Gavin (Month 7)

Once again, your pictures from your monthly green chair photo shoot leave me unable to make a decision!
Your sweet, happy face and priceless expressions fill each image and I love each one for different reasons.
 

You look so big here... Mr. Long Legs!
You are definitely not built like Daddy and Preston - - both of whom have long torsoes and shorter legs. 
YOU have some long legs, buddy!
 

Be still my heart.  I LOVE this! 
Your innocent-but-not-so-innocent expression makes me smile ear to ear!
 

Dear Gavin,

You are seven months old and busier than ever!  I can't turn my back for more than a few seconds and, I fear, in just a few days, that will change to "I can't turn my back."  You are scooting everywhere in an army crawl fashion and are fast as can be!  In fact, just in the last few days, I have been shocked at how fast you'll cross the house to get after something I tried to redirect you from just a moment before.  You grab onto anything you think might help you pull yourself up and you're army crawling over most things that get in your way (pillows, my legs, toys, Gracie!). You're pushing up onto all fours, but haven't yet started to crawl. It will just be a matter of days before you get up and take off.  When that happens, life, as I know it (and you view it) will never be the same!

In the last month, you...

- Had your first haircut on your 7 month birthday.   (Notice that your former faux-hawk-turned-comb-over is gone in those green chair pics?!)

Let's face it, the "Trump-do" had to go. Now, all of your "original" hair is gone and only the super blonde "new" hair is left. You look adorable! (Okay... so I might be biased!)

Nope!  Not biased!  You and your new 'do are adorable!  Seriously.

- Enjoyed a whole host of new foods.  Though you're only having a small "snack" of solids and a good-sized dinner in the evening, you love your food!

- Discovered that gnawing on a frozen washcloth is quite wonderful for your gums and even seem to prefer it to most of the teething toys we have.

In addition to showing your intent gnawing on the washcloth, here is a decent shot of that comb-over just a few minutes before we chopped it off! 

- Discovered grass.  You are obsessed with touching it, pulling at it and, of course, trying to eat it.  It, however, is not nice to you and makes you very red and itchy, just like your brother.  Like Gracie, you are also fascinated by flowers.  When I say, "Smell the flower, Gavin," you lean in and stick out your tongue!  It's so cute!  I will miss it when you figure out how to sniff!

- Started consistently waving "hi" and sometimes "bye-bye."
On September 2nd, when we decided it was official, Preston cheered and clapped for you and then asked me, "Are you going to freak out and cry?!"  It was downright hilarious!

- Mastered sitting up on your own.  Though, sitting is not moving, and, therefore, you don't stay that way long!



You are often busy "racing" your brother to various toys!  He cracks up as he plays with you, often in disbelief at how fast you've gotten and how much you can do even though you're so much smaller than he is!  He thoroughly enjoys playing with you and watching the two of you interact brings me endless joy (and elicits endless squeaks and squeals from you!)

You... at 6.5 months, surprising me by getting all the way from the play room to the laundry room in the time I walked into your bedroom to put something away. 

- Experimented more and more with your voice.  You squeal and squeak with delight.   Even Daddy calls you "Squeak" now (in addition to Boo-Dee).  Your squeaks have made a serious comeback and have all kinds of different tones depending on what you are doing.  You babble a ton, too.  And, with many sounds, seem to be trying really hard to imitate what you hear.   You also watch intently when we sign to you and Gracie.
(I have some great video footage of you, but, for some reason, I can't get videos to upload!)

 

You are so much fun and so incredibly busy!  Though I remember many things about Preston at this age, I forgot how entirely exhausting it can be to keep up with a mobile baby and still try to get things done during the day!   By the time you and your siblings are tucked into bed at night, I am ready to collapse!  I look so forward to seeing what levels of exhaustion you can cause me to reach as you grow and change in the next month! 

I love you, Squeaky Boo!
Mommy