1 Year

My biggest problem with not having time to get on here is all the little things you've been doing, that have been so cool to catch you doing, that I forget by the time I can get to a computer. Lets see if I can remember any, and hopefully I'll be better about getting these here.
At one year you...
are blooming a great little personality,
babble "dad" a LOT...and I caught you once babbling "mom" without crying or wanting milk, too!
are more independent than ever,
find all sorts of ways to play with all sorts of things, like, right now: pens and glue sticks (why do we bother with flashy toys?),
scribble,
love walking,
could crawl across CT if I let you,
love finding Daddy when I tell you...OK not that hard, we all know he's in front of the computer 22/07
love the cats, especially when they are involved in your crib, really love Sabrina, as she tries never to be involved with you,
refuse to brush your 6 teeth, though you used to love it,
insist on feeding yourself with our spoons, regardless of what actually makes it into your mouth,
have started eating dry foods more, and trying more solids recently,
love flipping the pages of your book, so gently as to not rip them, and watch my fingers point to the words I read you,
try to figure out every button, screw, random hole, and door on every little thing,
put toys "in"(!!!!!), with more regularity!!
wave "bye,bye" every so often,
have marvelous conversations with your hands (though that has been going on for a few months now),
have marvelous babble conversations with me:) you're going to be such a great talker!
point to what you want, and you want a lot, apparently,
added "r, s" to the "L,d,m" list of consonants, and long "i and e" to the "a, o" list of vowels,
Love hanging with Dad, especially when he walks all around with you.
...and I suppose that is all I can think of now, besides, it's time to play!!

Milestones Age: 8 months

Happy Day, you're 8 months today, despite wearing 12 month clothes! Enjoy all these monthly celebrations, Monsterino!

You Can:

• look to make sure someone is paying attention to your antics.
• roll all over.
• sit well unassisted.
• go well from sitting to laying.
• rock while enroute to laying on your tummy, crawling is around the corner...yikes!
  
• almost pick up small things with your thumb and finger.
• hold both of your feet in both of your hands and clap or suck your toes (many people wish for this amount of flexibility).
• push up assisted to standing.
• stand and play holding onto surfaces.
• clap objects.
• slap.
• give occasional "5's".
• play for extended time on your tummy, though you still complain.
• Communicate with sound, non-verbally.
  
• follow where I point.
  
• know the words "cat/kitty", "Daddy", and "Mommy" when said to you.
• babble m, n, l, d, and g words. You're starting to put consonants at the end of your vowel sounds, like "add" which will easily become Dad:).
  
• turn lights off, and sometimes on.
• almost drink from a cup.
• make sounds while you inhale.
  
• pounce on your toys.
  
• look for interesting toys, people, or animals when they make noise out of sight.
  
• stand without anyone holding you for a couple of seconds (this is your favorite game now).
  
• still love most your first toys, the jingle rattles! But you also really enjoy paper, paper tubes, bags and boxes.
  
• cough/make other sounds to get others to look at or imitate you.
• show separation anxiety, but I'm never too far away!
• try to use a spoon and tooth brush, though mommy helps with the spoon as it is usually full of food!

*Red developmental actions are more commonly seen closer to 12 months.

With your 2 teeth you eat cereal, banana, peach, broccoli, squash of many varieties, avocado, bread, and cheerios (just got one in your mouth by yourself!) though most days you choose not to, despite my persistence. You have also tasted water, watermelon, pickles, Popsicles, juice and beer, and enjoy every one of them. Mostly you're still drinking milk and you still have that darn allergy (Mommy really wants a slice of pizza!!!).

You have a battery of scientific tests for everything...first you observe, then bend in for a closer look. Next you pick up the object, wave it, tap it, clap it, and lick it, not necessarily in that order. The licking is my favorite part because it isn't just a general suck, but rather a little taste with the tip of your tongue, then you think and make a face based on the taste, and perhaps give another little taste before moving on to the next test.

The Cambridge House was your first "eating out" experience. We were there when you were around 4 months, for a few minutes and you were great. Then, after summer camp, you Dad and I went for appetizers and a beer. Everyone loved you!

You have been taking music classes all summer. First we did some Peek-a-Boo I Love You, which now you're favorite song. Then came Sign and Sing. You still don't sign, but I hope you'll show us some soon! Also, you've been attending all my FVB and Torrington Symphony concerts. They are less fun for you since I'm in the band and not with you and they all occur right at your super fussy bed time.

You take 2 naps a day, on average, some days it's 1, others it's 3...most of which you go down for without much fussing- it's wonderful. After you wake and eat, we play blocks/toys, go swimming, play outside, go for walks on the trail or in parks around here.

A couple of weeks ago, you were hanging with the older kids at summer camp, and you taught classes with Mommy:). When you were sad, the kids would sing to you. When you napped, they tiptoed around the class and whispered. Everyone had fun watching you hold the recorder and suck on the end, or play with cheerios. You were very well behaved the whole two weeks!! Mommy is excited you did so well since we will be teaching Kindermusik together in the fall.

PS I have been compiling all this information for a couple of weeks...it has been a lot. Just when I finish adding information for the day, I shut down the computer, and realize I forgot 3 more things, some of which you weren't even doing when I started writing this. I find it amazing how quickly you change and grow. As I type, you're going through a growth spurt...constantly eating (OMG when will you get my supply up and calm this down!), sleeping weird hours (yesterday an almost 4 hour nap!), and your behavior is on a roller coaster this past week- a good one with mostly ups, actually.

Houston, We have Tooth!

Finally, after months of anticipation, a tooth has appeared. There would be a picture here, however, I can barely jam my finger in there to apply pain relief gel. So...play pretend.

The official tooth spotting date was Monday, July 12th, at 6 months and 3 weeks old. Not sure why people look forward to teeth so much except for the fact that once one is down, there is one less to have to console him through. I mean, a tooth is cute and all, and it's another step closer to being able to eat without Mom around, but I'm not nearly as happy as I imagine I'll be when he has a full scholarship to Juliard.

So now he can chomp his way through cereal and avocado, his two favorites, and actually the only two he'll eat without subsequently puking all over the place. He has one effective gag reflex. We'll try the cheerios, bananas and peaches again later.