sixteen

My baby is 16 months old. How did this happen? He is asserting his independence more than ever before.  It is at once liberating and terrifying - for both of us - and did I mention exhausting? His favorite things these days are trucks and buses and birds and dogs and things that just GO. He'll wave at the dogs and get close but won't touch them. He doesn't mind being licked. He loves to play catch with a ball almost as much as his dad does. All vehicles are "TrrkK" and all animals are "BaBa." He loves to hug and sometimes it's hard to tell when it's going to be a hug and when it's going to be a wee bit more than a hug, a shove perhaps. I think he knows the difference and that one is much preferred over the other, and perhaps how to switch midstream.

He goes to get things now, and to give things, and runs away, and comes back - usually. He has words - we think. And he talks a ton about things we can't quite understand and doesn't seem to mind if anyone is listening or not. BH and I often guess the exact same word or phrase from the sounds he makes. Is that because he is making sounds that are like our sounds? I can't imagine why he would talk so much in this house. He now makes the "shhhhhhhhhhhh" sound that the white noise rain that we've been playing for him since birth makes and thinks it's pretty funny. It will be helpful when we travel :)

Favorite foods these days include avocado, canteloupe, honeydew, bananas, whole wheat bread, cream cheese, peanut butter, eggs, blueberry waffles, pancakes, milk, all of his Earth's Best cookies and crackers, and in the last few days he has actually started to eat carrots, and is also getting into "dipping."

Favorite books include Pat the Bunny (one I'd never read before now), his Dog book, his Fire Truck book (with actual wheels on it), his Truck book, and generally any book that he can interact with and manipulate. He will indulge us by listening to at least part of any book (or magazine or newspaper) we choose and BH has read many Dr. Seuss stories at bedtime every night. He breaks the long ones up over a few nights.

I still miss HD when he sleeps, even when it's sometimes in our bed because of teeth or ears or who knows what. I dread when he wakes up too soon because of those same teeth or ears or just because it's five am and that's when it's time for the boys to play in this house (even when BH isn't home).

He has recently begun to love and need to be a part of everything in the grown up world: sitting upright on chairs with his back against the back, opening and closing the doors and gates when coming and going, including attempts at the heavy car door, eating off our plates even when the same thing is on his, drinking out of glasses without tops, carrying around a coffee mug to match mine.

It appears climbing was not a phase. He hurdled up the bleachers today at the local little league park, attempts all sorts of things at the playground that are for kids a bit bigger than he, with me serving as the intermediary step between ladder rungs and ropes. I know when he's climbing on a chair because he has to use so much effort he grunts for it. He'll stand on anything to give him that extra inch - his water bottle tipped on its side like a log, a book, a baseboard heater, a dish, anything at all. He's moments away from getting that leg over the side of the tub to get in without assistance.

This particular week the word "No" and all its variations seem to have a diminished effect, while sometimes just a look from me (and not even one of my really mean ones) can send him to the floor in devastation. He's definitely feeling like he doesn't have control of much these days and I'm working to figure out how I can give him more - having him help me beat and scramble the eggs tonight for dinner was not perhaps my best foot forward on this front and left us both in tears, but we're a work in progress.

He has developed a squinty, put-on smile for the camera in the last couple of weeks that makes me laugh pretty hard and makes many of his pictures have his eyes closed. The only thing better than this cheesy cheese is his real smile, his real laugh, his giggles when he's surprised or tickled or sees daddy come in to the room. He is still in love with peek a boo and has been since he was about six weeks old. He is now in total control of the game as he covers his own eyes with his own hands in very dramatic fashion. When he's really tired he sometimes forgets why he's put his hands there in the first place and starts to rub his eyes.

Speaking of really tired, he loves to take the blankets in the living room and roll around in them on the floor when it's close to bedtime, and if I'm with him we do it together, him climbing all over me, occasionally lifting my shirt to reveal my rock hard abs and smacks them as if he's my personal trainer and he's pretty disappointed in the progress. Belly buttons are gaining interest as are eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. He loves to stick his finger in mine for some reason.

He watches - everything and everyone. He's pretty outgoing but cautious. He's...well...he's HD and he's pretty terrific.

Thanks for indulging me. I've been wanting to do this every month or so since his birth and never have. Maybe the next one will be shorter, but probably not.

Comments

[David Weinberger]

Yup, that's what it's like. Thanks for the lovely reminder :)

-- A father whose youngest is 18 ... years.

[Amy]

I love this! It's just amazing how Z (his bff) is exactly the same, yet so different. Watching them play "with" each other more and more lately is so great.

[Emily]

What a wonderful snapshot of life right now. It's amazing how different they are month to month. I'm so glad we got to spend a few days with him just like he is right now and can't wait to see him again in a couple of months!