The Macs » Blog

griffin {5 months}

Dear Griffin,
Somehow these months keep flying by. I know that “baby time” always goes fast, but how can you be getting so big. Five months already?!
The past month has been a tiring one. All of a sudden you decided that you like waking your mom up all throughout the night. Not just once or twice, but all night long. And you also decided that you don’t like to eat much during the day…you prefer to eat at night. To your defense, your big brother is so distracting during the day. You love him and when it is time to eat you usually prefer to watch him instead of eat. I guess there is no one to distract you from eating in the middle of the night! You are really throwing me for a loop with this crazy sleeping and eating schedule though. Your sister and brother were already sleeping 8-10 hours by five months, so most of the time I just don’t know what to do with you! I guess we will just keep working on that schedule and one of these days I’m sure you will surprise me and sleep through the night. In the meantime, I am trying to enjoy every minute of our time together…even if it is at three in the morning and my eyes are heavy. 
Your big brother started noticing you all of a sudden this month. It is so sweet to see you interact with him and watch that brother bond beginning to form. You are pretty awesome, but he might be so interested in you because of all of your cool baby gadgets too. Levi likes your walker, Bumbo, and baby toys just as much as you do. In fact, he sometimes just plops himself in your car seat or Bumbo and chills out for awhile. But I think he mostly just likes you. He always asks about you when he wakes up, wants me to put you near him when he is playing, wants to read his books to you, brings you toys, tells me when you are hungry (he probably knows better than I do!), and loves to take baths with you. He knows how to get the best smiles and laughs out of you too.
This month you started sitting up…with lots of help of course. You love sitting in your walker and we recently started sitting you up in a Bumbo too. If we lay you down you are always arching your back and trying to sit back up. You will be so glad when you get a little more sturdy. This month you met your Uncle James for the first time, took your first trip to the zoo, and attended your first cousin Valentine party. You have been a busy boy.
If you didn’t wake up a zillion times a night, I would say that you are a perfect baby. You are perfect anyway though…perfect for our family. You still have such a sweet temperament and are content most of the time to just hang out with me and your brother. You love to be held and talked to. It is pretty easy to get you to smile and your daddy loves to make you giggle. I am so thankful that you are part of our family, sweet boy.
I can’t wait to see what another month with you holds. I am hoping it holds a little more sleep for us both! But even if it doesn’t, I love you so much.
Love, Mama

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  • Alexis - He looks so much like you and is just adorable.

    I also love the blanket your mom made for him! It is the perfect background!ReplyCancel

  • Carla - Oh Jess, I feel your sleep deprived pain!!! My little guy is two months younger than Levi and I remember reading with great envy on how Levi would sleep all night and go down for a nap without any fuss. My little girl is two months older than your Cora and between the two of them, they have probably never slept all night. My 4yr old wakes up during the night even now (as does my 2yr old!). I know some people recommend letting the baby Cry it Out but that just was never the right choice for our family. We would just take the baby into our bed and at least that way, we all got some more sleep than trying to settle a baby back into a cot at 4am. Its not for everyone I know but it can have its own rewards (the cuddles with a sleeping baby are just the best :-)) They do eventually learn to sleep alone again, I guess some babies are just more needy at night than others. Also, if you can at all, could you get someone to take Levi for a few hours in the afternoon so you can get a nap? I found even a few naps a week really helped recharge the batteries. It might be some comfort to know that lots of babies go through a sleepless phase around 5mnts, apparently as their brain develops and they start to move more, they find it harder to switch off and go to sleep. Most start sleeping again when that phase passes (Just not mine lol). Anyway, he’s an absolute peach, the cutest cause of sleep deprivation in Kansas no doubt 🙂ReplyCancel

  • EricaG - Just precious!ReplyCancel

  • Casey - Hi! You really have a beautiful family! I have 2 girls who are 17 months apart and the youngest wanted to watch everything her older sister did! She was so afraid she was going to miss something fun that she wouldn’t eat during the day (and used the night to catch up!). I finally ended up making a special box for my older one (it had different toys/books/etc) that was only taken out for feeding time so that she would play quietly (or at least by herself!) so I could feed the baby. I would then shut us in the baby’s room and turn the floor fan on to drown out all noise so she would eat! This helped her eat more throughout the day and sleep more at night. It took my older one a week or two to learn to play on her own and not interrupt us for those 10-15 minutes so her sister would eat but it was totally worth it to start sleeping through the night again!!! Good luck with finding your ‘trick’ 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Tammie NElson - You don’t know me, but I read your blog. I was browsing pinterest the other day and say a picture of Levi and Griffin dressed as a football player and football in the fitness category. So cute.ReplyCancel

