Five months old

Rachel was five years old yesterday. Colin is five months old today.

Colin now makes noises purposely to get attention. He blows raspberries and makes growling sounds, among others. He smiles at you if you look at him. He also looks around to find the sources of noises that he hears, and he anticipates actions if you say things like "I'm going to get you!" He loves to be around people.

He spends a lot of time on the floor, but also in his walker, swing, and bouncer, because he gets tired of doing one thing for too long. He often cries when put in his swing or car seat, perhaps because he knows he won't get to move around for a while, but strangely he calms if you swing his car seat. He sits up well if held, but not completely independently, yet. On the floor, he scoots backwards by gripping with his knees, and he also thrusts his weight forward and kicks his legs violently trying to move. He rolls from front to back and vice versa, and when left for a while, he always moves around. He now picks up toys and holds on when given them, and also reaches for things and grabs them. One of the things he grabs is his feet, which he sucks on. Today, Nicole gave him the stuffed orangutan, and Lydia said, "That's mine. I want the monkey."

Saturday we went to Sandcastle, the local water park, and Colin played in the water for the first time. The girls enjoyed splashing him.

Colin also sucks his thumb, and puts himself to sleep thereby. He occasionally takes a pacifier now, too, but more as a toy than a soother. He sleeps for five hour stretches at night, always on his belly. In the car, he calms when his sisters sing to him, which they usually do readily. Unfortunately, group singing is rarely possible because Lydia insists on singing alone, due to her independent phase.

Colin is extremely interested in food. He has tried apples, sweet potatoes, avocado, rice cereal, and bananas. Tonight he was on my lap while I enjoyed a strawberry rhubarb apple crisp that our neighbor Laurie brought over, and Colin kept trying to grab on to me and pull the food closer.

This month we learned much more about Colin's developing personality, and he seems to have moved to a new phase.