Joey's Latest Exploits

It sneaks up on you, you know? It wasn't until I saw something new at supper that I realized exactly how many new things Joey is doing these days. It's remarkable, now that I stop to think about it, but they happen in such small steps that it's sometimes hard to see that long view. After all, nobody wants to read that he's rolling slightly better today than he was last week. Funny how enough baby steps gets you somewhere new...

Let's see - what hasn't been recorded for posterity (and the grandparents)?

Joey is now mobile. He's not quite crawling -- though he is starting to bring his knees up under his body and push with them a little bit -- but he's carpet swimming like nobody's business. His typical targets are: random toy; whatever Sam is holding; mama's lap. (The best part about the way he goes for mama's lap is that he can't really push himself up yet, so he just kinda aims his face for her knees and keeps pushing until something ends up in her lap.)

Joey is back to sleeping decently well. He seems to do best when I put him on his side; we've heard him wake up a number of times lately and then go back to sleep, so he's pretty much on par with Sam on that front. I can handle being up once or twice a night. Now, if only he'd realize that the day doesn't really start until at least 6:30...

Dude is a tiny eating machine. I haven't yet figured out its nefarious purpose, but whatever it is, it sure needs a lot of fuel. He eats as much as, if not more than, Sam at a lot of suppertimes, and it almost doesn't matter what. Cereals, vegetables, fruit, meat, whatever we're having all blended up, Cheerios, anything else he can fit in his mouth... I know that he takes little bites and all, but he's almost always the last one done - and he never stops.

On the eating front, he's also getting really good at feeding himself. I can put a bowl of Cheerios in front of him and they slowly disappear. Granted, the bowl normally gets upended, but then he eats them all off of the floor/table/lap. It's like he's turning into a real person.

As of this evening, two more exciting things have happened. First, he has his third tooth! It's one of his front top teeth, and as of about 7 o'clock, it's finally peeking through the gum. About time! We've known it's been on its way for a week or two, so it's nice to finally see it.

Secondly, at dinner tonight, while waving his little arms ferociously waiting for his next bite, I hear, "Mamamamamamama!" It was the first time I'd heard it, and -- according to Julie -- the first time he's said it. It was very cool. I know that it's not with actual understanding of who mama is, but it was a start!

I think that's everything. As I said, it's harder to notice sometimes than I would have expected, especially after already going through this once. Sometimes that forest is just sorta there, and you don't realize it until you look at all the new trees.