Nikolas Update

Aunt Lora requested a Nikolas update so here we go. Nikolas is 5 months old today! He is changing a lot right now. Nikolas is definitely the most "babyish" of all our babies, no physical over achieving going on with this one. But he's pretty content with his state of being, hold me, love me, feed me, change me, we're good.

Nikolas is however, using his hands more and more now. Here he's playing with Max the Monkey, which has been played with by all the hopper children before him. Always a favorite.
He's chewing like crazy on anything that comes in his path. He bites really hard too, as Sophia has discovered. She no longer lets him grab her fingers while she is holding him.
Kole (or Kola as we call him around here) is very alert and aware of everything going on. He loves to watch the other kids. He responds when you call his name and is very quick with his smiles.
This is a rare moment of floor playing. I try to put him on the floor or in his playpen to play several times a day, but he is very against being put down, so it doesn't last long. I did get him to play on the floor for about 45 minutes this weekend which was amazing. It happened only because I was making lesson plans, so I sat beside him the whole time. He played as long as I was there, but if I tried to walk away he cried. It was progress though:)
When he's done he's done. He has a fast temper, he can go from smiling to screeching screaming in a matter of seconds if he's unhappy.
Kole is starting to move around a little. He can roll from front to back, but not the other way yet. He's just this week started schooching a little. When he lays on his back he can work his way around like hands on a clock, especially if he's after a toy. He's starting to do this a little on his tummy too now.
Alexander and Nikolas like each other quite a lot. Alexander is constant motion so it is a lot for Nikolas to watch, and Nikolas is the promise of a male playmate, so Alexander is thrilled. He's also very impatient for him to grow up.
This is where Nikolas would perfer to spend most of his time. He does like the baby carriers that I use, but when we are at home I usually just use my arms :) He really would like it if I just carried him 24/7.
He's kind of a snuggly boy, he likes to grab blankets and mush them up into his face when he's going to sleep. He just got this blankey/puppy and really likes it to snuggle with and chew on.

We'll end on a gross note. These pictures are gross, but funny. Faron likes to turn Nikolas upside down so that they are face to face with Nikolas' legs up above Faron's head. They both laugh and seem to enjoy this, but yesterday while they were doing it, Kola spit up, and when you spit up upside down...
You look like this!