Happy 5 Month Birthday!!

Another month has come (and almost gone) and here I am still behind in my updates. I have meant to write this for about a month now, along with about 16 other blog posts, but everyday I come home, take one look at my beautiful boy, and immediately decide that I would much rather spend time with Graham than write about him! I LOVE coming home to him everyday and am so in awe of the amazing person he is becoming right before our eyes.
While Graham continues to grow and change at a seemingly rapid-fire pace, we did hit a stumbling block or two this month. At his 4 month appointment, Graham was only 11 lbs. 6 oz. If that figure looks familiar it’s because it was exactly what he weighed at his 3 month appointment?!?! How in the world that was even possible is beyond me. Our doctor, however, was very reassuring and spent a lot of time talking to us about his feedings, eating and sleeping habits, etc. In the end, she decided that rather than start supplementing or start solids, we should make a conscious effort to increase the amount of milk he was consuming, and come back in two weeks for a weight check. So we did, and after 2 weeks of me feeling like a cow and Graham eating constantly, we took him back to the doctor to discover that he weighed…11 lbs. 11 oz.?!?! He only gained 5 oz.?!?!? I definitely didn’t understand that one, since I am confident that he gained more than 5 oz of hair in those two weeks alone! By the time the doctor came in, I was in tears and just so frustrated, not understanding how that could happen. Again, our doctor was wonderful and opted to have us go ahead and start solids rather than supplement with formula, and come back in two weeks for another weight check.

And so began our foray into the world of solid foods. We started with rice cereal, and it has definitely been quite the adventure and Graham has had a lot to say on the matter:



As you can probably tell by the video and pictures, Graham has a giant personality to make up for his small size. He loves to talk, smile, and laugh! He has started to enjoy playing peek-a-boo games, particularly after bath time when he hides his face in his hooded towel and we have to ask, “Where’s Graham?”. He loves to explore faces and is starting to imitate some of what he sees. One of our favorite books right now is Baby Faces. Graham looks so intently at the babies on each page and will even reach to try and turn the pages.

I think one of my favorites now is the million watt, melt your heart smile Graham will give to anyone who asks, “Who’s Cute?”. His smile and laughs are contagious, and he will giggle at funny sounds and tickles, especially from Daddy. He likes to talk and explore many different sounds. (Shhhh, Puppy, it's my turn to talk!)
I think laying in bed in the mornings and listening to him chatter over the monitor may be one of the best sounds ever. Yes, we have officially made the transition from his bassinet to the crib on his 4 month birthday (February 26). While I shed more than a few tears over this monumental event, Graham could not have cared less. He has slept very comfortably in his crib without missing a beat (or really much sleep)!

During this month, Graham has learned to grasp and reach for objects and move them back and forth from one hand to the other. I don’t know if it means anything at this point, but he is definitely taking after Daddy and favoring his left hand, although he will use his right as well. He is working hard at sitting, although he would rather sit on the floor or someone’s lap as opposed to the bumbo seat. He is not quite independent yet, but getting closer everyday. Graham still has not rolled from his back to his tummy, but again, he is SO SO SO close. We were sure that he would roll during springbreak, but he is holding out on us!


Overall March was a very busy month. We celebrated his baptism on March 13 with Grandma and Grandpa and his God-parents, Danielle and Fred. We also made it through another “first” holiday with St. Patrick’s Day!
Speaking of firsts, Graham was lucky enough to enjoy two “springbreaks” this year. One with Grandma and Grandpa Koch where he made a trip to Valdosta to see Great-Great-Aunt Ruth and a trip to the capital to see Mommy and her chorus students sing a concert. The other springbreak he spent with Mommy and Daddy, taking lots of walks
and going on his first trip to the beach!

Phew… looking back at all the pictures from this month, it is easy to see why I never had time to write this post! And can't you tell why I would rather snuggle with this cutie than the computer?!