Gabe- Eleven Months

Now entering the last month of his first year- where did the time go?

Q: How is the big boy?
A: GREAT.  He is a walking, talking marvel.

Q: Walking and talking?!?!
A: Well, walkingish and talkingish.  His first word, as previously reported, was NO.  He uses this word occasionally when he is unhappy about something, and very frequently when we tell him not to do something.  If we tell him no, he repeats.  Fortunately, he usually follows our directions and stops whatever no-inducing activity he was enjoying.  He also seems to say "Oh no!" when particularly dismayed about something.

Since then, he has finally said Mama with meaning.  This usually happens when he is crying, as he crawls toward me saying "Mama, Mama, Mama" over and over again as my heart is breaking.  Somehow, when you add the "Mama" to the cries, they become so much sadder!

He has also put his two words together.  On the weekends, J usually gets up with him in the mornings and lets me sleep in.  Yes, my husband is THAT awesome.  Unfortunately for him, Gabe is in the Mama phase.  So when J gets him out of his crib, Gabe's reaction is typically "No.  Mama."  At which point J lowers his head and cries a little.  Okay, not really.  He knows this is just a phase, and that someday he will be Gabe's super hero.

As far as the walking goes, the little man has begun to take some steps.  When he doesn't realize what he's doing, he lets go of the furniture and takes a step or two here or there.  I expect him to let go purposefully and with confidence any second now...

Q: How is eating going?
A: Another success.  Big boy has completely given up the baby food.  He no longer has any use for pureed anything.  Give the kid some meatloaf or macaroni and cheese, and he's a happy camper.  Other favorites include NutriGrain bars, yogurt, and pears.  Basically, he's seating most of what we're eating.  He is enjoying chewing, as the case may be.

With his new found  love for food comes an increasing disdain for his bottles.  We dropped his nighttime bottle once we settled back in at home after our holiday travels.  I was forced to say goodbye to my last hope of baby cuddles, as that bedtime feeding was the only time my son would snuggle in with me.  Sniff, sniff...  I am quite sure that dropping that bottle was significantly harder on me than it was on the nugget.

Q: What are Gabe's current favorites?
A: His two favorites are being on the move, and making noise.  Hmm, can you say LITTLE BOY?

His Lightning McQueen walker is in constant use.  He will walk it from one end of the house to the other, and then move himself to its other side and walk it back.  He loves this.

He also loves banging things.  His hands on the coffee table, his rattle on the floor, one toy on another.  But his favorite is banging a wooden spoon on the dog bowl.  J gave him the spoon and taught him this trick.  Lucky me.


Q: How could he get any cuter?
A: I'm glad you asked.  You see, he has finally realized that the world thinks he's cute.  And when he wants his admirers to be particularly enamored of him, he does this.

Yes, he puts one arm up, tilts his head to the side, and cheeses.  This started out as raising both arms above his head, which he will still do if we say "Touchdown!"  Then it morphed into this people-think-I'm-so-cute-that-they-giggle-whenever-I-do-this gesture.  It really is just too much.

Well, friends, wish this mama luck as we sail into the boy's last month of babyhood!