Carter is a New Boy

What a difference a week or so makes! Since his last day in day care (December 23rd), Carter has really changed. He now eats mostly table food, gone are the baby food days. He isn't as interested in nursing any more... appreciating the concept more than just the application, and only putting in about 5 minutes before deciding there is something else he'd rather do. He really wants to stand on his own, and is going to do that any day, I think. He can do the sign language for "more" and "up" (though, still no "Mommy"... come ON boy!). He can wave good bye, kind of.

His favorite mode of transportation is still to be carried while he points in the direction of where he wants to go, and shrieks if you don't take him there.

He also really likes his crib. Weird. He wants to sit it in and flop down on his face, like he is going to go to sleep, then he pops back up and spazzes out a bit bouncing around, then flops, then bounces. He'll stand up and try to chew on the rail, then flop back down again.

Thanks in no small part to all the family and friends we saw, he is happy to go to other people now... well, happier anyway. He loves taking things out and putting them back into things, finding small parts from his brother's toys that he can put in his mouth, and the circle is still his favorite shape. (Mason jar rings, diaper pail refill sack rings, Cheerios: round is big right now.)

He also really enjoys knocking his head into things. He especially likes bonking his head into Mommy and Daddy's head, eyes, nose, mouth, which is less fun for Mommy and Daddy. He even crawls over to the dogs and tries to head butt them. He'll mix it up a bit and try to stick the entire side of their head in his mouth, which we try to discourage. (The dogs seem to love that... I think they believe it is reciprocal and eventually, he'll allow them to do the same thing, or at least lick off all the cheerio dust from his face. We try to discourage that as well.)

He is getting a sense for what he is allowed to do, and what he really shouldn't be doing. He likes to crawl towards something he shouldn't... say, to the toilet... then look back at us waiting for us to tell him otherwise. Once we reward him with a warning "Caaarrrter..." he'll smile and laugh then turn and try to get there as quickly as possible.

He hasn't had a bottle in almost 2 weeks, so it will be interesting to see how he reacts to one at day care today. He loves drinking through straws (prefers them to sippy cups, in fact) which is really convenient for us.

For all the changes, he remains a happy, smiling, adorable boy. His face still lights up whenever Alex comes into view, delights when Mommy or Daddy talk to him or tickle him, and has the most wonderful giggle. As I did with Alex, I miss the baby-ness, but love watching Carter get older and more capable. What a joy these two boys are... how fortunate we are to have them.