13 months

13 months

 To Olen Ray, 

So, I wasn’t going to keep going with the monthly updates. I was thinking it is time to move to yearly updates, but I just can’t do it yet.  I know I never get the updates actually done on time, but you are learning so many new things every day. You have changed so much in the last month.  Let’s face it, you may never have a baby book (other than all these letters on the blog and my chicken-scratch handwritten notes in a notebook) so this is the way for you to recall your childhood.  Hopefully along with a lot of happy memories and we all know there will be a lot of pictures to help you :-)

Okay, now, let the words begin.  Seriously kid, I think you learn a new word everyday and I am now going to take the time to list them all: dowm (down), byebye, dada, mama, ba (ball), ba (bathe), maw-maw (meow meow), muh (moo), mow (more), neigh neigh (horse sound), woo woo (dog sound), k-k-k (cookie), bubu (bubble), pop pop pop (popscicle), baybay (baby), baba (bottle), hey, boo, bu (book), doo-dah-doo (cock-a-doodle-doo), nana (banana), wawa (water), tan-too (thank you). 

You have also started using a few signs, which is so super cute! You will use more, please, all done, open, and sometimes want.  You are really getting good with please and open because it gets you results fast. Just the other day, I put you down after nap time, as in down on the floor, you walked to the door (which was closed) and started to sign open. I opened it for you, you giggle and ran down the hallway to play. It just made me laugh too!

More pearly whites are popping in!  Two more teeth this month, the top two central incisors are shining bright these days.  You even know how to use them and we can tell you to “bite” your food off if you have a big piece.  Yeah, you still love food and now you want big pieces of bread, sandwich, pizza, rolls, etc just like we eat so you can bite it off.  Dip-dip-dip, what a funny thing to watch you hold a piece a chicken with your pincer grasp and dip it into honey mustard then eat it.  The dips extend to ketchup, syrup, and any other sauce we are using. Sometimes you even slip the fingers in for a quick taste test.   Still nursing four times a day and drinking water from a straw cup, so proud of those skills!

You love to run everywhere and when you are awake, you are full of energy.  You keep this mama busy but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  Your dad taught you to do flips so you put your head down between your hands kinda in a crawling position and wait for him to flip you over.  Still love to play on our bed rolling and jumping around.  The word “no” is definitely in your vocabulary and you know what it means. Some days I tell you “no” and you have this dramatic cry/face with your eyes scrunched up and your mouth wide open.  It doesn’t exactly make you happy when I start laughing at you.  You are easily redirected though and the face is gone, although I must secretly admit it is kinda cute. 

Independent, geesh, this word describes you for sure.  You don’t want to hold hands when walking outside even if it means you fall 20 times in 10 feet.  I also didn’t know that 13 month olds could have temper-tantrums, but I am learning that they do. If you want something or want to do something that we can’t do, you cry and sit down with your head down.  These tantrums or “expressions of independence” are becoming more frequent and are usually centered around the snack cabinet. Blog readers - I am sure you can figure that out!  When it is time to go outside, you bring me my shoes and then go to get your shoes. You just got new Keens in the mail and you want to wear them all the time. We finally got a pair of shoes that fits well, yeah!  You also have a little baseball cap (it is camo of course), to keep the sun out of your eyes.  

You still give “love” all day long and have started to give me “kisses” but won’t give them to daddy. I love that of course!  Blankie and paci are your best friends and you would take them everywhere if we didn’t insist that you leave them in your crib.  Yes, that does result in an “expression of independence” at times as well. Fun, fun, fun is what you are baby boy and we are loving every minute of it. Keep us laughing, keep us guessing, and keep teaching us patience Olen Ray.  I need it more than you do :-)

Love, Mama and Dada