Day 151... 5 months!

Jun 20

Martyn is 5 months old today!

So here are his milestones for this month.

His best trick right now, is that he is sitting up unassisted really well. He can sit for a long time, on a flat surface and balance himself. He can put his arm out to catch himself or balance if he starts to fall, and he can use his leg and stomach and back muscles to right himself when he starts to tip over. He can lean all the way forward and practically suck on his toes, and then straighten himself back up to a sitting position.

He can roll over, either from back to belly or belly to back, but he doesn't do that very often still. I've only seen him do it either way a hand full of times. When he's laying on his belly, he can hold himself up in a half push up for quite a while....with his head, shoulders and chest all the way off the ground. He can put his face on the ground and bring his knees up to his chest, sticking his butt way up in the air, and scooch forward like an inch worm....but I don't know if he is conscious of doing that yet.

Any time he is laying flat on his back, he will do little mini crunches....working on those baby abs of steel I guess. When he is nursing (not in the bed) he will stop and "have a conversation" with me. He can reach his hand out and direct it to touch my face if I put it close enough for him to reach, and will almost caress my face. If he is sitting down on the floor or in the playpen, or in his little rocking chair and wants you to pick him up when you go by, he will reach up with both hands. When you are holding him, he will give little baby hugs, and back pats to show affection.

He's a funny boy, and the best part is he is starting to get little jokes...like if we make faces at him, or funny voices, he will smile and laugh...and try to get us to laugh too. He's very very chatty. Still no understandable words but he's experimenting with many different sounds, and imitates mouth movements, that he sees me making. He turns towards sounds that are new to him, and if you say his name he turns and looks at you.

He can pick things up from the ground, or suspended objects, though they take a lot more concentration and aim than things off the ground. He's able to grasp rings and rattle pretty well, but it's still hard for him to pinch with his thumb and forefinger. He can bring toys to his mouth, and chew chew chew away on them for quite a while. He still really likes fabrics of all kinds, to touch and to put into his mouth and chew on.

He doesn't have any teeth showing, but I can feel two bottom front teeth, and his gums are raised and white there too. He has a really strong bite, and whenever I massage his gums he always wants to bite down on my finger....better that than the nipple, ouch!

I think he's just about ready for homemade rice cereal. At least to give it a try.

He's not sleeping through the night yet, and tonight is going to be the official start to trying him for sleeping in the crib, not our bed. I'm going to be tough tonight, even though I'm beat. I have it firmly in mind that he's going to stay in his bed, except to nurse...which means I may be in for a long night tonight....he's already in bed and has been for the last hour and half. I tried to keep him up until 8, but he just wasn't having it. So here's hoping.