Fourteen Months
After last month, I began to seriously consider giving you to someone else for a little while- at least until you were capable of rational conversation. I started to think that I had jinxed us by speculating that the happiest baby in the world could only become the most difficult toddler ever. But then your cold cleared up, your teeth came in and you returned to your delightful little self, full of laughter and clownish antics.
It's hard to condense the million and one little things you have begun to do that are endlessly endearing. Like when I started bringing you downstairs with me to do yoga and you began to do it with me, giggling through your "downward dog" poses at a world upside down and reaching for the sky. You've finally gotten the hang of "peekaboo" and frequently hide yourself in your playhut tunnel, peeking around the sides to see if we're enjoying the game as much as you are. But my favorite has to be the way you've learned to dance, rotating your wrists and waving your hands as you walk in circles. The music is inconsequential. You'll dance to death metal, country and even just a drumbeat as long as there's an audience to cheer you on.
Your language is growing rapidly this month and you've added "Night-Night," "Bye-bye," "What's That?" and funniest of all "Raisins" with an extra syllable so it sounds like "raisinins". You're fascinated with your books and often, when you've grown very quiet, I'll find you in your room, paging through them and staring at the illustrations. You love to do as much for yourself as possible, including turning on and off the light switches, putting your bath toys away, and reaching your hands into cereal and raisin boxes to get your own helpings. We also took you to the playground recently and guided you down the slide and let you swing, although you were much more interested in the other little people than any recreational fun the playground had to offer.
This month marked the end of your pacifier. According to plan, two weeks after you finished weaning, we began to withdraw it's soothing effects, first during the day and then at night. While you didn't throw any horrific tantrums, you were a tad bit cranky and much LOUDER than you used to be. When we were at the Baby Expo in Salt Lake City, you began fussing to get down. I let you and followed in your toddling path as you crossed the room and much to my horror, attempted to grab a bottle off of a strange baby's stroller tray. I apologized and whisked you away, trying hard not to laugh at my own naivety. And I thought you just wanted to say hello.
Your father and I have spent lots of time rolling around on the floor and being goofy with you this month. You've learned to point to different body parts when prompted, including your nose and ears. But our favorite is that you've discovered your tummy and when we say "Where's your big little belly?," you proudly pat your round tummy and smile. This delighted your father when he first saw it and subsequently, every time you heard him coming you began patting your belly just to hear him laugh his approval. Like father, like son.