1 year 2 months

This month brought great highs and lows.

You started off this month well - fairly cheerful and as usual, full of energy. However, a week or so into it, you traded that in for some real crankiness. I was not sure if that was due to teething (you did end up with a 4th tooth this month) or just plain getting older or food allergy or sickness. You had a slight fever for 2 days and then several more days of uncontrollable crankiness and diarrhea. Fortunately, you cheerfulness and sweetness returned in full force, just in time for Mama to get sick with the flu. (most likely the culprit for you too--if only you could talk!) And you were so sweet while Mama lay around all day sick on the couch!

Speaking of talking, you now say uhoh, daddy, hi (sometimes hiya), kittycat, ball, and you added a new word- "bubble." (the Sunday school teachers seem to have taught you this one after repeated blowing of bubbles in SS class) When Mama tried at home, you just wanted to blow on and eat the wand.

Probably due to the fact that you are now copying Mama and blowing on all your hot (sometimes not so hot) food before eating it. That is, if you eat at all. During the cranky faze, once again, you refused everything, even milk and (gasp) yogurt! You seem to now be willing to eat much more again, even things that you had loved once, refused later, and now again a staple--like grilled chicken. You still seem to love veggies the most though. (at least the peas, carrots and corn frozen food mix that you can pick up with your fingers) You also finally figured out this month how to get the animal crackers out of the snack trapper cup. In fact, one day you could not (no matter how often I showed you how) and the next...Well, I put the cup in the back seat to play with--I had no intention of spoiling an imminent lunch with too many snacks--and when I got out of the car, you were licking your lips and had an empty cup in your hand! A true moment of comedy!

It is good you are getting a healthy diet since you have now cut out most of your fiber intake in your book eating. You still love books but enjoy looking at them and turning the pages while reading them to yourself (or occasionally sitting still while Mama reads them to you). NO MORE EATING of the books!

Other toys? You still are fascinated by all doors--shut and open. In fact, you will also say "open" (which sounds more like "ope") You are regularly shutting yourself into rooms, most of the time with Mama in them too. There was that time...I was in the other room and you shut yourself in the unlit tiny half-bath bathroom.

You also love all non-baby toys: ie, the extra remote control, the old house phone, the even older cell phone, the fourth mouse, the spare keys that no one knows what they go to. Ironically, even if speaker phone is often used around here, you treat all the electronics like a phone and hold them up to your ear saying "hi" and jabbering away. It is hilarious to see you do this into the remote control and even funnier into the mouse. You also love sunglasses-especially the party favor ones your aunt Susan gave you. You like to watch Mama put them on, sending you into giggles. Then you take them off of me and attempt to put them on yourself, often upside down or backwards. And Mama's spare purse? That too has become a toy. Especially to be worn around the neck. Daddy's empty dental floss cases are also grand toys. With toys like these, who needs to spend money?

You have just started enjoying climbing on and off of toys, like your tigger rocking horse (thanks Aunt Susan) and your little tykes truck. Unfortunately, you have not figured out yet that the truck is meant to be climbed on only when set to the seated position; you regularly climb into the back of the truck bed and then wonder why you get stuck or tip over in it!

While you were sick, we also discovered just how attached you are to your blankie. You were given many blankets at birth, but you have grown especially attached to a minkie blue one with satin on the back and embroidered with "for this child I have prayed" (thanks Bonnie!) I have always kept it in your crib until the week that you were screaming uncontrollably. We took it out with us to a few stores; amazing how well it calmed you! I have mostly relegated it back to the crib now that you are cheerful again though.

With 12 hours of sleep still at night (my little alarm clock between 6:30 and 7:00) and another 2-3 hour nap during the day, no wonder you appear to have grown upward this month and slimmed down--which is rather ironic since I still use the endearing nickname "Chunka Monk" or "Chunky Monkey" most of the time. Many clothes are no longer fitting and you can reach the top of many of the counters and open all drawers now (good thing most of them are baby-locked!) Your head also seems to have grown along with your feet, as I noticed almost overnight that you are now not fitting most of your shoes. You are definitely between size 5 and 6 shoe. (and this a tribute to the fact that this month marked the first time you consistently wear shoes when going out of the house)

Other notes: you have definitely mastered going up and down the stairs on your own. You love being outside! (especially roaming free in the back yard) You have come to enjoy watching the "Cedarmont Kids" (I highly recommend these little-bit-cheesy-but-very-sweet Christian DVDs to ALL moms). This has been a lifesaver, especially last week when Mama was sick! This month as well as spending time with your grandmother Brown, you got to meet your great grandmother Brown! Fortunately, it was at the beginning of this month, and you were moderately well behaved...Or maybe it was the gift of bubbles that paved the way! :) We also went stroller skating this month. Well, it worked for a while, but then Mama ended up skating on her own while you played hockey. You enjoyed being down and running around!

Even the biggest lows have a bright spot~ mine came with all the cuddling and calmness (did I mention you are ALWAYS on the go???) that came along with the brief fever.

What a joy you are in our life! We love you, son!

And thank you Michael for helping as much as you could while I was sick. You even dressed David; perhaps you wanted him to match his Mama's crazy outfit???