Leo's been here five months

That’s a whole hand! (Frank used to say that when he was five years old.)

Right after this picture was taken, Leo launched a triple threat on this outfit—spit-up, poo and pee.

Life with Leo at five months:

He smiles a lot. Frank calls him “Smiley Cyrus.”
He loves to stand and jump up and down. He’s not too into sitting.
He loves rice cereal and is very interested in the food we eat. If I just want a snack, I have to hide from him.
He still likes everybody and doesn’t seem to have a preference for mom and dad. (So come visit and hold him while you still can!)
He likes to go to the YMCA play center. I don’t know what he does there!
He’s still sleeping great at night but isn’t too into daytime naps.
He hasn’t started grabbing his feet yet. I think it’s because he can’t see them over his belly.
He’s in two play groups and is the youngest in both. But there’s a new baby on the block who will join soon. A girl! All the boys will be fighting over her.

Speaking of not liking daytime naps…gotta go!

Tummy turn-off

I know all about tummy time. I know we're supposed to do it. I know the baby "can't get too much" according to his pediatrician. But Leo spits up. A lot. And putting him on his tummy hasn't been an ideal position for such a situation.

So I’ve been a tummy time slacking mom. But then this lady in my spin class told me that she’s some sort of orthopedic such and such—something medical and related to kids. Anyway, she said that she sees kids who didn’t get enough tummy time as babies and something really bad happens to them. Okay, I’m clearly not a good listener after spin class but here’s what I got out of it: “If your baby doesn’t do tummy time then he is doomed. He won’t go to college, he won’t get a job, he’ll live in your basement forever.”

Whatever she said, it made me put Leo on his tummy every chance I got. Spit-up or not. But Leo won’t stay on his tummy. He likes to roll onto his back. Maybe that’s because whenever he does it, I squeal, “Yeah! What a good boy!” and then put him back on his tummy. And then I say, “Yeah! What a smart boy! Somebody’s going to an Ivey League school!” And then I add, “…on a full scholarship, right?”

An outdoorsman

I've gotten a lot of advice since becoming a mom but this piece of wisdom from Jacquie Fagan might be the one that's come in the most handy: "If your baby is crying, a change of scenery helps a lot. Going outside for five minutes can make a big difference."

OMG is that true for Leo. There is nothing that going outside can't fix. I took him outside to see a neighbor the other day and he was smiling, cooing, being totally charming. She said, "Is he always this happy?" I said, "He was just screaming his head off inside!"

And the weather is so nice that now we go outside any chance we get. I think I might even pitch a tent and have him sleep outside.

Add that to the list of reasons I'm glad we don't live in North Dakota.

A peek into the future

The following conversation takes place in the halls of a high school in the year 2024 when Leo and his friend John will be 16:


Leo: "Hey, man. You know what I found the other day? That picture of us when we're wearing those matching green outfits. Look!"

John: "Dude, put that away! I thought you burned it. Why did our moms do that to us? My dad calls those outfits 'leotards.'"


Leo: "And why did we have our initials on them? We were such dorks. Ooh, here comes that cute cheerleader, Elise. I better put this away."

John: "It doesn't matter; she would never like you anyway."

Leo: "Not true. We used to be an item. I've got proof."

John: "Yeah. When you were like, five months old and you were still wearing leotards."

Leo Wears the Pants in This House

Frank braved a consignment sale all by himself this weekend (he says I give up to easily). He came home with all these "manly" clothes for Leo like plaid shirts, jeans and pants. I think he wants Leo to dress more like his daddy.

I put some cargo pants on Leo yesterday and he suddenly aged two years. He looks like a little man!

Bringing in the Big Bibs

We started giving Leo Rice cereal last week. We soon learned that standard bibs weren't gonna cut it.



Thanks to the person who gave us these giant plastic bibs with a trough on the bottom. They're good for now but we may need to get him a pancho soon.

Poopy Parcel

I knew I would do some gross things as a mom--clean up throw-up, wipe butts, pick boogers--but I didn't think I'd ever be mailing my baby's poop off to some researchers.

But that's what I did today. And I might be doing it for the next 15 years!

You see, Leo was recruited to be part of a long-term study called TEDDY to determine what environnmental factors may cause children to develop Type I diabetes. He was tested in the hospital and he apparently has a gene that puts him at higher risk for getting the disease. There are only a few testing sites in the US and the main one is here in Atlanta.

We agreed to do it because it would mean extra monitoring of Leo to see if he is trending towards developing diabetes. Plus, we might help these nice scientists figure out the cause. Then I won't feel so bad for not donating at Walgreen's.

So now Leo is called a TEDDY child and we have to go to the study's headquarters once every three months to get his blood drawn and his weight and height taken. They will also ask me a bunch of questions about what he's been eating.

And once a month I have to mail in his poo. After he's four, I only have to do it once a quarter.

He was cooperative now but I'm not sure how it will work when I need his poo at age 15.

Leo's been here four months

And one week:

Spitting up has decreased

Drooling has increased

He has lots to say: ooh, ah, wee, huh, etc. (he doesn't say "etc" but rather he makes sounds that are similar to the first four listed)

He can sort of sit up with his hands in front of him on the floor

He prefers people to hold him and walk around versus sitting in one of his baby seats like swing, bumbo, bouncy

He loves to be in the Bjorn facing outward

He sleeps for eleven hours at night and about four hours during the day

He can roll from tummy to back and can roll onto his side from his back (but not all the way onto his tummy)

His favorite book is still Leo the Late Bloomer but he's starting to like Amelia Bedelia too

He's developing an interest in television no thanks to daddy

He loves new faces and will let anybody hold him (as long as they are standing up and walking around)

His three month clothes are too tight. He's wearing his first six month onesie in the picture above.

He's sporting pants!