five months

 

Dear Daniel,

Where has the time gone? Already it is autumn and my springtime baby is five months old. And you are trying so hard to grow up too fast. You are on the threshold of mobility, and while you have yet to perfect the control of it, between the rolling and propelling yourself backwards, you are never in the same place for very long. Now if you could just manage to get yourself to the toys you love to grab (then tackle and devour) and that are so often just beyond your reach, you will be set.

The last few weeks have been spent battling your first illness. With the start of the school year, everyone at our house, including you, started sniffling. Unlike the others, though, after about a week and a half you took a turn for the worse. A visit with the doctor uncovered an ear infection, wheezing, and aggravated acid reflux brought on by your coughing. You absolutely hate the nebulizer breathing treatments, but you've come around to the taste of the antibiotics and antacid, and I'm happy to report that you're starting to feel better. It's nice to have your happy smiles back.

Being sick interrupted your progress in the sleep department. On a good night, you wake up once to eat, but on a more typical night, you wake three to four times and briefly require my help to settle back down. Teaching you to settle yourself has been challenging given the sleeping arrangements required by our tiny apartment, but I'm hopeful that you'll figure things out soon. In the meantime, I love that you've learned to wake up happy. It often takes me a while to realize you are up for the day because you quietly play in your crib while I'm busy getting the older ones ready for school.

Your days have become more predictable. You sleep and eat at about the same times, and it's nice for both of us to now be able to have some expectations each day. You continue to try new foods (apples, bananas, pears, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, green beans, and oatmeal are on your current menu), and so far there hasn't been anything you've disliked. All the practice you've had has really improved your skills with a spoon; you now open wide when I bring a new spoonful to your mouth and you're becoming a little less messy about the whole process.

I love you, Danny Boy. I love the twinkle you get in your eyes when you smile and laugh spontaneously. You are absolutely irresistible!

Love,
Mama