Fifteen (months, that is)

Well, I'm going to quit saying "it doesn't snow here" since we wrapped up your 15th month with about 2 inches on the ground. This is our third snow since you were born. Your Dad and I hadn't seen snow in our 10 years here until you came along. Each time it has snowed, I've bundled you up and taken you out thinking you may not see snow again. Apparently I should stop freezing you and just wait until you get older. It seems like you just might have other chances. For what it's worth, you did seem a little more interested in it this morning. You rested your forehead against the window in your bedroom and stared at the whiteness outside, listening to the crackling sound of the sleet hitting the icy snow. At least that's what your Dad and I think you were doing! The best part about snow today is that your Dad had to stay home. He was very busy managing work issues for most of the morning, but the three of us got some fun playtime in this afternoon. It was really special to have bonus Dada time. I know he enjoyed it too.

I promise that you wanted to get down!

So that's how we spent the day today. Here's what we have noticed in the last month about you.

1) Monkey see, monkey do- You've begun to mimic your Dad and me. You used to do this only if I showed you something and encouraged you to do it. Now, you take the initiative. Last week you were slapping your food with your spoon. I told you "no," because you were risking flinging the food on the wall. Several minutes later I was playing while feeding you. I made your spoon "ride the roller coaster" and made car noises. When it was your turn again, you did the same with your spoon. It was hard to explain why mama could wave the spoon and you shouldn't. Sometimes mimicking has been good. Last night we opened your bath crayons from Aunt Cat. You wanted to grab the part that floated up out of the water, and were frustrated that you couldn't draw with the bottom of the crayon holder. Dada showed you how to use the other end, and you were drawing in no time. Tonight you even figured out how to pick the holder up out of the water so it was positioned to write on the wall! By the way, Mama is very impressed that you can write on the tub wall. It takes extra muscles and coordination to do that. Good job!

2) What a good eater- You still eat very well for a toddler. You have gotten a little particular at times though. Some meals you eat three helpings, others you seem to skip altogether. You are feeding yourself most of the time and have gotten much better with your spoon. You've tried your fork a couple of times, but you haven't had the teeth you need to chew stuff, so you haven't had very "stab-worthy" food. Often you will only eat if we allow you to feed yourself. Lately you only want to eat what is on my plate. Tonight I had to put your meal on my plate, then serve you from there. Apparently the same food tastes better if I serve it to myself first. Don't worry, you are far from wasting away. I'm not sure what you weigh (your check up is later this month), but I'm afraid it's more than we'd predict. You are still nursing one or more times a day, so I'm sure that has something to do with it.

3) Sinking your teeth in- Your last set of teeth came in in August. Your Dad and I knew you were over due for some and expected they'd come in all at once. Sure enough, you started with the lower left lateral incisor the week before Christmas, and in the last week the lower right, and both upper lateral incisors have started to arrive. They probably won't be all the way in for another couple of weeks. After these, your molars shouldn't be far behind. Then you'll really tear up some food!

4) Fears- One of the things I think is so beautiful about children is that they are born without fear. Sure, fears can be useful, but many are not. I hoped that you would learn the healthy ones in time, and avoid the irrational. Careful as I thought I was, you seem to have developed some fears of things you once loved or found interesting. One sudden close encounter with a friendly puppy has made you nervous around dogs. Last week you were startled by the sound of the garbage truck. You also seem to dislike music with a strong bass line. Today you held my legs and cried until Dada changed the song. I know such things are normal and you will have many other fears that come and, hopefully, go, but it makes me sad to see you so upset over such benign things.

5) Golden slumbers? We've kept you on one nap a day, but after three days on a row of 20-30 minute naps, we decided you needed a schedule change. We moved your nap time up by an hour and a half to 11 am. The first week was tough, but the last week has been better. You don't always sleep much, but if you wake early you usually play quietly. If you do cry, you have sometimes gone back to sleep. It's still a work in progress, but at least there is progress.

6) Heads, shoulders, knees and toes- Well, you know three of those body parts and love when I sing the song. You also know belly, tongue (you stick it out), ears, eyes (you squint them), foot, toes, head, hair, and sometimes leg. You have a hard time with nose still. You aren't sure what it's called, but you've certainly learned to put your finger in it!

7) Say it again- Everything is still pretty much still "dada" around here, but you do have a few words. ( I think) You use "dada" and "mama" for the right people now, but also "dada" and "baba" almost everything else. You say "yes" and "uh-oh." Just this week you began to answer "woof" to "what does the dog say?" In fact, you woke one morning saying "woof." It took me until breakfast time (about 20 minutes later) to realize you were hearing the neighbor's dog barking and you were responding! Yesterday we were at Target and you started saying "woof." You had seen the stuffed Target dogs lines up in the pharmacy at the end of the aisle. Keep this up and you'll turn Mama into one of those ladies who goes on and on about how brilliant her baby is!

8) Our little ram- Out of nowhere, you started head butting us. Your Aunt Liz was a champ at this...did she teach you when I wasn't looking? Fortunately you are small enough that it is fun to play with you this way. If you don't outgrow this, you'll have to train hard...Grandpa and Aunt Liz still play this way.

9) Still cruising- You still aren't walking buddy. I have said a lot that there's no rush. I haven't been in a hurry, and you haven't either. Unfortunately, I need you to pick up the pace a little. Fifteen months is the limit of Mama quietly waiting. I'm afraid that if you aren't walking by the time your check-up comes around, you and I are going to be sent for an evaluation. That gives you two weeks little man! It was fun to let you push your toy out in the street a couple of weeks ago. I'm really looking forward to us playing outside this spring, or going to park and you not wearing your jeans out from crawling on the pavement.