Five Months Old

The past month has been a real pleasure. At some point between months four and five, Cayden just seems to have gotten so much easier and more fun.

It doesn't hurt that he started sleeping much longer stretches at night somewhere in that timeframe.

But the screeches of joy (he discovered his squealing voice in the last week), wide-eyed amazement at new sights, grabby little hands, crazy tummy wiggles and excited bicycle legs are so much fun to experience and encourage. He can now entertain himself for extended periods of time, and he's putting together cause-and-effect things like banging on a toy to make it light up and play music.

As challenging as some points in our breastfeeding experience were, we seem to have hit our stride. Baby is obviously getting all that he needs, and Mama has learned to chill out a little and not get bent out of shape over a single day of lower-than-usual pump output. All the concerns over supply seem to be insignificant now, as we are freezing new baggies for the back-up stash about as fast as we are cycling through the oldest frozen milk, so as not to waste any. Pumping at work is still kind of a pain in the butt, but nursing has become a natural, very enjoyable experience for both of us.

Cayden has been eating 1 - 2 tablespoons of solid food one time a day for a little over three weeks now (OK, two solid food meals on Christmas day). But it remains absolutely mind-boggling (and one of the most personally rewarding experiences of my life) that my body -- and nothing else -- nourished and grew him for more than 13 months and continues to be his primary source of sustenance. Nature is an amazing, amazing thing, and it is truly a blessing to experience this real-life miracle every day.