Journey to the Knot: 16 Month Newsletter

Dear Banner,
What a big month this was for you, Angel! SO many big changes that make you an even more mature young boy than ever before, and I'm mourning my infant just a tad. But, I'm loving watching you grow into your own. Your little personality isn't so little anymore - it's a big, funny, strong-willed one! I am sensing more tantrums in our future as you become more and more adamant about wanting what you want when you want it (which is always NOW!). I'm walking a fine line everyday between teaching you to listen to Mommy and letting you have what you want. If at all possible, I try to make it so we both win, but that doesn't always happen. I'm pretty fair, and I make a few compromises with you, but I'm not sure if you would agree. My biggest defense in warding off a tantrum is PREVENTING one! I try really hard to always be prepared with snacks when I know you'll get hungry, with toys or books when I think you'll be bored, and sticking to a schedule when I anticipate your exhaustion. But, you're very curious, active, friendly, and INTO EVERYTHING. Like I've mentioned in posts before, you can open child-safe locks, you take things apart, you reach things from counter tops, you move furniture or other things to climb up to where you want to go, and you are very smart and calculating in how you get what you want! Even trashcans are not off limits for you, even though you say "Yucky!" as you reach into them, dragging any gross thing out of it and across the floor. If given the chance, you are very into exploring toilet bowls. And, because you are so friendly and adventurous, taking walks with you outside is getting very tricky as you explore whatever and WHOMever you want! You hate holding our hand unless you're getting tired, but we insist that you stay near us. Again, if given the chance, you would take off and be on your own if you could. Such a scary thought for a mommy! You're just a handful, Ban-Man, what can I say!?

What else have you been up to these days??

-Well, you officially take one nap a day now. We dropped your morning nap about two weeks ago, and you have done VERY well with this change. It was pretty seamless. We kind of alternated one-nap days and two-nap days for about a week or two when I was really unsure of how many naps you needed/wanted. You really enjoy your rest time, but when you started sleeping only at the first nap and just sitting there all of the second nap, I dropped that morning nap altogether. You've handled the change beautifully, and although the morning is a lot longer for Mommy, I think I've handled it well, too! :) It does give us a chance to get out of the house for longer periods of time to do fun stuff - like gymnastics, play dates, story time at the library, and visiting friends. Your schedule stays pretty busy these days, mostly in the mornings around 10:00 - which is perfect because that's when both of us start to get bored if we are just hanging out at home.

-You celebrated Papa's birthday and Myka's birthday, as well as Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur this month. Early in the month, your Aunt Debbie and cousin Natalie were in town, so we got to spend a fun night with them at Zaide's house. We also went to the Aquarium with Aunt Kiki just yesterday!

-We introduced you to Sesame Street this month, and you seem to really like Elmo - you call him "Melmo." You really like watching his toothbrushing video before we brush your teeth at night.

-Speaking of toothbrushing... you hate it! We are now starting your bedtime routine with it because we want to get the whole process out of the way first (a tip I learned from the Sleep Lady book I've referenced since you were only a few weeks old). You are okay to do it on your own, but the minute Daddy or I start trying to "check" your work or help you, you refuse to open your mouth. Those back molars may rot out of your mouth if we don't get in there better - yet another example of the fine line between letting you have your way and making toothbrushing pleasant vs. Mommy and Daddy picking to fight this battle for the sake of your teeth but pissing you off in the meantime and making you hate the whole process! The more teeth you get, the more important the cleaning process becomes, and FINALLY this month, you got another bottom tooth (just left of the two front ones). This brings your total visible tooth count to 9 (6 on top, 3 on bottom).

-You still really like Curious George. His counting book is one of your all-time favorites, along with Baby Farm Animals, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and Baby's First Words (which you can basically "read" all by yourself since you know all the picture names in the book: shoes, socks, baby, car, ball, bib, cat, dog).

-You are learning more and more - showing us each day just how smart you are! You love labeling body parts on yourself and on us. You used to just point to them when we'd ask, but now you are starting to say some of them. You can now identify (and say a few of them): eyes, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, hair, ear, belly button, tummy, hands, knee, feet, head, cheek, toes, chin, and penis. You are also pretty consistent in using family members' names (especially Zaide, Grandma (which often sounds a lot like "Ma" or "Mama"), NaNa, Kiki, Paul), and you love pointing to everyone's pictures when we ask you where someone is. You're saying "yes" ("zes"), and you have made up your own words for "outside" ("ra-ra") and "snack" ("guy"). Not sure where those came from, but we know what you are talking about when you say them! One of my favorite "games" is the "Animal Game" when I ask you and another person (usually Daddy, although yesterday we played it with Aunt Kiki) what sound a certain animal makes. You love the "conversation" of it - knowing when to answer because I used your name, and when to wait your turn because I said "Daddy," before asking something like, "What does a cow say?"

-You love riding your Batmobile that Miles and Aunt Gayle gave you! What a great gift! You are so obsessed with cars these days - pointing out every.single.car you see! So, this ride-on was right up your alley! :) You can now get on and off by yourself as well as move forwards and backwards all on your own.

-You are able to walk backwards and twirl around in circles! You can also do forward rolls (somersaults) on your own - 85% of the time, you go sideways, but the other 15% you do it perfectly!

-You're using a spoon much better these days, but I still help you quite a bit. We're working on this... along with scribbling with a crayon, which you can do well for a few minutes before you want to chew on it! Oh, how I can't wait until you stop trying to eat EVERYTHING!

-Speaking of eating, (and I know I'm about to jinx it as I type these words!), you are a great eater. Veggies are hit or miss - but you'll always accept a baby food veggie. Although, tonight, you loved the crockpot cooked carrots we made - ate them as most of your meal! You still love fruit more than anything, with meats being a close second! You're also totally my kid when it comes to LOVING cheese, which you can identify in any form/package! I am doing my best to continue to introduce you to new flavors, textures, meals, casseroles, etc. I have a lot of fun coming up with dinners and lunches, and that fun is even more exciting when you enjoy something I made. I absolutely hate when I worked hard on a meal, and you won't try it or you spit it out. (Daddy and I had THE BEST chicken pot pie the other night, and you refused to even try it. BOY, you so missed out! Daddy even said it was in his "top 5 favorite meals" that I have made.)

-You also stopped drinking from bottles altogether! I wrote about that here, and other than taking a little bit more time to fall asleep in the past 6 nights, you are doing great!

See?? I told you it was a big month, as you are becoming such a big boy! Sometimes I look at you and still think of you as my little 9 month old or my little 6 month old. But, other times (more often!), I look at you in disbelief that you getting so "old" looking! As the weather gets cold again, I'm reminded of so many things that happened last winter. The smells, the clothes, the heat on!, the feel of cold air... it brings me back to last year, and that's when I am brought back to you being so little bitty. Sometimes I think about Bubbie and all she's missing. I get sad that she's missed this whole year with you; this time of year reminds me of her so much, and I can't help but think of the last few times you were with her. I know she would be so proud of her smart, handsome, curious young grandson. I wish she were here to watch you grow up, and I know she would have wanted that more than anything in the whole world. I want to freeze time sometimes because it's going so fast... but I know Bubbie would be so pleased, so giddy, so in awe of how well you are growing, how fast you are learning, and how healthy you are! I know I am!

I love you with all my heart, Banner Boone. Happy 16 months, Sweet Boy!
Love,
Mommy