July 10, 2013

Five Months


Photo shoots with my five-month-old have changed quite a bit from when we was a newborn…back then I could point and shoot for hours and get about 500 of the same exact picture because he would only move about an inch every five minutes. Nowadays, all my pictures are severely blurry because this little one is on the move! Well, I guess he’s not really on the move-he’s nowhere near crawling- but he is the wiggliest, squirmiest, rolliest baby, and I am loving it!

 
Lately Jeff and I have been having frequent, “Ahhh, he’s not a newborn anymore” moments, and it’s crazy looking back at Madden’s pictures from just two months ago and feeling like he was a completely different baby. This month we have witnessed a personality exploding from our little man. He is constantly making us laugh and smile, and we can’t help but feel blessed that he’s ours.

My list of happenings is getting longer and longer each month because his life is starting to entail more than just eating and sleeping. It’s beginning to be hard keeping up with our little adventurer. My new favorite thing is watching Madden take in his surroundings, and I can already tell that he’s going to be a “go-go-go” type person, just like his dad. He loves everybody too, which I guess is a good thing but I secretly wish he only ever wants to be held by me. Just so long as he’s being held, he’s totally happy with new places and faces.

So, here are this month’s happenings…

1.       Madden loves counting. We count in the bath tub, at bedtime, during feedings, when we walk, pretty much all the time. I have no idea why he likes it, but he gets the biggest smile on his face and starts shaking his arms all crazy as soon as he hears 1!
2.       Still loves looking in the mirror, and yes, my mirror is still dirty with baby prints and now baby slobber too- he’s started mauling himself.
3.       Usually is asleep by 8:30 and wakes up around 7. For some reason he has started waking up around 3:30 again. Just when I was starting to enjoy sleeping all the way through the night again, he goes and switches it up for me! I usually just bring in into bed with me, I think he just wants to snuggle!
4.       Rotates around in his crib all night long, and he sticks his chubby little legs through the slats and sleeps with them hanging out over the side of his crib. It is so adorable.
5.       Loves staring and sucking on my fingers because of my nail polish. He loves the bright color, and it’s great for me because it’s like having a toy attached and available at all times!
6.       He is becoming a nasty little biter. And he bites hard too!! I’m kind of dreading the day he gets teeth!
7.       Madden has the most perfect, flawless skin. I look so old and haggard next to him!
8.       Does not like his bumbo at all. Sometimes he’ll deal with it, but he’ll moan the whole time until we get him out. I think it’s just not made for his manly physique. He inherited the Willardsen baseball thighs, and it’s a two person job spreading the leg slots apart to get him shoved in there. Can you blame him for not like it?! How humiliating!
9.       Mad loves being outside, and he loves staring at the trees behind our house and on our walks. I love to lay him back in his stroller and put the canopy down so he can stare around at everything. We go on walks a lot to the nature sanctuary near our house, and I always get him out when we get to the waterfall. It’s so peaceful and I think he loves being there too.
10.   Loves to suck on my finger wrapped in his burp cloth. He starts to fuss when it gets too soggy and he’s ready for a dry spot. Hey, it keeps him quiet in church!
11.   I put him in his bouncer in the kitchen while I cook dinner, and every time I turn to look at him, his eyes get huge and he squeals and smiles. I love it so much but at the same time it makes me feel guilty that I’m not playing with him.
12.   Still hates being laid down on his back. Now that his little neck is strong, he pulls his head up like he’s trying so hard to sit up. Looks like it’s a great ab workout, I should join him!
13.   One of my favorite things is when I nurse him, he’ll look up at me and hold my face and just smile. He kind of thinks it’s a game, and I can get some good giggles out of him.
14.   One of the funniest things he does is he does not tolerate anyone talking while he’s eating. If me or Jeff starts to talk, or even whisper, while he’s eating, he’ll look up at me and give me a face that says, “Who told you that you could talk?” It’s so funny, but it’s kind of an inconvenience because I used to get all my phone calls done while I nursed him. Oh well, I guess he’s the boss.
15.   He is noticeable eating less now. I keep thinking he should still be eating every 2 hours like a newborn, but now he can go about 4 hours inbetween feedings. He’s also awake so much more during the day, and he’s falling into a two nap schedule.
16.   Standing up so strong on his little legs! He can even stand and hold himself up on the couch for two whole minutes! Jeff timed him.
17.   Madden is the best kisser, ladies look out. He’s not shy either, he’ll attack you with an open mouth wet one any chance he gets!
18.   Madden loves singing. His new favorite is the  “I love the mountains, boomdeeada song”
19.   Ate cereal for the first time on June 26th. It took about a week for him to warm up to it, but now he adores cereal! He makes the funniest smacking noises when he eats, and he pulls my hand and the spoon toward his mouth before he’s even finished with the last bite.
20.   He is always grabbing his toes and it’s the cutest thing ever- he’s such a rollie polie. He rubs his feet together too, and sucks on his toes!
21.   Swam for the first time at Grandma GG’s pool while we were in Colorado. The water was much colder than his bath water so it took a little getting used to, but overall I think he liked it!
22.   For a couple days he would study our faces when we stuck out our tongue at him, and all of a sudden he started sticking his out too! Cutest little copier of all time.
23.   Mad did great with the fireworks on the 4th of July. I wondered how he’d react to the noise, but just like with everything else, he’s was a trooper. He actually slept right through the whole night. Our neighborhood goes a little bonkers with fireworks, and I was shocked he didn’t even stir in his crib. We’re so confused though how he can sleep through booming fireworks, but when the door squeaks he is up and ready to party.

We love our baby more than ever! He makes every day an adventure and we don’t even have to leave our home. Happy five months little Mad Pup, we love you so much!!

We are just about ready to leave Kansas City and try out life in Florida for a couple years. We’re so sad to leave because our lives changed for the better here. We explored this awesome city, Jeff got two years closer to becoming a doctor, we made some lifelong friends, and we became parents to the most perfect boy. We made some incredible memories here but we’re excited to start a new adventure!