Here's a sampling of the shots from Calvin's 5 month photo shoot pictures, which were taken on November 8th. To see the whole shoot (they're all good!) go to the 5 month photo shoot album.
photography It would seem that Calvin has a few new tricks up his sleeve. 
It's possible that he is starting to teethe. Either that or he's been watching the dogs too closely, which is a distinct possibility. Either way, over the past week he has been uncharacteristically fussy, and has become absolutely obsessed with chewing everything. It's true that he has always gummed everything in his path, but lately it's gone from gumming to gnawing. And when he doesn't have an object to gnaw on he simply sucks his own lips up and works on those, 
giving him a very different and not altogether humorless new look. He does it so often that we're not sure we know what he looks like anymore - either his lips are in his mouth or something else is! There are no signs of teeth at all yet, but we wonder if it's just a matter of time.
The other new thing that he is doing is a little more exciting. This morning for the first time he started trying to crawl. He didn't get anywhere, mind you, but he was clearly trying all the same. 
It kind of took us by surprise because there was no sign of this prior to this morning's tummy time, but suddenly today that is all he will do while on his tummy. He's not efficient because he hasn't figured out how to lift his head and crawl with his legs at the same time, so while the legs are going like crazy his face is anchored to the floor. Poor kid. Although it could still be months before he crawls for real (he is only 5 months), suddenly we are feeling less confident about the Christmas tree.
milestones, parenting We are a day late with the 5 month old stats. Oops. And the other problem to which we allude is size related. We've been keeping track of Calvin's growth by taking monthly pictures in the swing and in the carseat. We've found this to be a lot of fun, but we really didn't think ahead enough. Currently Calvin refuses to sit back in his swing - he much prefers to lean forward while it is swinging and talk to the dogs. So that picture comparison is out. Then with the carseat we have another problem because he is now too big for the carseat insert that has been in all the other pictures, and without the insert he sits very differently in the seat, so that comparison is out.
And so we bring you pink dog. See Calvin now compared to Calvin newborn. See Calvin newborn compared to pink dog. See pink dog compared to Calvin now. We see an "if then" problem in there somewhere.
milestones, parenting Wow! Five months old! To us it seems as though you only arrived just yesterday, and yet it is amazing how very different you are now than you were back in June. Thankfully your physical growth has slowed way down. You were growing so fast before it was amazing 
you had any energy left to do other things! In the past month you have gained slightly more than a pound and slightly more than a half inch, which makes you 17.25 lbs and 26.75 inches. What a big boy! And while your growth curve has slowed, your learning curve has picked up the pace. A month ago you had started to sit froggy style (leaning forward on your arms for balance) for short periods of time, but as of today you sit up straight like a big boy and can stay that way indefinitely (or at least until your next nap). And next to sitting your new favorite way to play is standing! Yes, you love to stand, using a table for support, to play with your toys. That is why your new favorite toys are your doorway jumper and your exersaucer. 
You have started turning the pages when we read to you, although never at the appropriate time! You are vocalizing more and more, through cooing, laughing, gurgling, and lots and lots of raspberries, spit included. And, most wonderfully, you have become a "settled" baby, showing confidence and comfort in your world. This month marked your first real season change, and the cold weather brought your first colored leaves and your first snow, a little early this year! Halloween was fun, mostly for you parents. We took you to the pumpkin patch, where you loved the pumpkins, and to the old fashioned cider mill, where you loved the gourds, and for Halloween you were the cutest giraffe there ever was! Calvin, you are our greatest joy!
To Calvin... | tagged development, life, milestones, parenting Calvin's got this new language thing going on. He's actually been doing this since he started cooing a few months ago, but lately he's been stringing it together as though carrying on a lip-pursing, bubble-blowing, spit-sharing conversation. It really makes us crack up, and wring out a lot of bibs, and we wanted to share it with all of you. Of course by the time we get the camera he's more than half done, but we figured it was viewer worthy anyhow (not that we're biased or anything).