Clearly this mama’s brain is tired because I just typed “6” instead of “5” and then my eyes bugged out because “6?! Already?!” But no, not quite, thank goodness. However, the first 5 have gone so quickly that it may as well be 6 already because good gravy (one of the many embarrassing phrases I find myself saying that my kids are going to say, causing other people to look at them with WTF eyebrows), this kid is growing fast! So before we really do hit the half-year mark, I thought it was time to document a little bit about the life and times of Trumy the Chill.

Until recently, as in the last three weeks or so, Truman was totally knocking it out of the park in All Things Awesome Babies Do. While he’s still pulling stellar stats in many categories, his sleep has taken a bit of a nose-dive (hence seriously tired mama/brain) and has caused him to lose a little bit of his street cred as the best baby ever (shhhh! Don’t tell my other children!). I realize it could be worse, but hopefully it will go back to awesome (a.k.a. all night) super soon. If not, he make make our still undecided (I think) question of More? easier to answer, because up until this point, he’s been soooooo good that it has been easy to think that another one would be sooooo good, too and thereby easy. With every random night I see the clock read 3 or 4 or 5 a.m., though, I find myself questioning that option.

But even when he wakes me in the wee hours of the morn, I can’t help but love TJ’s big blue eyes and gummy grins that just light up the dang house every time he offers them, which is pretty much any time one of us talks to him, which is sometimes spotty because, hi, fourth kid. Do we love him? To the moon and back, forever. Do we care for him? 100% to the best of our abilities, always. But here’s the truth – I can’t have my eyes or my hands on him 100% of the time, and while I sometimes feel chest-wringing guilt over that, those smiles tell me he gets it – we’re a family of six and no single one of us can be No.1 all the time – and he loves us all anyway, bless his sweet heart.

The love is still very much present from TJ’s siblings, too. Raegan dotes on him like a cooing crazy lady “OOOOOOOOooooo! Look at you sweet baby! You’re just the cutest baby! You’re so cute! Aren’t you, Truman?! You’re just the best!” (repeat in various forms, 24/7 with hugs and kisses to the head). Harrison returns the Light Up smiles any time he gets a big grin from Truman and has taken to calling him Baby T or Mr. T (RL, for whatever reason, does not like this.). And Lincoln. Oh, Sweet Lincoln. Not that there’s never been a question if we made a good choice in having a fourth, but apparently we not only gave Lincoln a little brother but also his favorite soothing solution to date.

The “Hold Trumy!” phenomenon, as it has come to be known, started a few weeks ago when Lincoln bumped his head and was crying a wee-bit uncontrollably. Out of nowhere he started wailing, “Hold Trumy! HOLD TRUMY!!!!!” and the second I set him up with the Boppy and the baby, he was good. No more tears.

I thought this was a fluke until it happened again a few days later and then again the day after that. Suddenly the pattern was clear – any time LT bumps something (he’s a toddler – he is way accident-prone) or gets in trouble (he’s a toddler – he is way two-and-a-half) and is upset, he insists on holding his baby brother to make himself feel better. And you know what? I get it. Holding Truman makes me feel better too.

And so even though I can’t have him in my arms all the time (and neither can Lincoln), I feel so blessed to be getting to know this little person with each passing day. Trumy is so patient with us and tolerant of being put off for a minute while I tend to someone else or being put in his carseat to go collect HD after school, and has yet to mind any of the kids “playing” with him which really just means their faces being RIGHT UP in his face. He adores chewing on his hands and his burp rags and we adore watching him grow, even if Mama wishes it were at an ever-so-slightly-slower pace because wow, so big so fast, and it will only go faster from here.

Now, please – pardon me – it’s time to Hold Trumy one more time before bed. Please pretty please let it be one of the sleeps-all-night nights as a Happy 5 Mos to me!