Up on the Roof: 16 Months

Is it really possible? No, I don't think so. My baby can't be sixteen months old already. Nope; I just won't believe it.

Okay, there's no denying it. Sixteen months have past since I first held him in my arms. I love him more now than I did then (although I didn't think it possible). He is such a precious little guy. He loves to give kisses and snuggle (for a minute, before something else intrigues him). Everything about him, from how he looks to how he acts, is precisely how I wanted my son to be! He's obedient, talkative, active, silly, curious, friendly, smart and sweeter than honey, not to mention, cute! If I didn't think you'd just say I was biased, I might say he is the best kid!

He loves his toys and seems to take playing very seriously. The look on his face when he's pushing around his "corn popper" says, "this is my job and I want to do it well!" He walks around with Mr. Potato Head's hat on his head and ears in his ears. This morning he tried to use his Fisher Price keys to open the front door. While I was on the phone, he went and found his phone, held it to his ear and yelled "Hey-O!" (translation: hello). As I type this, he is twisting, flipping, pushing, sliding all of the zoo animals in his pop-up toy and then pushing them back down with his feet. He is all boy. He squeals excitedly as he bangs his toys together. He makes car noises as he pushes his lawnmower around the living room, plowing into every toy in his way until he rams into the wall. Next, I'm going to teach him how to "beep beep" as he backs it up. I wonder what it feels like to wake up every morning with only one responsibility: playing.

That is an excited face

His vocabulary is exploding! Of course, we can understand nearly all of his attempts at words. Others probably couldn't. He understands a significant amount of what we say and will follow simple commands like, "close the door", "turn off the TV" or "get in your (high)chair." A couple times a day we repeat a lot of his body parts; he knows hair, eyes, eyebrows, nose, ears, cheeks, lips, teeth, chin, arms, fingers, belly, bottom, knees and feet. He knows how to make the sounds for dog, cat, sheep, cow, duck, fish, and monkey. After months of being fixated on "Dada" he has finally resumed saying "Mama." Melts my heart. A few of his other new words are car, cookie, Jake (for Jake and the Neverland Pirates [his favorite show]) and diaper. The latter is the indication that he has successfully made a stinky. If only I could get him potty trained before we leave for Africa.... I'm not holding my breath.

Although he fought relentlessly to be picky for a few weeks, he lost that battle. Now, he is a champion eater and will take nearly anything we put in front of him; he even points and "asks" for broccoli. Love that! I am dreading having to wean him but with an impending necessary surgery (for me) before our departure for Africa, I figure I'll have to. For the most part, he is getting his nutrition from whole foods and raw cows milk and likely won't miss nursing as much as I will. Still, I have loved every minute of it and will continue for a couple more months before being forced to call it quits. At that point, I'll probably ball my eyes out. But, I just won't think about that.

Until now he has still been regularly taking two naps a day. For the past month or so, I have been alternating between one and two. I think today will mark the switch completely from two to one except under rare circumstances. While he hasn't seemed very sleepy, he has still been willing to curl up and sleep in the late morning for a snooze. But, his afternoon nap has been pushed so late that he is up too late at night and thus wakes up much later in the morning. Guess that is the cue to cut the first nap. Maybe he'll surprise me and keep sleeping in in the mornings. I'd like that. He sleeps all night every night without exception. I like that, too!

I cannot adequately describe with words how wonderful it is to be his mama! The tears that well up in my eyes might better depict the joy I feel when I ponder that he is mine. I truly cannot believe how fast it is going and wish I could pause time. Yet every new day is exciting to watch all that he enjoys about life! I love my sixteen month baby. He makes life sweeter than I ever could've imagined it!