Jimmer has lessened the drama with his new 5 month wisdom

He wants to sit up, stand up, and awake with the birds.  This child is a good night sleeper, but with the changing of the seasons brought on by the increasing angle of the sun with its subsequent earlier appearance has brought on an earlier appearance of an awake and happy Jimmy.
We know when Ben is awake, the whole neighborhood probably does, with his shrill whine emanating from his crib.  Jimmy just thrashes about, tossing his head back and forth and squealing with joy.
Jimmy is super interested in food but we are going to hold out a little longer.  Although, with his six month check in it could be a different story.  He may start crawling and go right over to the refrigerator and go to town on food.  That is how excited he is about it.
He discovered his feet properly this month.  Whenever we change him he uses it as an opportunity to hold his feet.  At first I thought it was strange that he didn't do it elsewhere, then I realized, we take off his pants or his diaper when we change him and that allows him the flexibility to reach.  He is a chubby little guy and I think that his pants are more often than not too tight and he can't bend very well.  Whoops. 

We did have a breakthrough last night.  We successfully got him to take a bottle within a minute or so of introducing it.  Someone other than big momma gave Jimmy a meal - and he took it willingly!!

This has been a MAJOR struggle with him.  He doesn't like the pacifier - we have tried all the different kinds.  He doesn't really take the bottle - he did well his day at daycare but that was one day.  Big momma and Martin need a date.  The abuelos are here.  It is going to happen.  Martin bought a new bottle system and we tried formula rather than my pumped milk to see if that would work.  We theorized that Jimmy is smart and why would he take old not fresh milk from plastic when he could get pure squeezed right from the source??  Maybe if it tasted different he would do better.  So far.  So good.  I am all for breastfeeding, but I am also all for not going crazy.  I love my chirruns, but they are all consuming.  It is so easy to give everything to them then go to sleep and wake up and start again and not do anything for yourself.  With this new found ability to eat without me present means that maybe we can go to a movie TOGETHER!!  WHOA!!   Love you Similac.

And on the health front, knock on wood, we haven't been back to the doctor.  Hopefully that is the case for a while.  He is still toothless but gnaws like a mad man so I think there will be some eruptions soon.

 The hand is his second favorite thing to suck on.

 His hair is starting to grow.  When he first emerged he had short hair that was present but would not move.  Even when wet, it stuck towards his forehead and could not but pushed any other direction.  Now I can almost make a little part.  But that is when it is clean.  And did I mention that he only bathes like every other week.  How different a second child is.

 He can't quite hold himself upright but he loves to sit up.  He eventually folds over face into feet but can sometimes upright himself a bit again.

 He obviously isn't hurting for nutrition.

 The abuelos arrived and are enjoying their time meeting Jimmy and playing with Ben.  They get their whole own post later, but this picture was too adorable to hold back.

Members only up in herrrrrre

We have been becoming members.  I think that I probably mentioned that we became members at the Children's Museum because three trips and it is paid for- why not?!  Well apparantly at most children's facilities this is the case.  I have never lived anywhere close enough to these kinds of places to make becoming a member worthwhile but now we do and are loving it.  We are totally going to make jackets.  So long story short, we joined the Minnesota Zoo too.    Unlimited fun for chirruns up in here.
We had previously gone to the Como Zoo - which is free and awesome - but thought why not see the other one too.  Very nice it is.
The Penguin exhibit is right next to the dining area so was quite popular.

 They have this neat exhibit about Minnesota and the day we went the animals were very active.

 They have amazing grizzly bears which Ben LOVED.

Jimmy was mistaken for food occasionally with his little bear outfit.

There is a petting tank with rays and sharks.  Ben wasn't scared which blew my mind.

Even Jimmy got in on the action.

Other than that we have been doing what we can to entertain ourselves indoors.  Winter is waning finally, but just when all the snow melts, it snows again so you can never have too much to do indoors.  I particularly like this picture because it violates about 15 parenting rules: Bumbo on the table without the straps, a toy wrapped around childs neck, a plastic bag in the background to play with, a spray bottle with an unlabeled fluid inside. . . .whoops.  Jimmy likes to watch what Ben does.

Ben is getting braver with water, he still doesn't like it on his face but is willing to sink his ears now.  What a forehead this one has!

Jimmy just loves to be able to reach his feet.

The Hoff stopped by Jimmy's room.  Not really.  Google Plus did this.  I get lots of joy from this picture.

 

Jimmy is working on his sitting up abilities and is getting pretty good!  Again, thanks google plus for making pictures fun.

Auntie Caitlin had gifts that she was bringing with her to visit, but when that trip got abruptly halted she shipped them instead.  Nothing is cuter than matching jammies!!

Emily's In-laws also shipped us a box of goodies.  It was like Christmas morning.  Her grandma in law made each boy a blanket and a little taggie blanket which Jimmy LOVES.

Between snow storms we try to get outside to get our pale children some Vitamin D.

Saaron and DooDoo popped in for a weekend visit.

Look at that bad ginger influencing her sweet ginger nephew.

Holly came too!!!!!!!!

 

 Who doesn't love an upside-down smiling baby shot with naked feet?! Auntie Gingah noticed that Jimmy even packs fat on the soles of his feet.  I guess his thighs ran out of room.