16 Months

I haven't done a Will update since he turned a year! I didn't have intentions of doing them monthly anymore, as it was IMPOSSIBLE to get him to sit still for my photo project, but I did want to keep a log of his milestones and development (for my own memory's sake). So here we go...

 

Dear Mr. Will,

 

You are 16 months old! I can hardly believe it. You are in full-out toddler mode these days, and as much as I would like to blame it on those molars coming in, I think your age has just as much of a dog in this fight as your teeth do. You are still a pretty easy going little guy, but your little personality comes out more and more each day. Most of the time, that personality is a funny, sweet, and charming one, but there are moments here and there that you let us know loud and clear that you do not agree with what we are asking you to do (i.e. brush your teeth, take your medicine, not letting you eat an entire container of puffs in one sitting, etc).

 

So much has changed with your development since you turned a year. You finally took your first steps at 13 1/2 months old, and finally decided walking was actually fun at 14 months. And now I can't turn my back for a second. :) You've also learned how much fun it is to climb. I'm very thankful we don't have stairs in our house, but it doesn't take you very long to find other objects to climb. I was letting play the piano in my lap the other night, and you attempted to climb ON TOP of the piano. You got as far as kneeling on top of the keyboard, and really, really wanted to keep going, but this mean mommy of yours called it quits for that piano lesson.

Your vocabulary continues to grow. We can get you to try to say almost anything we ask you to, and I know that you don't truly know what they all mean, but it's cute none the less. Some of your most used words currently are:

• All Done (This is almost constant, especially if we are changing your diaper, or if you are tired of being in your high chair. This is definitely a favorite.)
• Shoe (This is always exaggerated....shooooooooe.)
• School (Also very exaggerated....scooooooo. You love to find your bag and put it on your shoulder- even though it is literally as big as you are- and say "scoooooo" as you walk towards the door. You love going to "school" and you love talking about going to "school." I hope that never changes.)
• Open (You're obsessed with opening things- doors, containers, snacks, doors on toys, etc.)
• Ball (Bawww)
• Baby (Baaaayyby)
• Please (Peeaa- so sweet. I love to hear you say peeaa when you want something. You also do the sign language for this when you say it.)
• Thank You (Ta tou- also do sign language, that sometimes gets confused as blowing kisses- by you and also other people.)
• Ride (Wide- You say this when you want to go for a ride in/on something- your wagon, stroller, your little tykes car)
• Swing (Wing)
• Dog
• Duck Duck
• Bye Bye (You still always follow this with blowing lots of kisses.)
• Eat (Eat eat- You also do the sign language for this as you say it.)

Family names you say:

• Dada (Sometimes directed to mommy, because you think it is funny.)
• Daddy- (One of the cutest things ever, it comes out Daadeeeeee.)
• Momma
• Mickey (Digey- You LOVE Mickey. Love him. You also love Curious George, but he is also referred to as Digey.)

• Pop Pop (For some reason you always, always, always whisper Pop Pop.)
• Mamaw
• GranDan

(GanDan)

Sage (Agey)

"Aunt" Danielle (Deeeeee! Deeeee! Deeeee!)

 

You love making animal noises too, and these are the ones you most consistantly say their noises when you see the animal:

• Dog (oof oof)
• Elephant (I can't even beging to explain this noise in writing. But it's a good attempt at what an elephant sounds like when he blows his trunk. :) )
• Lion (rowr)
• Bird (tweet tweet)
• Sheep (baaa)
• Duck (kak kak)
• Cow (moo)

I count "1, 2, 3!" anytime I pick you up out of the bathtub, swing you, put you in the swing, help you go down the slide, etc, and you started repeating us the other day. I know you aren't "counting," per say, but if we say, "one..." you will say "twwwoooo, teeeeeeee!"

At your 15 month check up, you weighed 24 lbs (75%tile) and were 30" (10-25th%tile). That head is still >97th, and your wt/length is hanging out at 90-95th%tile.

You are getting to be a better eater than you were, but still refuse to eat meat. I try my best to "hide it" in foods you love, but you always find it and spit it out. I can sometimes get you to eat a few bites of baby food meat if it is mixed in with sweet potatoes or apples, but you are getting to be so independent with your eating lately that you have a fit if you aren't the one holding the spoon. You are still OBSESSED with yogurt. I'm thankful for that though, because yogurt, cheese, and milk are your only sources of protein on most days.

 

Speaking of milk, you are finally weaned to only one nursing per day, as of this week. Your mommy is apparently half dairy cow, so we still have lots of milk still stored in the freezer, and you get a sippy cup of breastmilk at school during the day as well. Sometimes, if I've thawed a smaller bag of milk (4 oz or less), I top it off with whole milk. But you refuse to drink whole milk by itself. We'll keep working on that. But as long as we still have a stock pile of breast milk, I'm in no hurry what so ever to transition to all whole milk.

 

Since dropping that evening feeding, you aren't going to sleep as easily at night. You cry for about 5-10 minutes before settling down. It absolutely breaks my heart to watch you on the monitor crying, but I have to remind myself that you are ok. And you are. I think its just a transition for you right now. You are also graciously waking up 45 minutes to an hour earlier this week. Thanks, bud. You've been waking up by 5:00 every morning this week, sometimes at 4:45. But I just let you play in your crib until 6:00. I'm hoping this will help you to push back that wake up time just a little bit. We'll see. But when you do wake up, I just listen to you (and watch you) play and talk to "Digey." You're so happy when you wake up!

We have also gotten into the separation anxiety mode. Most of the time you play well independently, but sometimes you just get in these moods, and want to be on mommy's hip- especially when we first get home in the afternoon. If I set you down for one second, you absolutely lose it. And then you eat supper, and we play and you're totally fine again. You also get sad when I drop you off at school some mornings. I've learned that if I hold you while we are putting your cup in the fridge and putting your things away, you don't get as sad. You just need a few minutes with your mommy before I leave. I've also learned that you are totally, 100% fine after you can't see me anymore. :) Little stinker, you definitely know how to manipulate your mommy.

 

 

As far as your ears are concerned, as of this week it has been ONE WHOLE MONTH without an ear infection. This is a milestone in and of itself! Despite the tubes in January, you have continued to get ear infections every 2-3 weeks (sometimes sooner). But the past month, you've been on a once a day, low dose of bactrum, and that seems to have kept the infections at bay. I'm sure the weather warming up has also helped, but whatever it is- something is working.

You've also been given a diagnosis of Low Von Willibrand's, which is just a fancy word meaning that one of the clotting factors in your blood is low. This was discovered when you bled and bled and bled after they pricked your finger at your one year check up. You were covered in blood from head to toe, just from a finger prick. It scared your momma half to death. After lots and lots (and lots) of blood work over several months at Children's, we've finally been given this diagnosis of Low Von Willibrand's (not as severe as hemophilia, thank goodness!).

With that being said, you get lots of bruises that tend to hang around. I know a large part of that is just from being a toddler, but sometimes I do wonder if it's taking your longer to heal that most children.

 

 

 Mr. Will, you are in SUCH a fun little stage of life. You are hilarious, and we are amazed every day at what you are learning and have picked up so quickly. You bring so much joy to your Daddy and I, and everyone you come in contact with. You love being around people, and love waving and blowing kisses to random people in stores and when we are out and about. I hope you always have that desire to make those around you feel special and important. We love you to the moon and back!