For a Kid Who Can't Crawl...

I keep repeating that phrase to myself these days: "For a kid who can't crawl..." While Patrick definitely can't crawl yet, he certainly is mobile. He can't sit still on a lap anymore, and instead throws that body around, squirming into all sorts of new positions. He attempts to crawl to the taboo "toys" nearby--cell phones, remote controls, etc.--and climbs/crawls up us. He pseudo-crawls to the edge of the couch and would crawl right off if I wasn't still holding him. On the floor, he throws his body towards me regularly, grabbing at my shirt or hair to pull himself a little closer. Eventually he ends up on his belly, where he can now squirm in circles and back and forth at a much greater speed than ever before. He may not be able to maneuver those knees under his body yet, but he seems to be coping fine without being able to crawl.

Yesterday I tried a new food with Patrick--canteloupe. I thought he would like it ok, even though neither Matt nor I will touch melon of any kind. I'm not sure whether it was the taste or the cold, but this is the reaction face I got:
He seems to be getting more used to it now, though. The third time I tried the canteloupe, for breakfast this morning, he fed himself two whole pieces of it. I'm hoping persistence teaches him to like it eventually.

We really must have been starving him, though. At lunch today I fed him the usual 7-ish oz of baby food and then poured some fruit puffs on his tray. At that point I usually make myself lunch, often a PBJ sandwich that Patrick covets. I've been giving him pieces of crust off my sandwich, but I decided if he likes the sandwich that much, why not make him one? So I did. He got a half-sandwich for lunch today, with a thin layer of peanut butter and grape jelly. That half-sandwich, half of what I eat for lunch? He very nearly finished it--after the usual Gerber's and some fruit puffs. He probably ate as much as I did for lunch. Could this be why he wasn't gaining weight?

I'm trying to take pictures every day or so of Patrick playing with all his new toys from his birthday, just to prove how thankful he is for everything he got from his wonderful family.

Here's Patrick playing with his learning drum. He hasn't figured out this is a bam toy, but he likes watching the lights on the top anyway.

The hammer is another bam toy that he hasn't quite figured out yet. It apparently tastes good, though, and he loves the flashy light on the end.

And his lobster from his Great-Grandma Fisher in Maine...what an appropriate gift! Mommy has one just like it, too, but he doesn't care about that one. He loves his own lobster, named Lenny. It's so cute to watch him with it. He'll also hug it and laugh when its tentacles brush his face.