Eight Months Old

Gavin is 8 months old today. He has started doing a lot of new things in the last month.

We're introducing new foods. Yesterday, he got his first taste of pears and loved them. We've also started giving him table food--pieces of a blueberry muffin, rolls, mashed potatoes (not a big fan), churro (loved it), cooked carrots (loved it). We also added a third meal to his diet this weekend. Up to now he had been having cereal at lunch and dinner, but only milk for breakfast. We'll see how we work out the addition of cereal for breakfast wreaks havoc on our morning work/school routine.

It's starting to cool off, so I've starting putting shoes on Gavin. He wants to chew on his shoes. He has finally found his foot and gets it to his mouth. He might do this more if he laid on his back more, but he loves to sit up and doesn't lay down when playing that much. He has also discovered his socks and can pull them off.

Gavin has his two bottom teeth, and I suspect there's something going on up top. Time will tell.

Gavin smiles when I come into his classroom to pick him up at the end of the day. He definitely recognizes my voice. My heart melted the first time he squealed when I walked in. I'm sure I'll become a puddle the day that he cries after me when I leave him.

More and more, Gavin is "talking" and making sounds. Many days on the ride to/from school, Gavin makes a "bbbbbb" sound the entire time. He says "Mama" when he's upset. He smiles and babbles "Dada." And, we've heard "doggie." It's funny how he's beginning to mimic the intonation of words as Dave and I talk with him.

And, G is developing a temper. I suppose he comes by it honestly. As much as both Dave and I would like to blame the temper on the other, we are equal contributors to his temper. Gavin can get quite upset when something is taken away from him. One morning last week I had to leave him crying at school because he had been holding my ID badge when we went into his classroom. When I had to take it from him before I left, he turned red and started crying. Miss Kim was quick to swoop in to attempt to distract him, but the damage was already done. I felt horrible leaving him mad, but I know he got over it quickly--at least I hope he did.

And, our little man is super strong. He grabs anything he can get his hands on these days. While making nachos for lunch, Dave pulled out the 2.5 pound bag of shredded cheese from Costco. Gavin quickly grabbed it and was holding on to it. (Incidentally, he got mad when we took it away from him.) Dave also had him "lifting weights" with my microwavable corn heating pad yesterday. I have a bruise on my arm where he pinched me the other night while I was trying to get him to go to sleep (or was it while he was eating?).

We enjoy every moment and every change that each new day brings. (Well, maybe not the new diapers . . . )