Dear Hank:
I fall more in love with you everyday. Every now and then I think to myself that my heart is feeling as full as it can feel, and then you do something else that makes my heart swell. I love being your mommy. And I love knowing you.
You are 5 months old now. I look back at your newborn photos and can't believe you were ever so small. How did we ever take care of someone so tiny and fragile? I guess you were never as fragile as you seemed. Even now, I am amazed by your resilience. We have spent the past month packing up to move and traveling for the holidays. I thought the constant change might be hard on you, but you just go with the flow. I think you may have some things to teach me about that. :)
I have a little cuddlebug in you. You are so affectionate. You love to nuzzle my face and neck, and you love when I put my face close to yours and we smile at each other. You rub my arm and my breast when you are nursing. When you are upset, you hold on tight to my finger and squeeze. Even without words, you can make me feel loved.
Speaking of words, you haven't said your first word yet, but you are the chattiest little guy. You go on and on with warble-y, coo-y sounds that make no sense at all, but I am convinced you know exactly what you are saying. I love hearing your stories, even if I can't understand them yet.
You are the most curious little man. You will often sit still and watch the world around you. People will say to me frequently, "He's just taking it all in!" I like to think that someday you will be a people-watcher like Mama.
Everyday we spend time together on the floor. It should be called "tummy time" but you don't like to spend much time on your tummy. When I put you on your tummy, you get frustrated and eventually start crying. But we still try several times a day. Eventually you will figure out how to crawl, and then there will be no stopping you.
You are most happy when you are standing up, with help of course. You love being able to see everything around you like a big boy. You have the strongest little legs and sometimes you kick me so hard that it surprises me. I remember feeling those kicks when you were inside of me! Almost everyone who holds you comments on how strong you are. I wonder how you will decide to use those muscles of yours.
Some other random tidbits from this month:
- If you get unhappy on a car ride, you will calm right down if we play rock music, like Bon Jovi or Pearl Jam.
- You finally outgrew sleeping in your swing. You've graduated to sleeping in the Pack n Play right beside Mommy's side of the bed. Eventually we'll move you into a crib in your own room, but I don't think you (or Mommy) are ready for that yet.
- You love when we sing "The Green Grass Grew All Around" and when Mommy makes you dance. When you read this someday, you can look up "Gangnam Style" and know that Mommy made you dance to some weird music.
I'm saving the best for last. My two favorite things that you started to do this month: giggling and reaching up. Your laugh, my goodness, your laugh is the sweetest sound I've ever heard. Daddy will kiss your belly and his beard tickles you and you go into fits of laughter. That, alone, is worth any amount of pain or sacrifice I've ever had to endure for you. I will never forget the sound of your laughter. And your arms now reach out when you want me to pick you up. Of course, I always oblige you.
Hank, I love every little morsel of your being.
Always, Mommy