5 Months

Dear Jamesy,
I am LATE writing you for your 5 month birthday! And, this may not get written if you keep waking up from your nap crying! It's been very busy, so even though I've thought of all kinds of things to write about you, I just haven't had a chance. Here's what's been going on with you!
- You are definitely teething. I keep hoping I can feel a tooth. I can't. I keep thinking that ridge in the bottom middle of your gum is a tooth. It's not. You are drooling A LOT, chewing on EVERYTHING...like hair, anything you can find on the floor, clothes, fingers, thumbs, TOES...and the list could go on. You have been running a low grade temperature on and off this past month of around 99 degrees, but still no tooth yet! I am ready! I can't wait to see that sweet little tooth pop up! Plus, I'd like to see some fussiness subside. It is not encouraging to me that for the first two years of your life you get teeth! I'm hoping the process will hurry up a little...but if it doesn't (and I'm sure it won't), that's okay :)
- For the first time since you've been born, I got a bad, bad cold and ear infection this past month. My ear drum ruptured!! It really showed me that a momma has no time to get sick. You don't care if I am sick! You just want to play! One night I had taken a lot of Sudafed and could not sleep. It was like you'd taken Sudafed too (though clearly you had not) because you just weren't sleeping well. You spit out your paci and it fell off the crib down by the wall where I couldn't get to it in the middle of the night. Finally, I fed you about 2:45am, but then you kept rolling over on your stomach and crying because you couldn't get your arm out (you know your hate relationship with tummy time). Finally I sent Daddy in to help you. The first words I hear on the monitor after all that frustration from me was, "Good job, James!" Even in the midst of my cold and Sudafed and you not sleeping, it totally cracked me up. We know it's a big deal that you are rolling over, and we are proud of your milestones even if it's in the middle of the night!
- You have started to eat FOOD!!! In the mornings we try to eat oatmeal with bananas, and then a fruit or vegetable for lunch (your favorites are squash and sweet potatoes...and you really like carrots too!). We found out from the dr. that you should be eating at least 24 oz of milk every day, and that has been a real struggle for you. You just are not a big eater. I've had to back off several times on the real food to make sure we get in the milk we are supposed to. I have called the nurse line so many times at the pediatrician that they know me WELL. But, I will say that although you're not a big eater, you are getting the hang of eating really well. You know how to open your mouth and are barely pushing out any food when I feed you. I've learned better how to hold your hands down so we don't make such a huge mess, too (Grammie did such a neat job feeding you that I was inspired to try).
- Your friend Caroline was born this month! Eric and Kelli had Caroline and she is beautiful! We can't wait for you guys to form a life long friendship (no pressure though, of course).
- We got rid of the swing this past month! I mean, we boxed that thing up to send back to Jason and Jeanette! Dr. Evans thought it was getting dangerous for you to nap in there since you are sitting up so well now. So...although it's been a struggle, you are now napping in your crib, and for the most part, it's going great. You still wake up crying at least once in each nap, but I just put the paci back in and usually you go back to sleep.
- You learned to pull your socks off and eat your toes! We were in Wal-Mart a while back, and I looked down at you and your sock was in your mouth! What in the world? Just in time for winter! The next several days you worked your foot closer and closer to your mouth...and finally got it in there! You suck on your toes sometimes, but mostly you just like to suck on anything you can get in your mouth. I can barely get your diaper changed now because you so want to pull your feet up to your mouth. Sometimes I just pull your sock off for you while I'm changing your diaper so I can just get a second with your feet down!
- You are squealing a ton! Talking well...you started this really funny thing of putting your upper lip over your bottom lip and making an "mmmmm" sound.
- You are playing so well in your exersaucer and your jumper! You love those things! You are learning to jump up and down, and learning how to turn around in them so you can play with all the toys.

You didn't go to the dr. this month for a checkup, but you will next month for 6 months! I know you are getting taller and are pretty tall since you are now wearing 9 month pajamas so that the footies are big enough and the legs are long enough!

Boy, being a mom is something that is hard because I question everything - I so want to do the very best for you, and sometimes I feel like I'm definitely NOT the best because I have no idea what I'm doing. I am reminded, though, that God gave you to us for a reason. You are not a random baby that He just dumped into our lives. You are with us for a purpose. A purpose for us and a purpose for you. You, James, are supposed to be with us, Landon and Bethany Frymire. Whether we do things perfectly or not (clearly not), there's grace for it because God intends for you to be with us. Before time began, you were supposed to be our baby. We were supposed to be your parents. I am so thankful for these blessing and unworthy of His grace in my life. Before I go, I want to remind you (and me) of this.

The entire Psalm 139 is great, but here is my favorite part:

v 13 - 16
For You formed my inward parts; You covered my in my mother's womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.
My frame was not hidden from You,
when I was made in secret,
and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
the days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.

Don't ever forget that God has a purpose for you - right here it says "in Your book they were written"...God has a very special plan for you, and that plan included the privilege of Daddy and me being your parents. The Message says you are MARVELOUSLY MADE - WHAT A CREATION! and that "the days of my life were all prepared before I'd lived even one day."

I love you, Precious One. I'm sorry your update is late...real life is tough!!