17 Months & Things

1. You had your first real illness this month. I now understand the phenomenon of "sick cuddles."
2. Your love of wheels continues, but now is more focused on trucks. Backhoes and crane trucks and concrete mixers, oh my!
3. There are some gnarly looking bumps on your gums - more teeth are in your future.
4. Coloring (and "cayons") is a new fave activity; as is dumping all the "cayons" out of their container.
5. You say "thank you" (which sounds like "take you" or sometimes "thnkyou") after I hand you a book you are wanting or your milk from the fridge or the waffle from the toaster. You know, the important things.
6. You usually scream when we have to end bath time.

Xylophone call

7. Elmo is a new favorite as well. You call him "momo" or sometimes "mama." I take offense only when I'm having a bad hair day.
8. I can tell full-on tantrums are just around the corner - the other day (after leaving the library - oh! the! horror!) you mastered the stiff-back-straight-legs-I-will-not-sit-in-this-carseat maneuver that I've heard is a toddler tantrum weapon.
9. Also? You are starting to not want to hold my hand while in the street, parking lots, or other public places. Oh your growing independence! Oh my soon-to-be greying hair!
10. You are fun to be around. No, really! You give me such a perfect excuse to run around the house screaming.
11. You are loving nursery rhymes and short songs and are starting to imitate my movements to these songs. It's pretty funny to see you wag your little finger as I say "And the doctor said, 'No more monkeys jumping on the bed!'"
12. Sometimes, usually when we need it the most, you will catch my eye and slowly smile your devilishly handsome smile (that I know you got from your father). And I will laugh, and you will too. And it makes whatever is happening a bit more palatable.
13. You love feeding me whatever you are eating, as well as my morning oatmeal.

14. We spend a good portion of our days reading books or driving cars and trucks around on the ground.
15. Most days you insist on sweeping. "Boom! Boom!" you say, and point to the closet where two brooms are kept. You are not content to just sweep by yourself while I relax on the couch. Oh no, you want me sweeping too. Our floors are pretty clean these days.
16. Dance parties are a regular occurrence. You do this awesome spin move where you hold your hand over your head ballerina-style. It cracks me up.
17. You really want to jump, but your feet have not left the ground yet. But they will, little one. One day you will jump high and run far and love deeply. And I will keep cheering you on.