped milk at 2:30 p.m., nurse at 5:45 p.m., nurse at 8:45 p.m., then bed. You take two naps at the sitters, and catnap between 6 & 9 p.m. at home. On the weekends, when we sleep in, you sometimes will only eat four times, but leave longer spurts between sessions so you can fill up more.

On Sunday, we took you to the Dogwood-Azalea Festival. I think you enjoyed seeing the animals at the petting zoo. I swear, you had to be the most-complimented kid there. You wore the baseball outfit you are pictured in above and, of course, your sunglasses. Apparently most babies don't like to wear sunglasses? Well, you love yours, and everyone we passed loved them as well. One teenager looked at you and commented "most awesome kid ever!" No, we didn't know him. Yes, your daddy & I beamed with pride.

You love to be outside. Sometimes when you are cranky, we will take you outside and then you are at peace. You also like looking at yourself in the mirror - you just beam!

Your sweet smile and cute little laugh are infectious.

You are still an outstanding sleeper. Earlier this month (Easter weekend) I took away the swaddle. I was braced for some long nights, but you totally rocked it. Some mornings, I do give you a pacifier around 5 a.m. to help settle you (because you are so busy talking!) but that's it. Here lately, we'll walk into your room in the morning and find that you are awake, but just chilling and playing with your lovey.

Cooper, you are such a loved kid! Your daddy & I consider ourselves so blessed that we get to be your parents. We love you so much!

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