he's a boy, for sure

Somewhere around the 3-month mark, Gabriel stopped being a newborn and became a baby. I think I noticed it around the time that he stopped resting his head on my shoulder when I carried him - he would keep his head up and looking around. Newborns don't really do that a whole lot.

He also kind of pudged out like whoa, but that's a different story.

I've been reading up on boys, the nature of boys, the raising of boys, etc., lately. Maybe this is because I have boyhood on the brain, but I've begun to notice that Gabriel has started assuming the role and characteristics of "little boy."

He likes to bang things. Like, hard. Like, really hard. He likes digging in the sand, especially with his feet. His grunts are louder, he's determinedly practicing his farting noises (and getting really good at them), and at least one bowel movement a day gets delivered with a moan of relief (this is HILARIOUS and I just may share the video). Just recently, he's been wrapping up his feeding sessions, not with the little sigh and sleepy resettling of yore, but a forceful grunt and a dramatic fling of his fist onto the mattress/pillow as he rolls onto his back, ready to sleep. If it's possible to go to sleep violently, he is doing it. (If I could video this, I totally would.)

Also, he likes to pull my top down (or up). The motivation is for food, sure, but the lure of the boob is instilled.

Awkward and inappropriate joking aside, I adore this little boy. I don't really know much about little boys and I'm a little nervous about the challenges of parenting one, but I love this kiddo to bits and I'm so happy to be his mom. He's already given me a few great stories to tell, and we're not even 5 months in!