12 = 1

We've made it to 12 months!  And I gotta say, looking back on it, I think it's been my favorite month.  I feel like I'm finally getting to know him (a feat made harder by a toddler and a fairly quite little boy) and I cannot wait to see what the next year holds!  Okay, okay, so what did I learn this month about my little one?  Well, he...

...looks up into the sky at wants airplanes and wind and moving leaves and tries to grab them (he's done this for month or 2)

... knows when hes put something in his mouth that he shouldn't have and will "run" away from you when you go for it.

... loves Mickey Mouse (can't remember if I've posted that before).

... can walk a few steps at a time, if he's walking toward something.  His longest walk has been about 5-6 feet.  It's still not a form of transportation for him, but he's working on it.  (Took his first solo steps on June 16th while Kayla was upstairs trying to go to sleep and Eric was out at a Dad's Night Out that Luna put on for Father's day, so I was the only one who saw it.)

... likes to make a game out of you trying to keep him from taking off his hat.  He puts his hand up to it, you put it down, he laughs and puts his hand back up.

... is FINALLY only waking to eat once a night!  Around 3:30 or 4.  Course he usually wakes up around 6 too and I try to feed him back to sleep but he's not really into that anymore.  Even at naps. The only time he can be nursed to sleep is before bedtime and that's only about 50% of the time.  It's bittersweet!

... is better at eating solids now, luckily.  It seems like this last month, or couple weeks, have really shown some changes in his eating and sleeping patterns.  Like his body/mind finally said "hey, I'm a year old, I better start really eating better and nursing less often."  No, really.  :-)  He was introduced to pb&j, hot dogs, and milk at the end of this month - the only one of which he likes is pb&j but I'm going to keeping working on the others. 

... has some new skills - waves bye, raises his arms to his head when you ask "how big are you?", leans forward to put his nose in your hands when you say "I'm gonna get your nose.  Where's your nose?" sometimes gives kisses, will clap when you ask him to clap (though he also claps when you ask him other questions too, or will raise his hands, so he knows you want him to do things but he doesn't always know the right question/answer combination.  ha ha)

... still doesn't say words, or even babble in a way that we can understand something but he does say things like ahh, daaa, mamamama and other gibberish

... he is starting to get mad, and be vocal about it. If you try to take something away, which is hard - he has a death grip, he will scream, loudly, and high pitched!  You know he's mad.  But I can generally figure out what's wrong, it might take a few tries but I can usually figure it out.
... loves to lay around on his back.  Seriously... it doesn't last long but he will lay there and chill for a little bit.

... is getting the hang of his sippy cup.  He can drink from it, but when he's done he doesn't always close his mouth so his last sip comes dribbling out.  But, he does not like milk.  He'll try it and immediately open his mouth and let it all run out of his mouth.  Which means, I'm still his milk supply.  He also likes to drink out of cups and bottles but really doesn't know how!

... likes to watch people work- get yogurt, buss tables, vacuum...

... likes to play chase - mainly to be chased.  Makes him really laugh!

... opens books then looks at you as if to say "well, what are you waiting for?  Read it!"

... raises his arms in the air, makes a grabbing motion when he sees you and wants to be picked up

.... loves cups, and straws, just like someone else I know.

... can climb in an out of the sandbox - but it doesn't always work quite right

... tries to comb my hair with utensils, and combs.  But he also tries to use utensils to pic up his food.  It's really cute to watch and almost never works.

... loves loves loves the dishwasher and the fridge (also just like someone else).  You know how some cats run for the can opener - my kid runs for the appliances!

... isn't a cuddler/hugger with his sis.  Likes to play, not hug.

... spits out or takes out food when he's done with a bite or sees something else he wants instead.

Like I said, it's been a good month.  He is a really happy little boy.  A mama's boy (due, I'm sure, in large part to the food supply).  He loves his family and is excited when he sees us!  And is showing us more every day just how smart he is.  I'm really excited for this next year - I really liked the 15-22 month time frame for Kayla - it was fun and the terrible two's hadn't quite set in yet.  So, here's to a great month and many more!