Santiago's 5 month letter

8/15/10

Dear Santiago:

You are now five months old! Almost half a year!

You have mastered rolling over! You can roll both back and forth, although you only roll to your left side. You tend to favor your left side more than your right – when you grab for toys, you mostly grab with your left hand, you roll to your left, etc. – mommy likes to think this means you will be great like her and a leftie, but only time will tell!

You’ve started laughing some big laughs. You’re also getting SO strong and when you’re not happy somewhere you’ll put your feet down and push your body up. Usually this isn’t that much of a problem, but sometimes you try and do it when you’re in the bathtub, on the changing table or in your bouncy chair, so we have to watch you all the time now!

We’ve also started you on solid foods! You’re doing so well! So far definite “likes” for food are carrots and apple. You have also tried sweet potato but you don’t really like it that much.

Here are some of the things you’re doing this month:

• Trying to sit up (when you’re in your car seat or on the bed you’ll lean your head forward trying to pick yourself up)

• Playing with your rattle (you get REALLY excited when we shake it in front of you and you’ll hold it in your hands and shake it around)
• Big belly laughing

• Eating solid foods and recognizing when mommy or daddy are eating

• Just starting to play with your sippy cup. You know that it goes to your mouth but you haven’t mastered the two handed hold on the handle

• “Talking” while we’re feeding you – you’re usually making a lot of commentary while you eat!

• Wearing Size 3 diapers

• Wearing size 3-6 month pants, 3-6 month shirts, some 9 month shirts and 6 month onesies

• Wearing size 1 shoes

• Wearing size 3-6 month hats

• Eating about 4-6 oz per feeding

• Rolling all over the place! We can’t really leave you in the gym anymore because you’ll roll into the sides

• Spitting up less and less, although when you do spit up now it involves colored food which stains

• Indicating that you want to play by flapping your arms around

• Feeling textures more and more – when we hold you you’ll often move your hand over our chests to feel the shirts. Also you’ll feel our arms, legs, etc. and when you’re in bed, you’ll feel the mattress

• Start out the evening sleeping on your back and then eventually rolling to your side and then tummy

• Still only have two teeth – the bottom middle two. Waiting on the top two to come in!

We have had so much fun with you this month! We can’t believe you’ll be half a year old next month – where did the time go? And how did you grow up so fast?

Love,
Mommy and Daddy