Five Months

On Monday, John had his four month check up (though he is actually five months as of last Thursday; we are a bit behind, which is so typically us!!!)

For the most part, everything was looking great.

The doctor and the nurse commented on his strong legs and strong grip.  He kept grabbing the paper on the table that he was lying on, and we would have to pick him up and get it straightened out.  It's really funny because Scott and I both possess a normal amount of strength, and it could probably be argued that my strength level falls in the weaker range, but our children tend to be strangely strong.  Ada can move things twice her size, and John seems to be following in her footsteps.

Anyway...he weighed in at 15 lbs 8 oz, putting him in only the 40th percentile.  I was surprised because he seems like such a chunk to me, but Ada was also in the 40th percentile at his age, so we'll see, I guess.  Ada didn't drop to the 1st percentile until she started walking around.

Things to note at 5 months.

This seems to be the month.  The time I have been waiting for since six weeks.  Overnight John has become a much happier, much more content baby.  He smiles much more easily now, and he even attempts to laugh.  He is definitely showing a preference for me, and he usually cries when left with anyone other than family.  He didn't do this with my parents or Scott's parents, so maybe he can already sense that they are his family, even though he doesn't know them well yet. 

He is still a cuddle bug, and I kiss him all the time.  I can't get enough of those sweet baby cheeks pressed up against mine.  And the smell, oh my goodness.  I really am savoring his babyness more than I did with Ada.  I want to soak it up--memorize every aspect.

Thanks to finally letting him cry-it-out a bit, he is waking up usually once a night around 3:30.  This is amazing to me considering that a week and half ago, he was waking up four or five times a night.  He continues to be a great nurser, and his weight gain is great, so I am holding off on solids for a little bit longer.

He is loving to turn over, and seems to prefer his stomach both for sleeping and playing.  He also enjoys the bumbo for short periods of time.

He loves Ada, and Ada adores him.  She usually wakes up before him in the morning, and she gets so excited when he wakes up, jumping up and down when she hears him on the monitor.  She loves to talk baby talk to him, hug him, and kiss on him, but she gets very possessive of her toys, and she doesn't like it when she recognizes her old toys that John is now playing with.  He is only five months old, and I am already having to make her share.  I can't wait to watch their relationship develop over the next few years.

The other thing to note about John is his tendency to get very, very upset.  So, upset, in fact that he forgets to take a breath and turns a bit blue.  That is why I say that, for the most part, everything went well at the pediatrician.  He has been doing the hold his breath thing since the first night he was home from the hospital, and the home health nurse gave him his antibiotic shot.  He used to have these "episodes" as often as once a day, but lately he rarely does it.  Though the last two Sundays in June, he did it in the nursery, and the workers came and got me because it is a rather frightening thing to watch.  I mentioned it to the doctor, and John ended up having an "episode" after the nurse gave him his shots.  The doctor and the nurse (and me) think that it is probably nothing, just a tendency to get upset and not be able to calm down--I am thinking his personality might come from me ;)--but the nurse was a bit concerned just because it takes him so long to breath after this happens.  So...after witnessing the episode, the doctor is sending us to a pediatric cardiologist as a precaution.  Again...this is truly not a big deal.  To quote the pediatrician, "we live in a metro area where a pediatric cardiologist is available, so why not get it checked out."  So, really, I don't think he's concerned.  But... we are going next Thursday. 

And I think that is all of the significant five month things. 

I can hardly remember what it was like before John.  Isn't that the way it goes?  These tiny little lives have a way of weaving into the family and making their presence so very known, so very necessary, and there is no going back.  Ever.  We love him so, and are so thankful for his little life.  Our little John Thomas.