  • The Moffats - how cute is he???!!!! i can’t believe how much he is changing. griffin just keeps getting cuter and cuter and cuter!! wish i was closer to squeeze those chubby little thighs and kiss those big cheeks that remind me so much of his sissy.ReplyCancel

  • Paula Aspacher - i would bottle feed during the day so he can look around. sometimes with the 2nd this is what they prefer b/c older siblings are so interesting. if it is breast milk all the better??ReplyCancel

  • The Mershawn's - He is adorable & I can’t believe he’s already 5 months! It’s so crazy! I’ll be praying for more sleep. That’s got to be so hard:(. But, he’s still precious & he looks super cuddly, which has to help some with those sleepless nights:}.ReplyCancel

  • Rich and Carolyn Dewey - Beautiful baby boy! I love his pudgy little arms and legs. So squeezable!ReplyCancel

  • LauraD - Griffin is so precious. I just want to squeeze those legs of his! My daughter didn’t sleep through the night until she was about Griffin’s age and was starting to eat solids. The solid food seemed to keep her fuller through the night. Have you tried giving him rice cereal or baby food yet? I know some doctors say wait until 6 months, but ours gave us the go-ahead as early as 4 months. That might help. That sweet Griffin just wants to cuddle with his Mama at night! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • May - He is a mini Cora,,, God bless you and yours and shower you with Health, Happiness and Prosperity…

    i THINK TOO HE IS MAKING UP what he hasnt been drinking during the day,,, Goodluck,, Whatever your schedule it seems to be working just fine. Hold on there, and all will be well.

    Most sincerely

    MayReplyCancel

  • Anonymous - OH MY!! Guess some things don’t change even with 48 (almost) years going by!! I finally did what one of you other readers said – gave Shawn a bottle during the day so she could “watch” Lecia!! Sure wish I could pinch those adorable chubby thighs and kiss those “sweet cheeks” of both your adorable little guys
    love you guys
    SharleyReplyCancel

  • Lauren - Griffin sounds exactly like my youngest, Joshua. Joshua is 5 months old tomorrow and has also decided to wake up all through the night. This month has been tiring in our house too. He is so easily distracted when he is eating, especially because his big brother is so loud. We even tried giving him cereal last night hoping he might sleep longer, but he woke up earlier than he has been. If you figure this sleep stuff out please let me know 🙂 its a good thing they are so cute!ReplyCancel

  • Auntie EM - Griffin is so sweet, and yes, he is perfect in every way. Those sleepless nights will come and go and will be a faint memory some day. Don’t blink because before you know it he will be running around chasing his brother!! I too love the chubby cheeks and legs. My little grandsonis the same way. Cute kissable cheeks and chubby legs. In fact, he wouldn’t fit in Bumbo there for a while because of his chubby legs!! Ha Ha Have a wonderful dayReplyCancel

  • meg duerksen - he has got a lot of nerve to get so big so fast.
    who does he think he is?
    it’s just plain mean.
    🙂ReplyCancel

  • Nicole - That is the sweetest, chunkiest baby I have possibly ever seen! I am so sorry he isn’t sleeping for you at night though. My 3rd was also the “worst” at sleeping…maybe they just love that one-on-one mama time..who knows? I will be praying for sleep in your near future. In the mean time, enjoy that sweet time whenever you can get it. He will be crawling out of your arms very soon! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Nicole - That is the sweetest, chunkiest baby I have possibly ever seen! I am so sorry he isn’t sleeping for you at night though. My 3rd was also the “worst” at sleeping…maybe they just love that one-on-one mama time..who knows? I will be praying for sleep in your near future. In the mean time, enjoy that sweet time whenever you can get it. He will be crawling out of your arms very soon! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Nicole - That is the sweetest, chunkiest baby I have possibly ever seen! I am so sorry he isn’t sleeping for you at night though. My 3rd was also the “worst” at sleeping…maybe they just love that one-on-one mama time..who knows? I will be praying for sleep in your near future. In the mean time, enjoy that sweet time whenever you can get it. He will be crawling out of your arms very soon! 🙂ReplyCancel

  • Lexie Loo, Lily Boo, and Dylan Too! - Happy 5 months!
    He is an adorable little guy!!!ReplyCancel