Letter to a 16 month old

I'm not sure why I'm dragging on this particular post--sorry it's so late buddy. But honey, you've been so darn busy. Frankly, I'm exhausted. The minutes I get to myself--I want to simply stare at the wall. That sounds crazy when ya type it, but truly, it's a survival thing. You run like the wind kid.

Not only the running, but now it's THE CLIMBING. You are reaching new heights. You've figured out that you can drag things up to taller things, and use your pieces as step stools. This makes everything in the whole house dangerous. All the countertops are fair game now, and you even grab at the pictures on the wall. It is the most frustrating thing in the entire world totally developmentally appropriate.

You love to get into absolutely everything. You can turn doorknobs and climb on beds and scale walls. You drag everything from somewhere and leave it everywhere. You topple furniture for fun. You empty drawers for amusement. You love to climb from chairs unto super dangerous glass kitchen tables that reside on the super dangerous hard tile. You open bottom drawers and use them as climbing apparati to crawl on countertops. When we bolt latches on the bottom drawers in question, you went ahead in your frustration and ripped the front of one of the drawers off when you couldn't open it. I can't turn my head away for even seconds before you knee-deep in some form of destruction. You are a complete terrorist joy.

Some of the climbing you do is, frankly, impressive. You can climb the three-shelved changing table now like a ladder. You step and then you step and then you hold on the top level, balance with your arms, and then cantalever unto the top! I'm so impressed I let you have your fun up there. Although I sold that darn thing just today because mommy simply can't stand looking at another thing that could break your little baby body.



While you've said 'yeah' for awhile, your new word is 'no.' And you like to tell it to the cat all the time. You must get that from Daddy because everyone knows I never tell that cat 'no.' You also say 'ball' and 'night-night' and you seriously understand almost everything we are saying. You listen to me pretty good too. When you stand on chairs, I tell you to 'sit on your butt' and you do!

You only nurse twice a day now--in the morning and at your nap. Your Daddy puts you to sleep these days. You seem to be taking it well. In the next couple weeks we'll drop that morning one and see how you do. It's crazy as we get close to the end of nursing, I feel as if I'm experiencing a loss. I love that quiet time with you and you seem to take such comfort in it too, especially now as you are in Super Crazy Omg Please Stop Moving Toddler Mode. However, I feel ready--I think it is time. I think you will be ok as well, but perhaps I'll have to wear you in the Ergo more often for awhile so we get our cuddle time.

Your Nonnie & Grandpa had a visit here at the beginning of the month, and you of course, love all that attention. They got to hang out with you & read to you & walk with you, which you always love.

this is your 'i need a nap' face

You had a cold all month, but we are so thankful it wasn't the bad one that it almost was a blessing to know that you could get sick without needing a breathing treatment. I am praying that those bronchiolitis bouts were just flukes and not a recurring thing.

You and I go on playdates all the time with a few of my neighbor friends & of course the mom's group. You are so social, you love to hang out with all the kids. We got to visit your cousin Jack and new baby Kate this month in San Clemente--you always have fun over there. Your Uncle Cole watches you for us too, and you love him so much. You get all giggly and giddy whenever he hangs out with us, so some of your favorite time is when he watches you. He, in true Uncle form, taught you how to spin around in circles until you get so dizzy you fall down--you think the game is the Most Fun Ever.

You can throw almost any ball straight and far. You now are kicking the ball too. You love books and make us read one after another after another. We let you watch one episode of Curious George a day, which you love more than life itself--you sit on the couch like an old man and sip your sippy and munch on crackers with nary a peep the whole show. Intellectual pursuits are not your bag--if you can't get the shape in the shape sorter on the first try, instead of trying to figure it out, you angrily smash the blocks on floor repeatedly and then whip the block at the wall before you run off in another direction.

You love to be thrown and twirled and you love to tackle. You do like super hugs now where you hug really tight and pat my back as you hug. You are getting better with petting Diego in a gentle way. You hold hands now and are communicating what you want and need all the time. You make car sounds and plane sounds, as if, as a boy, you came programmed with them.

You're a charming kid with twinkly eyes and a great spirit and an easy smile. We love you so much--more and more each minute. Sometimes I wonder how my heart can get ANY bigger at all, and then there you are with that toothy happy grin--and it stretches every time. You should see your Daddy when he looks at you too--his eyes get so soft and happy--you two definitely have such a cool bond. I love you little guy--Happy 16 months!