5 months

 It's hard to believe my baby is 5 months! Since he was so big so fast, I feel like I had hardly any newborn at all! I finally got his 4 month check-up today (I had forgotten that he needed a 4-month). He weighed in at 17 lbs. 5 oz. and was 26 1/4 in. long That puts him in the 70th percentiles for both height and weight, so his decline has started.

The only "concern" I voiced to the dr. was that he's just not interested in any of his toys. She said it's because he's got such good entertainment from his siblings, that the bright, colorful, little rattles don't even compare to what he gets out of them! She's right! He loves to watch them dance and play and run around together, as long as he's right there in the action. As soon as he doesn't make eye contact with any of them within a few minutes, he will let us know!

He can roll over from front to back and back to front, though he doesn't like to be on the floor very long. He prefers his bumbo seat now.

Check out this "boy" look.

 He's so sweet!

Other talents/interests:
-kicking in bathtub
-being tickled on his feet (we get some good laughs out of this!)
-being stroked along his jawline
-blowing raspberries
-playing pat-a-cake with Mommy
-playing with his hands
-trying to suck his thumb

Austin has taken to him lately. He like to repeat what he hears Victoria say, "Are you smiling at me? Are you smiling at me? Yeah! Yeah!" It's so cute when he says it because he raises his voice, like Victoria does, but he still has a lower voice, even though he's only two. Maybe he'll have a deep voice like Daddy's.

 Victoria has really taken to helping with Erik since we've been back from France. She can't stand him crying one second and will promptly pick him up as soon as he does. She can actually get him to calm down now by bouncing him and shushing him. Erik thinks she's just the funniest person in the world. He will follow her with his eyes and head as she dances around telling stories or sings. It's so adorable!

Who looks bigger to you?

 Karissa hasn't been as interested since Victoria has been. She still super sweet and calm with him and will help with him when I ask her to, but I think since he's too big for her to pick up on her own and he doesn't like to just lay in her lap anymore, she hasn't figured out what to do about him yet. She's been using her mothering skills on her "Honey". She dresses her in clothes almost every day, and pjs every night. She puts her in the highchair for meals, reads her stories, and bring her to the park. When she's really in a mothering mood, she will use the younger-looking baby and nurse her. It's very sweet, though many times gets in the way of what Karissa needs to be doing at the time (like getting herself ready for bed, or out the door, or fed).

Erik has been such a good baby and a great addition to our home. I love watching him develop and grow in so many ways!