I'll see you in my office

Someone climbed up to my computer and wants to watch "Melmo."

Sadly, that is not a choice on a sunny Saturday and he now has a lot of feelings. 

Choo-Choos

The new play area is not complete, but it's getting there. Safe to say he enjoys his choo-choos (by which I mean generally taking apart tracks that I build).

The other night, "choo-choo" made its way into the bedtime litany right before "Dada." Mommy did not make the cut.

17 Months

What's New

New words/signs:

signs "please" when prompted

signs and says thank you ("na noo") unprompted--this is really sweet and he always seems so genuine

signs and says "seet down!" when he is standing on something he shouldn't be--this is always funny but so naughty

made-up but consistent signs for cement mixer, airplane, helicopter

bubbles

Taggies (his lovey)

NO

crackers

mama (mama mama mama mom. mom. mommmy. maMA. MAMA. momeeeeee mom. mama. mama. mama? mama....)

cheese

sausage

"sshhhhh" with little finger to lips...so stinkin' cute

hi/hey

Abita (Beeeeba!). Also, all dogs are now Beeba. 

cup
hot

SPORTS CATEGORY

tennis ("nennis")

football--applies to futbol and American football...we'll get it sorted out in the fall

baseball ("baybah")

basketball ("baball") -- subtle differences, but he knows what he means and is always correct

golf

animal noises for horse, cow, pig, monkey, dog...helicopter usually sneaks onto Old McDonald's farm, too

I'm also fairly certain I've started to hear some two-word utterances sporadically:

Dada shoes

hi Yaya

tennis ball

good girls (to the dogs)

Points to ears, nose, eyes, teeth, feet, tum-tum, hair...

--

He has been taking swim lessons and is making solid progress toward our goals of a) being able to flip over and float on his back and b) being able to get to and grab the side of the pool. I don't need him rockin' out like a 50 butterfly, but we want him to be able to make himself rescuable should he ever fall in a pool. For better or for worse, he has no fear around the water and zero understanding of the fact that he cannot swim.

We are solidly on one daily nap. The transition occurred for good around 15 months. There are definitely pros and cons to having made the switch, and I did like lots of things about two naps, but it is what it is. As long as he takes a long enough nap, it works. We started with nap around 11 and have successfully pushed it back to about 12/12:15 after lunch. Ideally he sleeps for 2 hours or more, but it varies.

We are also working on making some changes at our house to give him more safe space to play (just rearranging things; no remodeling or fund expenditure). In other words, I am now fully becoming the person I didn't want to become whose house is totally given over to toys and kid things. My hope is that he will play independently more often in a space where I can see him, which will allow me to get more things done (e.g., work, folding laundry, making some food...). Because....

...also starting around 15 months, he seems to have entered a MAJOR mommy phase. He is clingy in general and much more wary of strangers, but is glued to mommy in a particularly intense way (Daddy's turn will come...mwa ha ha). Even at home, I can't really be out of sight for more than a second. We're working with it, and I recognize it's a typical phase, but ideally some house re-arranging will allow me to reclaim a sliver of productivity. Also, his play needs are just changing as he gets bigger. We're bringing a play table out of the attic, rotating out some toys that have lost their appeal, and giving him a little more dedicated room to explore safely. And to play "nennis."

What We're Loving

me:

Vitamix, baby.

This was BA's Father's Day present, and it is already getting serious use by all members of the household (well, C can't quite operate it alone yet). We haven't branched out and made anything wild--although judging by the included cookbook there are plenty of things you never knew you could make in a blender--but we are diggin' our smoothies. Recently I'd been unable to get any breakfast for myself by the time I made a toddler breakfast and poured a cup of coffee. After C finishes his sausage and toast, he is ready to P-L-A-Y. Like now. I knew I really needed a breakfast solution for the purposes of feeling better and not making disgusting food choices later in the day in an attempt to stave off extreme crashes. 

I'll never be cool with kale, but spinach for breakfast is pretty good, right?

him:

All mommy all the time.

Saying no, which he says with his whole body. Multiple times, just so you're really sure. 

All the sports, but talks about nennis the most. 

Animals, especially Beeba (even when "Beeba" is Mabel) and elephants. 

silly Beeba.

Still with the machines. Crackers. Chicken.

Spinning in circles with Daddy in the pool (and they both get so dizzy I laugh a lot). 

HATES a diaper change. 

Imitating what grown-ups say or do...I think we are officially in watch-your-language territory.

Naming friends and family members, either from memory or while looking at photos. I made a book on Shutterfly with people's pictures and names, and I hope it's a hit. 

Next up: a year and a half!

Happy Fourth!

Gotta seize the opportunity to wear all those patriotic outfits!

We decided that he is probably still too little to chance it with any major fireworks displays--we didn't want to keep him up too late only to have to extricate from a crowd if he got scared or had a meltdown. Burgers and bottle rockets were just our speed. He loved the sparklers but was a little unsure of the "grand finale," so I think we played it right. 

The weather was gorgeous--not hot and pretty much no humidity (such a huge win for July here)--and it was pretty quiet around here, so we just took advantage of that for some nice family outdoor time. 

Hope you all had a safe and sparkly Fourth of July! xo

Little Eyes

In reference to the last post...they are ALWAYS WATCHING.

With nicely curled eyelashes, no less.

Picking Your Battles

...is critical to "successful" parenting and making it through the day without wanting to karate chop a wall. So this is what our bathroom looks like on the regular these days. If he needs to take all the hair rollers out of their holder and collect travel-size toiletries for 7 minutes while I put on some pants and makeup, so be it. 

(Not pictured: everything up on the counter that he is not allowed to have and therefore cannot be in a drawer or lower cabinet. It's like a prequel to Hoarders.)

(Also not pictured: new skills like sticking Q-tips in his ears, standing on the scale, and putting the mascara tube on his eyes. Lest you think they're not watching....)

New Favorite Word

On the one hand, I am all for language development. It's great for everyone. On the other hand, this is driving me half bananas.

(in fairness, the point of this book is the animals saying "no," as in "Spot's not here" [another point they seem to gloss over is the serious infestation problem in that house--an alligator under the bed?!?], but it demonstrates his proficiency with the word and concept. Also the only book he reads along with)

It would be really useful if children simultaneously developed the ability to say "yes," as we now spend large portions of our day engaged in elaborate guessing games.

C: {signs eat}
me: You're hungry? What do you want?
C: {blank stare}
me: Do you want crackers?
C: No.
me: Cheese?
C: No.
me: A bar?
C: ...
me: A bar! You want a cereal bar?
C: No.
{everyone cries}
END SCENE.