I’ve stopped doing monthly updates now that G is one, which means it feels like forever since I’ve given everyone an update on this little one. I’m starting to wonder if I can even call him the baby anymore. Every day he becomes more and more a toddler, and his older brother becomes more and more a big kid and less and less a toddler. Still, I find myself calling G by “baby” more often than not. My boss has started to call me out on it every time I mention “the baby” in a story. But for now, I’ll give you an update on baby G.
In a lot of ways, G is a typical second child. Both his reactions and actions are completely the opposite of his older sibling. Anything E was/is afraid of, G loves. Anything that’s E favorite, G could care less.
Despite swim lessons and practice, E is not a fan of swim lessons, but baby G is taking to them.. well like Tom. You can splash his face, dunk him under water, whatever. He loves it. And I love that I won’t have to worry about him around the water, because I can already tell he’s going to inherit Tom’s love of the water.
He’s also a lot louder than our first born. I think he’s used to having to try a bit harder to get everyone’s attention, so he has found his voice a bit quicker. Recently he was shrieking in the car on the drive home, and E kept repeating “No THANK YOU baby! No like that noise! No THANK YOU!” I kind of love that the angriest thing E knows to tell the baby is “No thank you” but he also wasn’t wrong - my ears were dying a bit every time baby G opened his mouth, but there’s no real way to get him to stop besides ignoring or distracting him. He’s just loud.
And impatient.
He’s just finished eating an entire banana and a bunch of sunbutter on crackers at daycare, so I knew he wasn’t hungry. However when we got home and dinner wasn’t ready on his table, he freaked out. He was shrieking and slamming his hands on the table, furiously signing “MORE” over and over. As soon as food hits his try, he throws it all in his mouth and swallows it whole. I’m seriously worried about my food bill when this one is a teenager…
His language is coming along pretty well. He signs “More” and “All Done” but he speaks a few more. He says Nahhohhh (No), ey-ah (Maia), Thank you (I swear, it freaks everyone out when he’ll say this, clear as day), Mo (More), uh oh, Whoa, Wow, Mama (sometimes), and E. He he can’t say E’s full name, he just calls him EEEEEEEEEEE, which I think is because that’s what his daycare teacher calls him.
In general he’s pretty thrilled when he says something and someone understands him, like he’s been let into a secret club. Pretty much anytime someone asks a question, whether it’s to him or not, he’ll chime in “Nahhooohhh!”
He’s always been a great mimic when it comes to language, but he’s starting to copy actions as well, so suddenly he can do things you were sure he didn’t know how to do a few days ago. I guess it’s pretty handy to have an older brother. Now when you go to get him out of the car, it’s likely he won’t have his shoes or socks on. He loves to turn off light switches in the house, and he’ll make you carry him around the house until he can turn all the lights off. He loves playing hide and seek, and totally gets the concept. I’ll look over at him and he’ll be quietly giggling while his hands cover his face, waiting for you to ask “Where did G go?” and he’ll throw his hands up in the air and laugh at you.
Climbing stairs are still a favorite, and now we’ll often catch him standing on the step stool looking out the window. He doesn’t ask for help or wait until someone’s watching.. he’ll just crawl over and climb on up himself.
It’s also smart to keep your phone away from G. If he finds it, he’ll have it unlocked and will have changed 3 settings before you’ve noticed. Daycare has been playing with old phones this week, and all the pictures they’ve sent home with him holding it are hilarious. He’s got it up to his ear with the biggest smile on his face. Little extrovert seems to know it’s a way to connect to more people.
Speaking of daycare, he’s been in his new room for about a month now, and he is THRILLED. I think his favorite part is that they do circle time like the older rooms. Everyone sits together and sings songs and reads books. He loves to bounce up and down, throwing his arms up in the air. He has the biggest, goofiest smiles in all the pictures they send, and he’s definitely enjoying it more than everyone else. I’m sure he also loves that they eat a lot more food in this room, but either way, he’s found his happy place.
I’ve been trying to spend more time alone with him, because he is different when he’s around his brother. As much as they love each other, and love playing together, there’s also a lot of competition and needing everything the other one has. When he’s alone, he’s a bit more relaxed, a bit more of a show off, and still as cute as ever.
He’s all about stuffed animals, and won’t sleep without his “baa baa” and “baby baa baa.” If you give them to him, he immediately shoves his face deep in their fur and rolls around on the ground. It’s adorable. Which of course means he’s super into Maia lately. I’m sure he thinks she’s a real life walking stuffed animal, and he’s a little angry that she won’t let him snuggle her all the time. He’s going to keep chasing her, just in case she changes her mind though…
