5 Months Today!

I know. An update on Harald's escapades is long overdue. But I guess that's what the so called "two children shock" really means: no time to blog ;)

Here's our Harald at 5 months which he turns today!

• Is almost always super happy, really content and good-tempered.  He hardly ever cries and on a fussy day he will not want to be put down but only softly complains and whines a little but that's it.  Isolde was a happy-go-lucky baby but Harald even more so.  When he was born and for the first few weeks of his life he needed to be very close, much more than Isolde, but since then there's probably no difference and Harald is probably even more easy-going than Isolde ever was.
• Likes people, including strangers, and smiles to everybody.   He is very talkative to people and earlier, he was very chitchatty with the animals in the baby gym but since 4 months they got "old" it seems :)  And now he just wants to be on his tummy and try to move forwards.
• Sleeps through the night since just over 3 months old.  "Through the night" means falling asleep between 21 and 23 (usually more like 22:30-23) and sleeping to 05-07, and after a feeding he likes to go back to sleep for another couple of hours.  During the day he takes micro naps and sleeps a longer session up to 3 hours but it depends on what we're doing - out and about with the pram is usually best.  He doesn't have any set nap times during the day yet.  So I cannot complain about lack of sleep (well, not due to Harald but Isolde sleeps less well on and off).
• Has been rolling over from back to front since 4 months old.  It's almost impossible to put him down without him rolling over in less than a second and then he often gets frustrated because he wants to move but can't.  It's also a bit annoying for mum as it's not so good for him to be on his tummy when he's just been fed... He turned over from front to back really early on but then "forgot" how to do it for a while and even though he now knows how to do it again he prefers being on his tummy.
• Is learning how to sit and can stay up for a couple of minutes but then folds as a penknife.  He's practising in his bumbo chair and has also tried the highchair a few times over the last couple of weeks.  His legs are really strong and he likes standing up on our lap or if we sit with him on the floor.  Peter started practising with him even before he was holding his head up very well, which he was struggling with for a while.  But as his back and legs became stronger his neck became steadier.
• Has played with the toys on the bouncy chair since 3 1/2 months - it's funny how he didn't seem to see them earlier and suddenly they were there.  Since 4 1/2 months he's been holding stuff and chewing on them but he's still finding it a bit difficult to hold tight and drops his teething ring all the time (it's a bit big too so he struggles to get it into his mouth).
• Doesn't like pacifier just like Isolde.  It will be interesting to see if he will start sucking his thumb or a finger.  So far it's his fingers or his hole hand.  He drools quite a lot, more than Isolde I think (but it might just be that we have forgot), and I wonder if he has teeth on the way but no evidence yet.  I remember I thought the same with Isolde several times since age 4 months and it still took until she was 7-8 months for her tooth to show up.  He hasn't discovered his feet yet but maybe that's coming soon?
• Has not had any scurf and he also doesn't scratch himself all the time like Isolde, even if I'm probably worse with remembering to cut his finger nails compared to when Isolde was a baby.
• Doesn't mind riding in the car as much as Isolde did at this particular age.  If he fusses it usually helps to hold his hand so he knows you're there (which only works if we're two in the car as he rides in the back but usually he's fine so it's not needed anyway).  Isolde has a period when she used to scream until she coughed and threw up but he's not doing that luckily.
• Does no 2 A LOT and it always leaks in the back (well not always but almost)!  What to do??!!  Have tried different size nappies and two different brands but nothing helps.
• Often dreams - about eating, pooping and napping I presume - and talks a lot in his sleep, which is really cute.
• When he sleeps he has a favourite side (he turns his head to) but as I'm obsessed about him getting a flat head (I was equally or probably more obsessed with Isolde) I turn it to the other side, but when I look again he's turned back so maybe I should just give up...
• The poor guy has had a stuffy nose on and off since he was born and three proper colds, two with quite a bad cough. We had to take him for his first visit to the doctor a week ago when I thought he had an ear infection but he didn't, however, he was prescribed some medicine for his wheezing.
• Is clearly wanting to explore the world now and is starting to be bored in the pram so I've started to prop him up with a pillow so he can see.  I don't want to change to the seat yet as I think he sleeps much better in the bassinet.  I don't remember Isolde being as interested in looking at plants and trees.  Maybe it's because it's been a windy spring and summer so far? :)  Sometimes he just wants to be on his tummy in the pram so he can play with a toy.
• Seems to have discovered his tongue lately as he's sticking it out and trying to make new sounds.  He hasn't discovered his voice yet though and tried high-pitch shrieks, which Isolde did at this age.
• Loves his sister a lot and smiles and laughs when he sees her and she plays with him, and this is despite the fact that she, more often than not, tries to pinch him or be mean in some other way (or sometimes she just accidently is rough without meaning to).  I can see how he will absolutely adore her.  And she loves him too of course but at the same time, probably wishes he wasn't here so she could have mummy and daddy to herself.  But so far, Harald is rather oblivious to sibling rivalry. 
• Is very much mummy's boy, much more than Isolde ever was at this age, mainly because she was with both of us much more.  Isolde could be comforted by both of us but Harald is starting to only want me (or my boobs?) when he's fussing.  Now when we have two children, and also while I'm still breast-feeding, what happens is usually that Peter does more with Isolde (and she's also very much daddy's girl) and I take Harald, especially in the evenings, so that's what he's used to I guess.  We'll see if and how this will change with time.
• Really likes when we sing nursery rhymes and when we take his hands and claps and he has also started to really listen when we reads books.  He usually joins when we read to Isolde but I'm going to start reading just to him too (i.e. more age-appropriate books).
• Hasn't started on solids yet but we're about to try some porridge and also some veggies.  He doesn't like when I give him D-vitamin with a spoon so we'll see how it goes...
• Weighed in at 7,4 kg and was 63 cm at 4½ months.  He's just over average on weight but below lenght-wise so he's very chubby.  Pleasantly plump was what we called him today :)

And here are some new photos of our darling boy!