big changes

So the first picture is Gabriel at 3 months old, and the next was taken just two weeks shy of his 6th month birthday.  When I put these pictures side by side I thought I'd see a bigger size difference.  I think his facial expressions suggest the biggest differences.  In the first three months he grew in size.  The second three months he grew in personality!  Gabriel is a calm, easy-going kiddo, who takes the most odd situations (at least odd to him) in stride.  For example, because of his burn we have to wrap his hand up every day.  Other than giving us an 'okay, this is kind of weird' expression, he's cool with it.  He a social butterfly, ever ready to smile and talk to anyone who looks his way.  If you are not paying attention to him, he will coo at you in this adorable little 'ooooo' to get you to look and talk to him.  He doesn't like to play alone much - he can last 10 minutes (at most) by himself.  But if he has someone there to play with him (especially his mama or baba) he will happily play for an hour or so.  Although he likes to play with his toys, his favorite activity is walking around in the sling - preferably at the bookstore or somewhere else he can look at things and talk to people.  As I said - he's a very social kid!  He also loves to sit in the sling and watch baba cook.  I'm amazed at how content he is to simply hang out and watch us go about our daily chores.  On another note, watch out if he gets mad.  Our laid back kiddo can be *intense!*  When he's mad, he's MAD.  He also like to do things by himself, and gets frustrated at us if we try to help.  I try to take his hand to show him how to do something and he instantly pulls his hand away and makes this frustrated noise.  He's happy to watch *me* do it, though, and then he'll try to copy.  He just doesn't want any actual physical help.  And he's only 5 1/2 months!  (PS - notice that Sammy the cat is *not* with little one in the most recent picture.  Now that Gabriel is actively grabbing things, Sammy stays far away!)