Zachary is 5 months!

Oh boy, what a month this has been! It seems as though so many things have changed since my last post.

First and foremost on my mind right now is our new sleeping issues. Zachary has decided that naps are overrated. Actually, he has no problem going down to sleep, but staying in dreamland has proven difficult for him. He goes to sleep in our arms, and we put him in his crib...only to awaken 20 minutes later. Every. Single. Time. In addition, he continues to wake every three hours at night. I have been *trying* to night-wean him, but to no avail. We threw our hands up in frustration, and finally broke down and bought the book, The No-Cry Sleep Solution. So far, I'm learning a lot about babies' sleep cycles and the relationship between good naps and good nighttime sleep. There are great tips in the book about getting the "short napper" to extend his sleep, and we are in the process of trying a few different strategies. We are not proponents of "Cry it Out," so this book seems perfectly suited to our needs. Many of my friends have told me that their babies had similar sleep issues at this age, and that "everything is temporary!" I know this is true, but we still need our sleep!

Zachary is quickly developing an adorable little personality! He belly laughs daily now, and especially loves men (Daddy, Grandpa, Uncle) playing Peek-a-Boo with him. Must be related to the deep voice and the element of startle he gets, but he seriously cracks up. It's so much fun to watch!

Just recently, he discovered his toes. He lays on his playmat and raises his legs so he can grab his toes. I'm not sure he's really aware of what he's doing at this point..he probably just thinks he's grabbing a toy! Cute nonetheless.

We started Zachary on solids two weeks ago. He is LOVING it. I received a Beaba Babycook for Christmas and have been making him some great purees. So far he has eaten avocado, oatmeal, pears, apples, sweet potatoes, squash, and banana. He likes everything except the squash, so I mix in some fruit with it to make it sweet. He's a great little eater; problem is, we can't get the food in his mouth fast enough! He loves to "protest" between bites. Hilarious!

I've found my Baby Bjorn and Moby Wrap to be life savers lately. Because Zachary is in constant need of stimulation, sometimes the jumperoo, swing, and playmat are just not enough for him. He loves to watch me do the dishes and make dinner while I wear him. He is fascinated with the running water and sounds of pots and pans banging!

My little chunk is now 27 inches long and weighs 16.5 pounds. He is getting really heavy and quickly outgrowing clothes. He's still wearing mostly 3-6 months, but I was surprised to recently discover that a lot of his 6-12 and 6-9 months clothes are fitting. He's just about to graduate into the size 3 diapers. Craziness!