Toby: 5 Months

 

On Tuesday October 23rd, Mr. Mister turned 5 months-old. I can't believe he has been here that long. He's so awesome and he changes every day!

Here are Toby's most recent stats: (Yes, I'm still recording everything... like the nerd I am!)

• He has had 1071 diaper changes!
• He drinks a whopping 5 oz. per meal (approx. 30 ounces per day!!)
• He is very alert and aware of his surroundings.
• His little bum still fits into size two diapers and he's mostly in 3-6 month clothing.
• His favorite things in the whole world are: books, Sophie (the giraffe), the dogs, his "calm down jar," the word "what," and his Mama and Daddy!
• We bring him outside (A LOT) and he really likes it.
• His naps are MUCH shorter during the day (maybe 30-40 minutes a few times per day) but, he STILL sleeps like a champ! (8-10 hours at night.)
• He wore his first Halloween costume (the big reveal coming on Halloween!)
• He loves to have books read to him. Seriously, it's not wishful thinking. He has even started turning the pages!
• He can sit for long period of time (with assistance) and hold his head up like it's his job.
• ... on the rolling front he's a bit lazy!
• He is still sleeping in his mini-crib in our room. He's fast growing out of it so we will soon have to have the dreadful discussion where Aaron and I move him to his own crib in his own room! (Boooo, hissss!!)
• We did a lot of traveling in the past month and he handled it with ease. He's such a good baby.
• This month will probably be THE month we start Mister on solids!
• Toby is babbling a ton and really trying to form words. We shoot for 30,000 words per day. I had read somewhere that you should speak 20,000 words to children under 3 years old every day to maximize language... I was recently corrected by a friend and the studies now indicate 30,000 words! So, I've had to add some nonsense to my language "Mama is going to do some laundry. Look at Daddy's dirty sock! A sock goes on your foot. You have TWO feet, Toby!" Ah, the things we do for our children! 
• No teeth yet! But, he's drooling like Pavlov's dog so I assume any day! He has been successfully wearing his Baltic amber necklace for 2 months. I really wanted him to be used to it before he needed it. He's used to it now; he doesn't play with it or grab at it anymore, so... teeth can come any day!
 

Updates on Mama and Daddy:

• Mama HATES to go to work and I'm really busy now... which sucks (but it's good for the pocketbook!)
• I signed on to teach another course next semester; an Ethics course... fun, fun!
• I'm back in my PRE-pregnancy jeans. Yeah, they're tight but, I can button them and that's all that matters.
• Mama and Daddy got rid of the television. Can you believe it? A big step. We just wanted to simplify life and spend more quality time as a couple/family. It's nice to relax with books instead of incessant noise in the background.
• Daddy is busy in the basement woodworking all sorts of masterpieces for Christmas.
• Daddy has been doing a lot of yard work too; getting things ready for the fall/winter.
• I have pumped 116 oz. of breast milk from my milk-jugs. I'm going to keep trying to give him my milk as long as I can!

I have been really terrible about blogging this month so below, find Toby's month/travels in pictures!

 

 

Playing with leaves in Vermont

 

 

He made his first trip to the Vermont Country Store

 (later that day he "saw" his first hot air balloon, too!)

We took some pictures by a local lake

 

 

And he was so handsome in his hat and sweater his Nana made him.

 

 

 

He wore spiked hair and a "shirt and tie!"

 

He hung out by the campfire at Mimi's house.

 

He completed his first corn maize!

 

He sat in a "corn box" and loved it!

 

We went pumpkin picking for the first time!

He looked dapper in a "faux-hawk!"

 

 

Until he crapped his pants; then he wasn't so dapper!

 

He rocked a fake mustache... looking like Gomez Addams!

 

 

 

And he played in the fall leaves (while Mama worried about deer ticks!)

 

He's a little dude with a huge personality. His smile is infectious. I really can't believe he is our kid and I can't imagine my life without him. To sound totally cliche, he completes us. I am absolutely obsessed with him!