Baby Fever

People (and by people, I mean female friends and acquaintences) regularly see Brock, and eventually exclaim, "Oh, I have baby fever". Not that it has anything to do with Brock in particular, I am pretty sure they feel this way anytime they see a baby. A major baby boom is going on right now (related to the recession??) Or maybe it's that I live in Prairie Village, a part of town full of young couples beginning their families. Nevertheless, Brock is 5 months today. And I find myself not thinking of him as a baby at all anymore. Yesterday, our neighbor commented that she has "baby fever", and I replied, "So do I, and I have a baby!" They are addicting. Everyday I see little changes in him, I wake up wondering who he will be today. I used to wonder what in the world my mother was thinking having 5 children - now I know.

A few characteristics that make Brock so addicting:

• He is soo damn cute.


• "Dare" by the Gorillaz. This is absolutely no exaggeration, there are NO exceptions to this rule. If Brock is sad or angry while in the car, and he hears 1 note of this song, he goes silent. It paralyzes him. Originally (2 months ago, when this began), I thought it was a coincidence. And I assumed it was because he loved the song. Now, proven by the fact that is works EVERY time, despite his level of unrest, I know it is no coincidence. Oh, and trust me I have tried a lot of other songs, no response. But due to his complete silence and lack of motion, I wonder if maybe it grates on him to the point that he cannot move. Maybe he hates it!? Either way, it's on repeat.


• Imitating the cat? His new thing is to try really, really hard to reach for things just out of his grasp. If you move it into his range he loses interest. I am pretty sure he purposely pushes things to the farthest tips of his fingers. It is especially entertaining when he is on the floor and has contorted himself into the strangest positions - I think it's all to create a dramatic image of effort. This is mostly cute, and funny, until he actually does get frustrated that he can't reach it, but giving it to him isn't what he wants either (que for nap time...)


• Milestones: he currently sits for short periods of time, but quickly loses the concentration and rolls over. He has been physically able to roll both front to back, and back to front for quite a while, but only ever wanted to be on his back - that has finally changed and he flips often to switch it up. He can stand on his own if he has something to grab onto, not a tabletop or couch cushion yet; a blanket, my hands or the center part of his Exersaucer - yes, he has already lost interest in sitting in the middle and now thinks it is much more fun to try to stand around the perimeter. Brock doesn't seem to realize that he is only 5 months old, and there are just some things that are physically impossible at this point in life. Looks like someone got their mother's patience, and their father's motor control (Matt walked at 7 months, 3 weeks). Great combo. NOT!

Insert photos/video of Brock holding on to Saucer & grabbing for objects out of reach.