new tyler-isms

Tyler has started doing several new things lately. I feel like I get to know a different baby every three months, as he's constantly changing and developing more of his own personality! I definitely understand other parents who say they grow to love their child more and more each day. I certainly adore this little boy!

Speaking of showing his personality,  I can already tell little Tyler is going to be incredibly outgoing. He makes friends everywhere we go, just like his daddy! His new thing is waving. He thinks he needs to announce his presence every time we go into a new place. As soon as I open the door to a store, he starts waving, parade-style. He waves from the left to the right and makes sure everyone notices him. I haven't been to a single store lately where he didn't flag down the store associate and wave to tell them "hi." It's a little embarrassing, but for now, everyone still thinks it's cute!

And while I'm on the subject of Tyler introducing himself, I should also mention that he loves girls. Yes, I am definitely in for it, when he's 13! When we are out and he sees a baby girl, he gets very excited. He claps, smiles and starts jumping up and down. If I let him go, he immediately crawls over and gives her a hug and kiss. At a baseball game, he fell in love with a little girl who he hugged, kissed and then crawled away from to play hard-to-get. Just as he planned, she proceeded to chase him around for the rest of the game!

Tyler's other recent development--clapping--also embarrasses me often. When he does anything well, gets excited or hears music, he starts clapping. I believe he uses this to get attention because he loves hearing people tell him how cute he is! He doesn't have a shy bone in his body!

Although he has known how to shake his head "no" for a while, he has just now learned to use it appropriately. Yes, I ask him to do something. He looks at me ... and just shakes his head "no." When he is done eating, he shakes his head "no." And most amusing, when he is fighting going to sleep, he lays in my arms, eyes closed and frantically shakes his head "no" until he eventually gives up and falls asleep.

He's growing up so quickly! From vocabulary to mobility, I can hardly keep up with his constant developments. Last week, he took his first steps! We were at the library playing with new friends when he just let go of the chair and took three steps forward. I'm pretty sure he saw the other little boy walking and thought, "Ah, I can do that too." He hasn't mastered independent walking just yet. Since then, we've only been able to get him to take one, unassisted step at a time. I'm not rushing him though. I need a few more weeks to mentally prepare for a walking Tyler!