“I love this age,” is a phrase I keep hearing lately when I take my son out. He is five months old, and I have to agree, this is a great age. Here are five reasons I love this age:
1. Life is one big game of peek-a-boo. Everywhere we go, whatever we do, the simple act of looking at my son out of the blue is enough to make him squeal with delight. When I’m filling up the car with gas, we play peek-a-boo through the window. When we’re at the grocery store, turning away to pick an item and looking at him after I place it in the cart makes him smile from ear to ear.
2. He giggles for no reason. Last week I was in the kitchen putting away dishes and my son was playing on the floor. When my back was turned I heard him start to laugh. I turned around and his toys were out of reach and there was nothing funny happening that I could tell. He was just laughing because he was happy!
3. He cries less often. I’ve noticed a huge difference over the past few weeks in my son’s demeanor. Things that used to make him wail (like a wet diaper) no longer phase him. Instead of crying when he wants me to pick him up, he wiggles and squeaks, stretching his arms out in my direction. He used to cry so hard when he had gas, now he smiles and looks pleased with himself when he passes gas.
4. He wants to explore everything. If I have him on my hip and I have the refrigerator door open, he tries to grab the ketchup. If I’m opening mail, he wants to crinkle the envelope. A month ago he showed no interest in everyday things; now he wants to taste and touch everything within his reach (and sometimes out.) Recently he’s discovered he can reach his diaper and tries to grab the tabs when I’m changing him. It’s much easier to keep him entertained when all I have to do is show him something new.
5. He learns a new skill every day. Lately every time I turn around I see him doing something new. He’s pushing himself around on the floor. He’s sitting up on his own for short spurts. He’s holding onto things without dropping them immediately. He’s constantly coming up with new syllables and sounds he can make. He’s figured out how to dive from sitting position onto his belly to reach something.
I look forward to watching him grow and develop, but if this stage lasted a little longer, I wouldn’t complain. Five months is my favorite age yet.