5 Months (and 31 years...)

It's a double birthday today! Bennett is now 5 months old (what?!), and I am now...older than him. Lincoln told me I am 3 and old. Pretty darn close.  31! Last year I made a list of things I wanted to accomplish before I turned 30. 5 items, no problem right? To date, number of items completed=zero. Fail! I have a new plan for this year (I took year #30 off from goal setting. I know my limits.), but I haven't had the time to write it up yet. Maybe I'll get to it tonight; maybe not. I can do what I want! It's my birthday!

Meanwhile, Bennett has been all about accomplishments this month. In fact, this morning he led off the day by pulling himself up to a standing position in his pack and play. I think he figured rolling, crawling, sitting up unassisted, and holding himself in the downward dog position like a pro just weren't enough. This is a birthday, people! Bring your "A" game!

Other momentous events this month:

"I'm gonna cram this whole fist in my mouth." 

• As mentioned above, he can crawl, scoot, and pretty much roll his way across any room, flooring, obstacle, and person in his path. He has launched himself into a brick fireplace, gotten stuck under a couch, rolled on top of some (very pokey) matchbox cars, and rolled a scooter across the living room with one arm.

"I'm gonna eat you, wipes! Get in my belly!"

• He sat up for the first time by pushing himself from his tummy straight back into in upright position on 9/5/2011.  Yesterday, he discovered he doesn't need to use his hands to support himself anymore since he has been doing P90X with us at night and has super hero core strength.  Pretty bizarre to see a baby this small sitting up in the middle of the living room.

"Look, mama! It's easy! I'm gonna jump right out of here!"

• First airplane trip. My uncle Paul passed away early this month. Bennett and I were able to get a flight up to Omaha to be with family and attend the funeral. This was Bennett's first trip out of the state, and I was pretty nervous since (as I've mentioned before), he is not a comfort nurser. With Lincoln, all I had to do on the airplane was nurse him and he'd fall asleep. I had to get a little more creative with Bennett. This included requesting my own row on every flight (we flew American, and no flight was ever full), holding the pacifier in his mouth during takeoff and landing, changing his diaper in the tiny airplane bathroom after he pooped 10 minutes into the flight (TWICE.), squeaking the giraffe over and over again, holding him up to the window, and practically forcing him to nurse at one point to stop a 20 minute crying spell (cause by changing his diaper in the tiny airplane bathroom...). He did manage to fall asleep, eventually, and we were even complimented on how well he did on the flight (I guess they must have missed the crying?), so over all, no so bad!

"I could stand here all day."

• Bennett met lots of new family while we were up in Omaha. I didn't have my camera with me, but I'll see if I can get my mom to send some to post here..
• Flapped his arms! All the time! Flap! Hit the table! Hit the floor! Hit his own face and wake himself up!

Taking a break from flapping.

• Sleep update: I have already mourned the loss of my amazing sleeper and moved on. This new sleeper that has taken Bennett's place goes something like this-down for the night at 8. Up at 8:20! Down at 9:00. Up at 9:30! Just in time for P90X with mama and daddy! Down at 11:00. Up at 12:30! I bring him into bed with us and he is restless and/or nursing most of the night. Sometimes if I have to get up to go to the bathroom, he wakes up and then needs walking around until he falls back to sleep. So, I try not to do that...

"P90X. I hate it...but, I love it."

• Laughs, smiles, and babbles. He's a talker, that guy!

"You gettin' all up in my bidness?"

• Got a new carseat...today, actually. He's been for two rides in it so far, and slept both times. Fingers crossed it isn't a fluke, but rather the magical powers of Britax.

Lucas made me an amazing s'mores birthday cake. I love s'mores.

He must really love me, that guy!

The only candle we had in the house was a letter "Y".  Happy "Y" day!

And, I would be remiss if I didn't post a picture of this new birthday breakfast tradition: cake batter pancakes and hashbrowns.  It's a beautiful thing.

Happy Birthday, Bennett (and me!)