Jake - 5 Months

- 5 MONTHS TODAY!!!!!!!!
- Jake is so happy and smiley.  He is really revealing his personality to us and it makes me so happy!  He can be silly and bashful and he's just so, so sweet.
- He smiles all the time
- He rarely fusses unless he's hungry or tired.  It's easy to prevent both of these from happening on a normal day.
- He LOVES being held.  He would prefer to be held all the time if we would/could, but he is content playing alone, too.  He does not, however, like to cuddle.  He used to cuddle with me all the time, but he's just too alert now.  He likes being held upright and usually walking around looking at things.  Big boy's takin' a toll on his mama's back!  :)
- He takes 7 oz breastmilk (or formula, if I'm low) every 3 or 4 hours.  I use the word schedule loosely because it all depends on what time he wakes up in the morning, which is anywhere between 5 and 7.  Once he's up, I can pretty much predict the rest of the day, at least as far as eating is concerned. 
- 1 "meal" either in the morning or at night of rice cereal and/or baby food.
- he's tried apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, and peas and he loves them all!
- He goes down between 7 and 7:30 and wakes between 5:30 and 7.  It's great!
- He is a sleeping fool during the day time, too.  He still hasn't dropped a nap, so he sleeps at some point between each bottle, with few exceptions.  They're almost always at least an hour long. 
- He almost always takes a "supper nap" around 5 or so.  I do not believe in keeping a baby awake when they're sleepy, so I always put him down in his crib when I notice his sleepy cues.
- He is pooping much more regularly now (and he gets a little apple juice/water mixture if he's gone a few days without a BM or if his stool is too hard.  this came at the nurse's very strong recommendation.  i don't like giving him juice, but it does help and I give it to him very rarely compared to her once a day suggestion.)
- He weighs 19 1/2 lbs (as of 1/17) - He is two tons of fun!
- He is in size 12 month clothes and some 18 month and size 3 diapers
- He loves his exersaucer and is kind of back into his swing at times now
- His favorite thing to do is play with us while he is lying on the bed.  We can always get a good laugh out of him there
- He still doesn't like tummy time, but he's mastered rolling over, so it' doesn't ever last long anyway :) 
- He isn't sitting unassisted yet, but he has great head control and is very strong.
- He thinks his hands are a true wonder.  He's slowly figuring out that they're his, I think, but he hasn't figured out that he can control when he see's them, if that makes sense.  He just gets really enthralled when they happen to move into his line of sight.  He'll hold them there and just stare like he just can't believe it.  It's the cutest thing.
- He LOVES sucking his thumbs (he does have control over getting his hands to his mouth)
- He is really getting good at reaching and grabbing things and his movements are more smooth now and less jerky.
- He loves his daddy and his mama and lights up for us both.  Staring at him is something we both thoroughly enjoy! 

How lucky we are to have such a happy, healthy, and laid back baby!  I love you more than words, Jake Jake!