Mini G

The little man in our household hasn't made the headlines lately. Why? Because he lives in the shadow of the big boys' activities, that's why. He gets carted to and from their schools every day. He wanders on the sidelines of their soccer games. He sits with snacks in his high chair every afternoon during homework time. He co-exists rather peacefully, rarely exhibiting the shocking behaviors of his brotherly counterparts. In short, no news is good news, and we're grateful.

But even from my ever-present couch perch, I have noticed a few things about our sweet baby boy that are worth recording.

One is his recent obsession with carrying clothing. He'll pick up a shirt or a jacket and drag it around, sometimes chewing on it for a bit. He's especially fond of silky items and Dad's t-shirts for some reason. Since laundry has a hard time finding its way into hampers these days, Gavin has plenty to work with, but I have tried to substitute whatever random article of clothing he's carrying with a little receiving blanket. (You know, I'm trying to turn him into Linus.) He doesn't go for it.

This boy also loves to dance. He can bob and sway to any beat, any time, anywhere. He bounces to the rhythm of the dishwasher, TV commercials, piano music, and kids' songs. Garry loves hooking up his iPod to speakers or finding a great radio station and watching Gavin groove his little body. Here's a demonstration:

Gavin has also developed a little gesture we think might be a precursor to pointing. He smashes one shoulder up against his cheek, extends that arm, and balls his hand into a fist. Then he grunts or squeals and walks in the direction of whatever he wants. Frequently he "points" like this when he sees a parent who's been absent, but sometimes his purpose is unclear. It's just funny.


On Wednesday Gavin woke up with an icky cold and after his morning nap he had a fever. Other than the ridiculously snotty nose he's sporting, he doesn't seem overly bothered, but his appetite is off. Thank goodness for bottles -- they are a home-run no matter how picky he is at meal time. I think it's kind of funny to see his enthusiasm when I'm mixing water and powder for him. Who knew formula could be such a delicacy? I fear that between the bottle and the binky we're creating quite a dependent little kid, but what can I say? It's all about Mommy's survival, baby. We'll deal with withdrawals later.

Gavin's ability to putter and entertain himself has been such a blessing lately. He is particularly happy downstairs, where I can close gates and doors, lie prostrate on the couch, and let him roam at will. He's happy to play with toys, carry around books, crawl all over the treadmill (someone ought to), and roll around in blankets. He'll steal a remote control or a telephone once in a while (his absolute FAVORITE toys) but I can usually substitute a good tickle and story for the beloved object without too much objection.

In short, Gavin is doing great and growing up. He's a full-time walker now and seems much older than his 10 1/2 months. We sure love having him in our family!