5 months

Shepherd,

It is so, so, so hard to believe that today you turn 5 months old. It was just yesterday that someone asked me how old you were, and I said 4 months, and then thought to myself that you weren't really 4 months anymore... you were one day away from being 5 months old. Every other month, I have anticipated your turning another month older, and yet somehow, this month, it snuck up on me. Perhaps it's because you have gone through so much so fast this month. You started eating solids at the beginning of the month, and quickly got the hang of it, only to start teething and refuse solids all together.


And speaking of teething, you have two teeth now... and you've decided two isn't enough! You seem to have skipped getting any top teeth, and you have two more teeth coming in on the bottom. The teething issue has been really hard. You go from being a super happy baby, smiling and laughing one minute, to a very grumpy little boy, complete with screaming and big ol' fat tears the next. I've done everything I can to try to help with your little teeth, including sacrificing my index finger to the tiny little daggers inside your mouth just so you can chew on something that you want to chew on.


But when you're not teething, you are a very happy little boy. You love charming other people when we go out by smiling sweetly at them, and rewarding their attention with big gummy grins... actually, big gummy with 2 teeth grins.


You're getting so big, and growing so tall. Another milestone that you reached this month was sitting up unassisted. You'll sit up for long stretches at a time now without falling over. The other day, I timed you, and you sat there playing with your toys for 30 minutes before falling over. Amazing!


Also, you've decided you would rather stand up than sit up. You'd rather try to walk than try to crawl. You get rather frustrated while on your tummy, and the second I hold you so you're standing up, you look up at me and smile the biggest and brightest smile. All of this is happening so fast, that my head is spinning. You aren't my little tiny bundle of baby anymore, but you're a growing, active little boy.


I'm so excited to see you growing up, yet so scared at the same time. It seems like just yesterday you were so tiny. I know everyone tells you that "they grow up so fast!" but until you actually see it happen, you don't understand what they're talking about. I know this next month is going to be a busy and exciting one, because you? are so close to crawling, you're already pulling up from sitting to standing, and your babbling is becoming a bit more coherent and rhythmic. You're beginning to figure things out, like how your pacifier works, and how to pick up blocks and put them in your mouth (but you haven't figured out that everything doesn't fit in your mouth, like the TV stand, and you get very upset when you open your mouth and it won't fit, very cute!). You regularly recognize Daddy, and when he comes home, and you see him, you smile the biggest smile of the day. And even if you've been super grumpy right before he comes home, the minute he walks in, you turn on your charm, and you're super happy. Last night, we took a walk after dinner to the playground, where you got to sit in a big boy swing for the first time. It was so amazing to see you excited about it, and not scared. You just let us push you higher and higher, and the more we did it, the more you smiled. We did that until you fell asleep.



Shepherd, I wish that I could tell you how much I love you, but words will not allow me to. You are my very special little man, and I can't believe how fast you're growing up. I always forget that I can't go back and re-visit these days, that once the day is done, it is done. So I'm trying my hardest to enjoy each day.


I love you little man....Happy 5 months!

Love,
Mommy