Ash - 14 Months

Reading Otis to Superbear

Size: Mommy just went through my drawers and put away all the old 6-9mo pants I was still wearing b/c they're all high-waters on me.  Some of the 12 mo pants fit, and some of them are too long so we have to roll them up.  I'm still only 17.5-18 lbs (depending on how recently I've eaten when you weigh me), and have grown another quarter of an inch.

Looking out the window with my buddy Dexter

Physical development: I'm still not quite walking yet, but I LOVE to walk holding fingers; I walk all around the house with help and even go to the mailbox every couple of days.  I've gotten sturdy enough to hold just one hand, but my parents are still trying to coax me to try independent steps for myself.  My fine motor skills are improving; I'm now able to put the stacking rings on by myself.

Evidence of my stacking ring skills

Verbal development: This is where most of my energy is spent.  Mommy estimates that my vocabulary has tripled in the last couple of months, but doesn't have the time or energy to try to make a list of all my words.  And in case you're wondering, even though she likes to be called momma, I only call her mom or mommy (for some reason "mommy" makes me giggle). I'm putting the ends on words ("booK" instead of "boo-") and attempting multi-syllabic words too (one of my favorites to do are the dog names).  I've already started stringing together two word sentences ("spoon hold please"), know most of the basic colors and common animal sounds (current fav: hee haw), and have been practicing please and thank you for requests.  I've even counted "one, two" and love my foam alphabet toys in the bath b/c I'm starting to pick up some of the letters' and numbers' names.  I've started to parrot things my parents say, and will repeat words I recognize as I listen in on conversations.

Asking for "milk"

Other developments:  I've started tolerating more acidic foods, so I'm really enjoying eating strawberries and oranges and spaghetti!  Also, mommy is finally able to eat dairy without it affecting me so much, so this week we're going to try out yogurt again and see if my stomach does better with it now.  Regardless of how my stomach does, I LOVE yogurt!

SPAGHETTI!

Routines: Mommy stopped nursing me to sleep at night and naps, so now I get a chance to nurse (to which I say no-thanks half the time) and brush teeth with mom.  Then is a game we call baby burrito where I get rolled on the floor in my blanket so I'm all wrapped up.  Next we read a couple books and sing a few songs, and I go to bed awake.  I've gotten pretty good at putting myself to sleep and only cry when something is wrong.  I've also switched from two daytime naps to just one long nap.  I go down after lunch and stay asleep for 2.5-3.5 hrs.  At night I sleep for about 12 hours, and from what I've researched I'll need this much nightly sleep for years to come.

I love reading books

Special events:  The past month has been a fun one with lots of play dates.  Mommy & daddy also joined a new small group, so I get to play with a bunch of kids every Friday night and I love it!  I've also been hanging out in the nursery during church, which can be fun as long as I'm not too tired.

My friend, Nathan, brought his truck over and let me play with it

My favorites:  Otis! Every night I ask daddy to read me Otis before bed; it's about a tractor and a calf that become friends.  Of course, I love anything with wheels - trucks, cars, trains, tractors, airplanes.  I still love reading books all the time.  I enjoy when mommy brings a toy into the living room that I haven't seen in a while.  And I especially love taking baths.

Bath time!

Daddy's favorites:  Daddy enjoys our new night-time routine where he gets to read to me and rock and sing to me before bed.  He used to just put my pj's and night-diaper on, and that wasn't very fun.  He's enjoying the daily bonding time where I calmly give him my undivided attention and it's just the two of us.

Bed time books with daddy

Mommy's favorites:  Mommy loves getting to spend her days with me and talk about everything we encounter.  She's really enjoying my ability to communicate.  And she's getting a kick out of using her new camera to capture my cuteness.

A day-to-day moment playing with my car and my music table

Upcoming:  My parents are hiring a babysitter to watch me this weekend, which will be the first time they've paid someone to watch me - although I'll be sleeping the whole time.  Usually they just go out when family is around to watch me, or they swap time with our friend Kari.  Also we have some friends coming to visit in April for a weekend, so that should be fun.  Otherwise it's just life as usual - story time, errands, play dates, small group, church.

Waving "bye bye" in my shopping cart car at the grocery store