8 months.

Little dude’s 8 months old today. A strange trip it has been. He’s eating solid food now. Loves being fed and feeding himself. Is almost aggressive about it. Cool.

In the airport in Vegas, the guy was examining his hand and how he can open and close it. He practices every now and then. He was practicing in the airport. And then we noticed someone on the escalator waving at Sal. And Sal looking like he’s waving back. Or maybe they felt they were waving back…

That opening and closing of the hand will represent “milk” when he starts signing. Which should be soon. Resources say the motor control and mental ability come together at about the same time. I’m looking forward to that. He’s got wants already – the ability to communicate them I’m looking forward to.

That, and when people give him back to me after holding him and me reading his “signs” and saying, he wants to be held by that person again (“more” or “back”…I know the more sign and he’ll learn it too – for food…but the “back” I don’t know, but sounds like it’s feasible and something I can make up to convince someone to hold him some more)? Who would refuse? A little cute guy, supposedly saying that he wants more of your tender loving care?? Maybe Kari, but that’s just cause she knows the signs for “more” and possibly “back”.? Otherwise, I think everyone would be touched by Sal’s attraction to them.

His motor control comes in leaps and bounds. Somedays not much changes or he’s just in the mood to work on sticking his tongue out…other days he’s motoring around, trying to climb things, pulling off socks, examining his hands cause they’ve got sticky rice all over them.

Some say that him learning to move and walk is the worst, cause then he’s harder to watch. But I think it’ll open up some good doors for us. Sure, no more writing on the computer with him around cause he needs full attention, but at the same time, we’re getting closer to riding Big Wheels around together.

Someone told me the other day that my expectations for product managers were really high (reading and then thinking after the reading…sheesh) and that I probably expect way too much from Sal too. Which is probably true. I do expect a lot from him. But there is something strange about it. Contradictory strange, but for some reason, some contradictions sit perfectly well within my world view. Expecations are high for Sal but I also feel he could never miss.

I still experiment with how I present Cheerios to him – and he definitely favors his right hand. Though it’s interesting, cause he’ll match what hand you offer the Cheerios with. If they are in my left hand, no matter how far left I move them, he’ll still reach for it with his right hand, twisting his body to make it there. But if I have them in my right hand, he’ll use his left hand the same way. If I just put it on the table in front of him though, he’s using his right hand. So he might be right handed. Makes it easier to buy golf clubs. Or use scissors in grade school. Maybe he’ll like fountain pens. Sure would have been fun to have a fellow lefty in the family, but oh well.

Whatever he does is fine. As long as he tries. And he’s a big try-er right now. Real curious. Real engaged and active. With a bit of that one track mind that Chapo’s got too. He can lock in on a target and that’s his entire world for a little while. So he’s good on trying. Love him for that. And down the line, it’d be fine if he didn’t try – as long as he knows he’s not trying…or…hmmm, this could get complicated down the line.

But now, he’s just fine.