Gus progress report

Gus is a major climber now. He climbed onto the little red table in the kitchen yesterday and gave everyone heart failure. He is also making breakthroughs verbally. He says cat (ka!), bye-bye (ba!), dog (doo-ay), and light (la). This morning, Mom put him on the phone with me, and right away he said “hi!” Love it! He also says da and mamamamama, but it’s hard to know whether he associates the latter with needing me or just needing to nurse. He will give a straight-arm wave when people leave the house, and he gives kisses on demand now. His kisses are a little scary because he lunges at your face full-speed with mouth wide open, and you don’t know whether you’ll get a bonk or bite with your kiss, but really he is almost always gentle.

At bath time, before getting out of the tub he will begin to actually hum the Naked Baby Bath Ballet Theme. He anticipates that it’s coming and that he’ll get to dim the lights in the bathroom theater before the performance. Also, to my great relief, he has become a child who can sit still for a book. At least some of the time. Viv was born wanting to be read to, so it was surprising to us that Gus had no interest in books.

Also, Gus has gotten into the habit of being backpacked while Curt makes dinner, and he will fuss to get a ride. We have only recently figured that out. I had been nursing him, offering snacks and drinks, changing diapers, etc. and wondering why he’d get so cranky at that time of day. Turns out he’s been wanting a ride. Now that we’ve figured this out, he’s been more peaceful in the early evening, although we do run the risk that he will fall asleep in the backpack carrier for a late nap and that we’ll be up ‘til all hours as a result.

Yesterday morning, when I was giving them each kisses, Gus tried to push Viv out of the way again and again, with Viv resisting. It doesn’t sound like much, but more and more often there are little examples of them actually interacting with one another and Gus not just being the victim of whatever Viv wants. Sometimes it seems like they are even playing together, sort of. Here are some pictures of them together in the sandbox yesterday.