This little guy is one big bundle of sunshine! All day long he happily moves from room to room with a little toy grasped tightly in each hand. If he runs into another person, he lights up with a smile, throws his hands high in the air and goes bounding off to a new room with uncontainable joy.

He is a sweet Mama’s boy. Anytime a stranger comes near him, he hightails it for Mommy. He wraps his little arms around her legs and fusses until she picks him up and promises him that it’s not a baby-sitter and she isn’t leaving him. Then she loves how he settles into her lap and warily watches the stranger. Other than nursing, it’s the only time he holds still for her!

He still loves to nurse five times a day, but he is so easily distracted that it has to be done alone in his dark room. But Mommy is happy to oblige him so she can snuggle her little Soopa-loopa-man.

Mommy loves the sweet, happy sounds he makes while playing or after he wakes up. And she loves the contrast between his light hair and so-dark-they’re-almost-black eyes.

He is not shy about letting you know how he feels. But, usually, he only cries if he’s hungry or someone steals his hand toys.

Within a week of when he started walking at 11 months, he had it down pat. And he pretty much went straight from stumbling around to taking off at full speed! And falling flat on his face only slows him down long enough to stand back up and take off again. It’s incredible!

He is very strong. Mommy had to tie a strap around the gate at the stairs to keep it closed because he was ripping it open once he started crawling. He is also very tall and his feet are still big.

Mommy adores the sight of him standing next to both of his brothers.

And this picture makes her laugh every time she looks at it.

He loves food. And in this picture, he is loving a jelly bean. :) He inhales fruit, cheese, meat, crackers, sandwiches, you name it. And he does it with alarming speed and single-mindedness, especially for a little person with only six teeth.

When he sees Mommy blow on his food, he will blow on it, too. And it is absolutely adorable.

He loves soft blankets and burying his face in them. He loves to sleep with his face against the super soft blanket tucked around his mattress. Every time he is put in his crib for a nap, he will let out a few cries until his face touches the blanket. Then he calms down and goes right to sleep. And whenever Mommy sneaks in later to watch him (which isn’t very often because he’s a light sleeper), he is almost always slumbering happily with his face against the blanket, bum in the air and legs all wonky. Now that he’s stronger, he pulls at it and really buries his face in it.

Daddy loves to call him “Poe-tay-toes” and Mommy loves to call him “Gooba-looba.” Eventually, his nickname on here will change to reflect that, but Mommy’s not ready to lose her “Baby.”

His first (and so far only) word was, “Dada!” He emphatically calls it out when he sees Daddy come home and it’s so cute! Mommy has been trying to get more words out of him, but so far he just smiles and occasionally offers a vocalization similar to what Mommy is requesting. He’d much rather just get his food already or go off running after his brothers.

He recently made up a gesture for “headphones” by covering his ear over and over. One afternoon he saw Mommy cutting up fruit for her daily smoothie and he automatically covered his ear with the palm of his hand. Then he walked to the pantry to tell Mommy she needed to hand out the hearing protection headphones before turning on the blender. Incredible!

He loves music and, if given the chance, will play the piano, xylophone and harmonica with great enjoyment.

When he’s in a stroller for a walk, he totally kicks back and rests his feet up on the tray and just observes the world with relaxed contentment. It is so cute.

At Mommy’s physical therapy sessions, she aims his stroller at the door and asks them to keep it open, so Baby can watch the hustle and bustle of people in the hallway. Baby loves people and he loves to watch them.

He is extremely ticklish all over his body. (In this picture, Mommy’s feet were tickling him and it immediately made him laugh.)

He has a wonderful sense of humor and loves to laugh. All you have to do is look at him with that special glimmer in your eyes and he’ll start laughing in anticipation of laughing! Some of his favorite games are peek-a-boo, big fake sneezes and funny noises.

Baby is incredibly smart and determined. He memorizes things quickly, remembers them and then goes after them with absolute determination. And there is no distracting him out of something once he sets his mind to it. Whether it’s getting to Boots’ emergency flashlight or going outside with his brothers. He will try to reach his goal until he is successful or physically removed from the situation. It’s amazing!

He also knows all of his brothers’ favorite toys and gleefully smiles when he finds one left somewhere absentmindedly. Then he expertly keeps his balance as he bends down, grasps it and then takes off for another room with squeals of delight. Brother is often beside himself when Baby takes off with Brother’s favorite buddy (a Beanie Baby chameleon) and quickly grabs other toys to offer as an exchange. :)

Man alive, is he a wonderful little guy! We just love him to pieces and are so very, very grateful to have him. We love you, Gooba-looba!!