Five Months

Dear Nathan,

Today you turn five months old, and I have to admit that this fifth month of your life has definitely been the most exciting yet. I might even dare to say it's been my favorite, as well.
The biggest, most exciting milestone has been your transition to sleeping through the night. Now you won't just sleep seven or eight hours a night, not paying any attention to Mommy and Daddy's preferred sleep schedule, but you'll sleep all night long most nights. Last night was a good example: you went to bed the same time as your brother and slept for a full twelve hours without a feeding, waking up at a perfectly reasonable hour this morning.

Daddy and I are thrilled at this new development. After getting used to your big brother's extraordinary sleeping skills, we were starting to wonder what was keeping you from being able to sleep as well as early. We'd even planned out a temporary solution to move you out of our room but so that you wouldn't disturb your brother with your nightly wakings when you shared a room. You managed to eradicate the need for a plan B just in time.

That means that the next huge milestone you met this month was your move into your permanent crib in the room you now share with your brother. It's been almost a whole week, and things are going amazingly well. I never know for sure what to expect each night, whether you might be disturbed during the night and demand a feeding, or whether you'll sleep all night long like last night. The one consistent thing, though, is that you and Patrick are getting used to being around each other when you sleep. You are both already starting to sleep through more and more noise, which I think is a wonderful ability to have. I am so proud of the big boy you are becoming, sleeping in your own room already.

I also can't get over what a joy you are to have around. I always thought Patrick was a happy baby--and he was and still is quite happy--but you are outshining him on a daily basis. If you're awake, you are actively trying to catch our eye so you can smile at us. It doesn't matter what mood I'm in; when you smile at me, I can't help but smile right back. I wonder sometimes if we couldn't just get rid of electricity around here--your smile lights up the room anyway.

One of our favorite games is the kissing game. I lean in close and give you a kiss on the cheek, neck, hand, foot, anything--and you giggle like it's the funniest thing in the entire world. That laugh warms my heart. I would do just about anything to hear that laugh. I know your daddy feels the same. In fact, it is even easier for him to coax a smile out of you than it is for me. All he has to do is walk into the room, and you start beaming at him. Without a doubt, you adore your daddy. I don't blame you.

You've also started smiling a new way that is even cuter, if that's even possible. You've discovered that tongue and how much fun it is to play with. So sometimes when you're impossibly happy, you'll smile with your tongue hanging out of your mouth. You'll blow raspberries with it and then laugh when Daddy and I imitate you. Even your increased teething pain only seems to bother you until I smile at you; then you can smile right back, even if you were fussing only seconds before. I can't even begin to describe the joy you have brought into our house with that contagious smile.

And you just keep growing. It's starting to hurt my back to carry you around too much. But don't stop growing, even when it hurts Mommy. I really love that you're already wearing the clothes your big brother got for his first birthday. It's great to see you growing at such a normal pace, without the nutrition worries we have for your big brother. Besides, how great will it be when your brother and you can wear from the same wardrobe and I don't have to worry about whose clothes are whose anymore?

I have no doubt that you will keep growing, no matter what I do. As always, I love it and hate it at the same time. Each new stage you meet, though, opens my eyes that much more to who you really are. Right now you're a happy, easygoing, loving, cuddly, chunky baby. And I love that baby so much more than I ever thought possible. I know I'll love you even more tomorrow as well, when you show me yet another facet to your charming personality. Just remember that no matter how big and grown up you get, you'll still always be Mommy's precious little baby.

I love you my big little baby.

Mommy