Ryan - 5 Months

Dear Ryan,
Well this is awkward. You were born on the 30th and yet there is no February 30th so I guess technically today you are 5 months old! So much has happened in a month!

The beginning of this month you started blowing bubbles, it was so cute. Your favorite time to do it was during diaper changes. You'd lie there and blow and laugh and blow some more. Now you like to talk to yourself, and it is a very cute voice. But what is most amazing is that we've caught you sign 4 different things this month -- milk, mommy, daddy, and bath. Although you don't do those consistently, it was very obvious when you did do them!

You had your first real illness this month -- a very bad cold that left you congested and coughing. We had a rough few days but then you pulled through and afterwards we saw some definite signs of growth. To help you get through, your doctor had us giving you probiotics, the wet sock treatment, eucalyptus rub, humidifier, and lots of garlic in mommy! You hated the garlic (mommy did, too) but everything helped.

Your personality is starting to show. You seem to have an all-or-nothing style -- you are smiling like mad or you are crying hard. Your brother was all-around mellow but you are different!

You've become more assertive this month. You demand attention when you know we can give it to you. You are grabbing at anything -- our faces, hair, plates, cups, etc. You even grabbed Mama's banana at one point and got a taste in your mouth! Oops -- you are too young for that :)

Even the cats are something to grab at, although they don't like that so much, but you love watching them.

Nothing beats watching your brother, though! The two of you play more and more as you get older, and lately the two of you have taken to (gently) rolling around on the bed. Play has been a big development this month. You can now handle toys with relative ease and love them and already have your favorites. You also found your feet this month! I love watching you grab your socks and toes and smile.

You love your baths, toys, cats, the song Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, and Jake. You're not such a fan of car rides, diaper changes, or snowsuits.

Love you so much, baby boy.