5 months old!

Well, it's time for another update. And as always, I simply cannot believe how much our little one is growing and learning.



Our growing boy: 1 month - 4 months - 5 months
(and yes, I wish I had gotten a newborn, 2 month and 3 month pictures on this mat too, but I was a bit slow on the uptake on how awesome comparison pictures would be).

Over the last month, John has had to deal with a lot of change. He went on his first flight and went back in time when he entered a new country (the USA is 15.5 hours behind Australia). He's had to deal with a totally new environment where nothing is familiar except for mummy, daddy and a few toys and blankets. He's had to get used to sleeping in a portacot which is *a lot* roomier than his tiny little bassinet at home, and get used to not sleeping right next to mummy. He's had to deal with being in a new house, which comes with all different types of noises, and get used to central heating. He's had to meet and get used to new relatives (which love him to bits, so that one's not a biggy), and experience the difference of looking out when riding in the pram instead of facing mum, riding in a different car, feeding in different positions and places, new nappies, new clothes, new bath etc etc. It's a lot of change for such a little one, and so all things considered he's adapting pretty well.

Besides the big trip and change in time zone for John, here are a few more milestones for his 5 month update:

• He's crawling! Not. Got ya, didn't I?  No, he's not crawling yet, but he sure wants to. When he's on his tummy he often lifts his bottom in the air in an attempt to move. He can play with toys that are out in front of him when he is on his tummy. And when you sit across the room and call to him to come to you when he's on his tummy he kicks his legs and arms like crazy. It's the cutest thing ever, and he gets most excited when Daddy calls out to him. He will even push himself along on his tummy if you put your hands on the soles of his feet.

• Last month, John G had just started to learn how to roll. Now you cannot stop him. He rolls onto his back and then back onto his tummy constantly, and can move a full 360 degrees around his playmat using a combination of rolls, half rolls and by lifting his feet to his head to change direction. And he tries his best to roll off the mat, succeeding quite often! He's a real squirmy worm and you have to keep an eye on him. He loves being on his tummy and lifting his head high to see the world around him. So high that his arms are completely stretched. He has really strong neck and back muscles! He is also starting to get abs, and he does little mini crunches when he's lying on my lap and I'm getting ready to nurse. It's hilarious.

• He can't sit up yet, but he still tries. We play a game where he lies down in between my legs, facing me, and I count one, two, three, and then use his arms to pull him into an upright position. He really enjoys it (when he is not tired - when he is tired he hates it). He can sit for a second or two unsupported, but he's not quite there yet. He'll often sag right down so his head is near his toes if I put him in a sitting position and let him go.

• He still loves trying to put things in his mouth. Fingers, toys, teething rings, clothes, my fingers, washcloths, blankets...anything...he even will not let me put the dummy in, he has to do it himself. It takes him a little while but he can eventually get it in. If I do put it in he will take it out immediately and try to reinsert it himself. He's getting better at his hand and eye co-ordination.

• He is starting to chew on things, I'm not sure if he's teething or not (his gums aren't red or anything) but he does love his teething rings. He will also chew on a facewasher when I'm changing him.

• He can reaches his toes and is fascinated by them. He even tries to chew on the toes of his onesies. And if his socks or clothes are off he will stare at his feet and pull on them.

• He has gone up a clothes size from 000 to 00 and I'm noticing that even the 00's are getting a little snug around his legs and bottom.

• He has started waking for night feeds again :( this one has been hard to get used to, especially when jet lagged, but he is still a happy boy and goes straight back to sleep after his night feeds, so all in all it's not too bad.

• He is very interested in what my hands are doing. If he's fussing on his playmat, I just have to clap my hands a few times and he starts grinning from ear to ear. After nursing we sometimes lie there and I make differents shapes with my hands and he'll reach up and grab them and turn them over or just stare at them. He's also interested in when I take a drink. If he's on my lap and I reach for my glass to take a drink he'll swat it or try and stop me from getting it to my mouth. He doesn't do that when I eat food, only when I'm drinking.

• He gets more and more talkative everyday. He will turn his head almost immediately if he hears Daddy talking to him and he has started to play with Dad's facial hair when they are having cuddles too.

• He no longer is wrapped for sleeping - I actually can't remember when we stopped doing this, but he sleeps just fine unwrapped.