For Fin at Five Months

My Dearest Fin,

I thought I would write you a little note and tell you some things about what your life is like at five months old.

You're sleeping in your own crib now, like such a big boy, and some nights you even sleep straight through until morning! We still swaddle you, although I'm not sure if that's because you need it or because it makes mommy and daddy still feel like you're a baby. You're growing like a weed and I already have two huge tupperware containers of clothes you've gotten too big for. We just moved you up to size two diapers and mommy almost cried at the store when she saw the tiny baby picture on the package of newborn diapers you used to wear. Last night one of your daddy's friends told us that he's having a baby soon too and he hopes it will be a boy so that you two can go off to camp together - camp? Away? My baby? I feel like our life has been slipped into fast forward and you'll be ready for camp in the blink of an eye!

Mommy stays home with you and she's so glad she didn't go back to work! Daddy's glad too and loves hearing what we do every day. We still walk with your baby friends from birthing class - just think that someday they'll tell you how they knew you when you were still in mommy's belly! We went to the pool for the first time yesterday and you loved it. That was no surprise though since mommy spent so much time there when she was pregnant and of course because you love the bathtub so much. Some days we go and walk at the mall. You're happy to go anywhere as long as I keep the stroller moving. Speaking of moving, you're still in your "baby bucket" car seat, but you're quickly becoming too big for mom to heft around in it and I think we may have to move you up to the big-boy car seat this weekend. I'm sure that will make me shed a tear or two as well.

You take a morning nap now, usually while mom is walking, and then you take an afternoon nap and I usually join in for part of that. Don't tell dad, but it might be my favorite part of the day. We get all snuggly together and I let you play with my face and we chat a little (your favorite things to talk about right now are (Bababababa and whooooo). Yesterday you even tried to put George (your pacifier) in my mouth. Guess you'll take after your dad and be good at sharing. Sometimes you refuse to go to sleep until I sing to you. I did that tentatively at first since I don't think I have a particularly good voice, but it makes you so happy and relaxed that now I just sing and don't care how I sound. Daddy says I've gotten much better at it (and that's what we call a loaded complement :). And when you fall asleep, I get to watch you for a while and marvel and how perfect you are and how much in love with you I am. It won't be long before you're too much of a big boy to nap with your mom, so I'm going to indulge in our naptimes together as long as I can.

The late afternoon is the most difficult time for you. You get antsy for daddy to come home, and so do I. When he does get home, he comes right to you, swoops you up and hugs and kisses you. This makes you smile and giggle! I should note that you already have the greatest laugh - and it's very contagious. After everything settles down, it's time for a bath. This is a mommy and daddy tag-team effort. Mom get's in with you (oh the embarassment this will cause when you're a teenager!) and dad get's everything ready for when you get out. You love the tub and you could care less when I dunk you or dump water over your head to wash your hair. There are some nights when I think you'd like to stay in the tub for hours! Dad gets you out and dries you off and even uses the hair-dryer on you - you love that too. Then it's time for you to eat your last meal and off to dreamland. It was hard to transition you to your crib and there are nights when mom and dad walk by your room and have to work hard not to go in and grab you and snuggle you in our bed. But on the weekends, when you wake up early we do go get you and snuggle you for a little while longer. We both look forward to when we can go in and get you and bring you in to watch cartoons with us. So far, only dad's really interested in those.

So there's your life in a nutshell! You're on the cusp of big things: you're teething up a storm, starting to get tastes of real food, working hard to learn to sit on your own and keeping mom and dad on constant watch for that first word. And while I'm sad to miss the tiny baby you were yesterday, even more than that I can't wait to meet the little boy you will be tomorrow.

With all my love,

Mom