Five months seems like such a long time all of a sudden! Much longer than four months. I don’t know why. The past month has had a lot of ups and downs for us. Sleep has alternated between barely tolerable and completely unbearable, but I don’t want to get into that too much. The babies and I went out on our first outing just the three of us (to breastfeeding group); they got to meet their uncle/my brother for the first time; and they went to their first happy hour party at some friends’ house. Busy babies!

I’ve been going through whatever happens to your hormones at 4+ months postpartum, which for me has included extra fatigue, headaches, hair loss, and extreme irritability. So that’s been fun. On the other hand, a few physical things are finally back to normal(ish) after pregnancy, which just goes to show that recovery takes much longer than six weeks. I’m also easing back into work by prepping my online course for the summer. I’ll largely be working from home over the summer, but a day at the office now and again is helping me feel a bit more normal.

But enough about that. Let’s look at some babies!

At five months, Jellybean:

• Prefers to sleep on her stomach. Now that she’s an accomplished roller, she will get herself into position some time during the first part of the evening and she will stay like that for the rest of the night.

• Has an amazing set of lungs and loves to use them! That’s not a euphemism for crying — she doesn’t cry a ton. She just loves to make noise at all times and has a powerful voice. I can’t wait to see what she does with it whenever she starts talking!

• Is starting to really laugh sometimes, usually if I am doing my…my…fine. MY SILLY TALKING DOG VOICE. I swear, I never clowned so hard in my life until these two came along. I’ll basically do anything to hear that laugh.

At five months, Blueberry:

• Prefers to sleep in bed with us. He’s been having a tough time with reflux (both spitting up and pain) and gas lately, and in spite of the Z@ntac, he still has a hard time sleeping due to waking up with the discomfort. The only way we can get some sleep a lot of nights is to let him sleep with us.

• Loves his sister. Whenever he turns to the side and sees her there beside him, be breaks out into a gummy grin and reaches for her face (often poking her in the eye or something, but still, I beg you).

• Still always wakes up happy — his typical morning smile has evolved into a happy dance with wiggling arms and legs. It is everything.