The A Team Week 23: Back to Reality

On Thursday, February 26th we headed back to reality from our Florida vacation.  It was a rude welcoming as we came home to a driveway covered in about 5 inches in snow.  Eric and I were sad to see the white frosty blanket on our driveway instead of the white sands of the Florida coast, but to Asher they were one in the same: A kid's playground.  We arrived back at our house in the late afternoon giving us plenty of time to unload the van, begin unpacking (and mountains of laundry) and settle in before getting a good night of rest and getting back to the grind on Friday.

Asher helping Daddy shovel the snow.

We worked on Friday and then enjoyed a low-key weekend at home for most of the time with a friend's son's 4th birthday party and church thrown in.  I also took some time to document Avery's 5 month status, since he celebrated his birthday while we were on vacation and the calendar was back at home.

At five months old, Avery is continuing to grow up way to fast.  Before we left for vacation, I measured him at 17 pounds even, 27.5" long and a head circumference of 17.5" (which puts him at a slightly smaller scale than Asher was at the same age).  He still has two teeth, but I am quite certain he is working on more as he hasn't been sleeping real well, has been pinching me lately (TMI maybe, but ouch!) and has bright rosy cheeks.  His hair also continues to grow and he desperately needs a haircut as these days he looks like he is sporting a mini toupee.  

Developmentally, he has mastered the art of rolling over and seems to understand that the next step is crawling as he will try to get is knees up under himself when he gets on his belly.  He loves his daddy and his big brother and finds their antics rather amusing.  I frequently have to ask Asher to leave the room lately when Avery is nursing because otherwise he cannot focus enough to get the job done.  Although he is in love with the boys of the house, I think everyone would agree that his main love and focus currently is me.  He is a complete momma's boy.  I'm not sure why this is; if I did something different raising him than I did with Asher, if Eric just had someone else to play with already, or if he just has a different personality, but almost anyone that spends a little bit of time with us could tell you the same thing.  Besides Eric, Asher and I, Avery has also begun to pay much more attention to Emma and watches her as she runs around the house.  He is very intent on getting a hold of her shaggy white hair, but she's been around enough babies now to know not to let him get too close...although I have caught her giving him kisses on the forehead a few times.  

Avery has also become very interested with his toes.  I remember that Asher sat on his own for the first time just before his five month birthday.  It will probably be a while before Avery does that though because every time I try to let him give it a shot he immediately goes for his piggies and then falls on his face.  He especially loves to have full (sock free) access to them and every time he gets a diaper change he will either try to roll onto his belly or fold himself in half to get his toes in his mouth...both making diaper changes extremely difficult. 

Avery rarely naps; taking usually only catnaps in my arms during the day or maybe a half hour in his crib, but it doesn't seem to affect his personality other than that he often looks exhausted.  He is still not sleeping through the night consistently, but has done it a couple of times and we hope to turn a corner soon.  Although he doesn't sleep through the night, he does go to sleep typically quite easily and will sleep from 8:30-7:00 with a snack or two between.  He still enjoys sucking on his pacifier  but we try to only give it to him when he is really fussy or when we need him to be quiet.  He loves to stand on his feet (with balancing help of course) and has little interest in sitting if not being held.  He does love to be held though and demands it most of the time, but also prefers to be in on the action and free to look about as he desires.   He has learned also that he can wiggle to get to where he wants to go and will attempt to wiggle himself out of his swing and also (we learned on vacation) wiggle himself into the pool.  He hasn't started solid foods yet, but will do soon soon and it is obvious that he is very interested as there is no way to hold him and eat without him grabbing for your silverware, food, plate, etc.

As for the rest of the family, we are still working on finding the new balance as a family of four, but are absolutely in love with this little man and enjoying every moment that we have all have with him and each other (or at least trying to...I'd be lying if I said I enjoyed EVERY moment!).

As I said the remainder of Week 23 was fairly uneventful as we mainly worked on recovering from our trip earlier in the week.  We did enjoy the excitement of Avery's first solid foods though.  He was such a happy guy to finally get his hands on a spoon and couldn't help but try to assist us in the process of getting the sloppy goo (baby rice cereal) into his impatient little mouth.

Sunday morning before church: This kid refuses to nap anywhere but in someone's arms (typically mine).  Today though I set him on the floor for a minute while I went to get something and when I came back he was passed out on the floor!  Figures!

Avery getting his first solid foods.

Video: Avery's 1st Solids

Attempting to feed himself.

Video: Avery Tries Peas

Video: Avery Talks to the Cute Baby in the Phone