wow, the difference 2 months makes! i remember marveling at how much brooke developed between 12 and 13 months, and the same has been true for gavin. he really has turned into a toddler. he's very steady on his feet and has mastered walking. he even tries to walk up the stairs! he understands every single thing i say and can nod his head "yes" and "no." when he nods his head "yes" he does this cute little chomp with his mouth. it cracks me up :) he can communicate a whole lot by pointing, and of course, screeching and grunting. he just started saying "hi" and waving at the same time. he also has some other words that are recognizable only to me like "duck," "down," "out," "airplane." gavin loves music and loves to dance. he claps his hands, spins around and bounces up and down. he plays computer games in his sister's room and can follow along with elmo's "sing along songs." gavin is obsessed with the dvd player in our new car. he points to it as soon as he's in his car seat and says "whooeee" for "woody" (toy story). we've taught gavin how to do "cheers" at dinnertime. he can't get enough of it. he also knows how to high-five and play peek-a-boo by covering his eyes. gavin loves to make a dramatic "surprised" face/sound. he opens his eyes real wide, drops his mouth open and sucks in his breath. it's adorable. he does it even when there is no surprise, like when he purposefully drops his spoon on the floor :) speaking of... gavin is feeding himself with a spoon now. he loves utensils and insists on having them during his meals. he is still a great eater, although i notice that he's not as enthusiastic about vegetables anymore :( he loves when i make him fruit smoothies. he sucks his down way faster than brooke does! he says "dada" when he hears the garage door and fights brooke for dada's attention, chanting "dada" with arms up high to be picked up. it's always a race to see who can be picked up first :) gavin had his first real illness in june. he had a high temp. for 3 days (104.7, 103.8) and then developed a rash. he's also cutting his molars. he's taking marathon naps (3 hours in the am) and sleeping well through the night. gavin loves to read books before going to bed, but he sure is particular about which books he wants to read! he's a hard one to please when it comes to his books - anything with trucks, tractors, animals, noises or lift-the-flap usually does the trick :) gavin loves dogs and loves to pet them. gavin insists on getting on his trike every time we enter the garage. he loves to be outdoors and has figured out how to slide open the back screen door. he's a typical boy - loves dirt, sand, water, trucks. he copies everything brooke does and has no understanding of his limits. he is not afraid.... he climbs on every step stool in the house and will even pick one up and move it if it's not where he wants to be standing. he stands at the double sink with brooke and brushes his teeth. gavin loves it when brooke is silly with him. they laugh and laugh at each other. they love each other. big time. gavin's also old enough now to fight with his sister. they fight over things mostly. what one has, the other always wants :) gavin throws big tantrums now when he doesn't get his way, but we can usually distract him and make him happy within a minute or so. unless he wants his mama, and then the tantrum continues until he gets what he wants. he is definitely a mama's boy through and through.
to my wonderful husband,
