five months

Five months consists of:

- Lots of giggle parties. Once you get Dash going you don't even have to touch him. The more you laugh the more he laughs and it makes you laugh even more and on and on. Liam likes to alternate between laughing and supersonic squeals of glee. When we get to Hawaii I think he fully expects dolphins to leap from the water to his call.

- Chubby boys. They are wearing 6 month clothing and in some things pushing the nine month envelope. What round bellies! What incredibly long legs!

- Advances. Liam can now roll over from his front to back with minimal effort. He is exclusively a stomach sleeper now, and as soon as I lay him in his crib he flips over and shoves a fist in his mouth. During the day he props himself up on his elbows and regards the world. Dash is more hesitant. He has enough strength to support his head for a little while, but hasn't quite figured out how to flip over yet.

- Enjoying defying gravity. Liam especially will give you a great big gummy grin and probably some drool if you dandle him up in the air above your head. Dash also thinks it's quite fun. Fitness bonus: I am bench-pressing many pounds of babies many times per day.

- Sleeping. Sort of. There's still no real nap schedule. Some days I'm lucky if there are a couple of 15 minute naps. It is obviously un-cool to sleep at the same time. But with relative regularity around 6.30pm at night both boys eat and their eyes get droopy and they are willing to sleep in their cribs. Of course, they're still waking every few hours to eat but usually I can convince them to go back to sleep. After 5 am though, all bets are off. When they wake up to eat then I am greeted with wide button eyes in the relative darkness of the bedroom and know that there will be no more sleeping.

- Toys. Both boys are loving anything they can cram in their mouths or stare at. A squeaky giraffe, plastic beaded necklace, my fingers, whatever is at hand. Dash has shown himself to be a textile man and will amuse himself by stuffing his mouth full of one of the muslin cloth squares I've made for him. Liam is more drooly and likes something substantial, perhaps something in a blue plastic cookie ring.

Cuteness:

Dash does some belly yoga

Liam with his giraffe