5 Months Development & Milestones

Dear Asher,

You are so interactive now! Within the past few weeks, you have let your silly personality come through. You are grabbing at toys more than ever - even today you are doing so more than yesterday! It's amazing how we wake up each morning to you doing something new. I am in awe of how much you are playing with your toys, reaching for Suki and Sumo, and following us around the room with your eyes and now turning your head when we go out of view.

Like all babies, you have your moments; but your budding personality is suggesting that you have a relatively patient and calm demeanor. There are times when you'll sit and watch me make Suki and Sumo's breakfast, make coffee, and get your bottle ready without making a peep. You'll even smile at me when I glance at you sitting happily in your Bumbo seat (which you are almost too big for!).

You are sweet, loving, and silly. You laugh when mommy does funny things like "the wave" with her arms. You love to reach for and pet your doggies. Luckily, they are patient and loving just like you. They don't even flinch if you tug on their ears. :)

You love to meet new people and are generous with your smiles. You still save the best ones for mommy and daddy, though. ;)

You know who your grandparents are, all 4! You get so excited when you see them. You are very lucky to have so many people who love you. I think we are all the lucky ones to have such a wonderful little guy to love!

I love to watch you grow. I love to watch you play and learn and develop. You are growing so fast and I am blessed to get to spend each day with you to witness it all happen. You are so very special.

I love you, little Asher!

Love always, Mommy

5 MONTHS OLD!!!

Asher is healthy and growing a strong! He has just acquired his second cold, though, and it's all my fault! He caught it from me but seems to be handling it much better than I am. Both of his first colds have come from me so if I could stop catching things we would be much better off! Hopefully the diet revamp helps - post updating on that coming soon!

SIGN LANGUAGE UPDATE - 5 MONTHS

We gave in and got the rest of the Baby Signing Time DVDs, a cardboard signing book, and "Mr. Hopkins" plush frog during a sale.

Asher's Intermittent Signs:

• "More"
• "Milk" - only while eating, not to ask for milk.
• "Banana" and "Carrot" - Similar
• "Eat"
• "Up"

He makes excited noises when hears a word he's familiar with during the signing DVDs. He's started yelling out with glee when he hears "train"!

MILESTONES @ 5 MONTHS

• Almost sitting by himself! Will "tripod" for several seconds along, then topples over.
• Rolling quickly, either side, 360 degrees
• Trying to crawl! Sometimes going backwards and gets so frustrated!
• Grabbing and holding toys.
• Reaching for toys, dogs, phone...
• Still saying "aaa-ooooo" and "aaahhhh". New sounds will come up every once in awhile and especially in when he's playing!
• Trying to grab spoon and hold bottle. Usually ends up pushing them away by accident!
• Gazing at lights.

TEETHING SIGNS

Every so often we'll think he's having teething pain, but then we'll realize he had gas or something else. There have been a few days where his temperature has been elevated (99-99.7) and I thought this could be related to teething. I don't think I feel anything under the surface of his gums yet, so we're still on TOOTH WATCH!

SOLID FOOD UPDATE - 5 MONTHS

Because we've had a few traveling days thrown in where we were mostly on the road and are still getting back into the swing of things while catching up on work with our shop, we haven't stuck to an official baby solids feeding schedule quite yet. Some days we'll have breakfast (fresh mashed bananas mixed with formula), some days dinner (Happy Baby pureed carrots or squash), and some days both! I think Asher will appreciate knowing what to expect and when, so within a few days we'll get back on track and put a real schedule in place.

Foods we've introduced:

• Bananas *Favorite
• Avocado - Reaction, rash and redness
• Carrots *Favorite
• Butternut Squash 
• Apples - Not too fond yet.

POSTPARTUM UPDATE

Feeling mostly back to normal now. Back to pre-pregnancy weight, just need to do some toning up! Still losing a lot of hair, but I guess that is to be expected for awhile. :( My hormones would probably be mostly leveled off if I could stop forgetting to take my birth control pills!


At 5 months, we couldn't be happier with our little man. He is such a blessing and so fun to watch as her gets bigger and bigger each day. While I miss my tiny little baby, I am so excited for each new stage!


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10 Fingers, 10 Toes

There are things in life that we take for granted. Many of us tend to get sidetracked from the simple yet valuable aspects of our lives and are distracted by day to day annoyances and trivial things that seem so important while they are happening.

I ran across another mother's blog today about her baby who had a terminal illness and didn't live past age 2. He would have been 4 just a few days ago.

Reading the story of this brave mom and her precious child brought me to tears and made me think about how grateful I am to have a healthy baby. I don't think this is something we actively think about enough. When you are pregnant or when your baby is just born, you say and others will say to you, "Just happy and healthy, that's all we're hoping for!", or "10 fingers and 10 toes!", but I think many of us don't even grasp the reality that a baby of good health really IS something to be hopeful and incredibly thankful for.

I don't know what I would do if I was unable to watch my baby grow and smile and laugh and learn… I can't even imagine it. I don't want to imagine it. I can only hope that I would have the same incredible strength that these admirable parents exhibit on a day-to-day basis if I was ever faced with such a life altering challenge. I pray that I would. I don't think I would have much choice.

I love my baby more than any words I could conjure up to try and describe. I am so thankful for him everyday, every minute, every second. I love him and am thankful for him when he is overtired and cranky and just needs a good cry. I love him and am thankful for him when he spits up all over me, the couch, the floor, the dog. I love him and am thankful for him when I have only had 3 hours of sleep. I love him and and thankful for him when I just can't figure out if he needs dairy milk or soy milk and won't sleep because of gas pains or that his hiccups just won't go away. I love him and am thankful for him during the hardest of times that we've had, which, let's face it, are nothing compared to what they could be.

Asher, baby, you are my life and my heart. I love you more than you will ever know. I love your smile and the squint that your eyes get when something is so funny to you that you just can't smile big enough. I love that you are here and that you are happy. I hope that I make you proud that I am your mommy and I know that you have and always will make me proud that you are my son. I hope you reach your every goal and every dream. I hope you live your life to the fullest and love with all of your heart. You are my baby and I am so thankful to have you, all of you, every day. You can count on me to stick with you through the thickest of thick and the thinnest of thin. That's what moms are for.



I want to share the blog that touched me so deeply and inspired me to write this. I can't even begin to imagine how it would feel to go through such a painful experience and I pray for this and any mother…or father, grandparent, brother, sister, friend… that has to, as well. Moms, be grateful for your healthy child. We are so lucky. Kiss them, hug them, tell them you love them. It's too easy to cry over spilled milk.

Here is the story of baby Tripp who was born with Epidermolysis Bullosa and his incredibly brave, incredibly strong, and admirable beyond words mother who is now and forever in my prayers.

http://randycourtneytripproth.blogspot.com/p/tripps-story.html

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