19 Months Old!

Dearest Goose,
You are now 19 months old and the words keep coming! Lately you're obsessed with "WahDoo" aka water, and request it all the time. Particularly when you don't want to do something, like go to sleep or leave someplace you're playing. The stalling techniques are amazing, you're a pro already. Also high on your list of favorites is KEEEEEYS! You love to play with MY keys, only the real deal sets are acceptable. I even have work keys that I let you play with and you're not into them, only the super important ones will do. You like to put keys into any hole they'll fit in, especially on the subway or bus. You like the carry them around and get upset if we try to take them for safekeeping. And if you need your hands free, you'll carry them in your mouth

You continue to be very busy, arranging things just so, the way you want them. Another favorite activity is taking extra pump parts and building a pump/bottle combination (100% accurately, even with the filter!) and then turning on the breast pump and pretending to pump. Suuuper cute and funny. You also think that most things are better OUT of the box they came in, like granola bars, envelopes and tea bags.

building the pump and bottle

taking a break after making sure the tea bags are all out of the box

You are also a competent climber these days, taking yourself up the climbing structures and various apparatus at the playground. You climb WAY higher than you are tall, sweet goose, you're SO strong

You also like to climb up to reach things in the house. A common sight is you running from place to place with a step stool, ready to get yourself closer to whatever action is going on

gotta get the spare keys!

gotta go through the remote control basket!

You feed yourself these days and hummus is high on your list of favorites. But you've also added some new things like guacamole, vegetable korma and popcorn. You still love broccoli and cauliflower but have cooled on the sausages and cheese. And you are obsessed with apples, calling every fruit that remotely resembles an apple APPLE and requesting them all the time. You don't really eat them all that much, but you love talking about them.

hummus and a spoon: perfection

You have also started brushing your teeth, which you LOVE. You yell "teeeeeth!" and grab your toothbrush and follow your sister around the house. All of your teeth have come in except your second molars, so we're hoping for a little teething reprieve. 

The big news of the past week is that you now LOVE going to child watch at the Y. Up until now, you would cry and cry even going in the room and now, BOOM, you're super into it. They have great toys and you settle in and barely say bye bye to me. It's so great to see you so much more interacting with the world and enjoying it. We really have so much fun!

18 months!

Dear Goose,

You have SO much personality! Lots of strong opinions and quite an independent streak. Your preferred mode of transportation is your own two feet; the stroller and carrier are met with "no!" most of the time. And you really can walk decent distances! I'll carry you across the streets, but you walk the blocks, sometimes close to a mile.

taking a quick break while walking to swipe a credit card on a lamp post

The words are flowing, sometimes daily. You say "please" and "thank you!" Which is sososososo cute. You always sign "please" when you say it, too; it's double cute. You still sleep with us and nurse through the night, and about 4:30 every morning you sit up and say please, meaning you want to switch to the other boob.  Other new words are doggie, mine, cheese, shoes, and ball. Oh, and Elmo. A fascination with Elmo is budding...

You love a song from Signing Time about families. The song is called In a House, In Home, and you request it by saying "me me me." You reeeeally like this song and request it a LOT.  You also request "row row" with frequency, and love to pull on my resistance bands while you sing row row row. Truly, though, you like all sorts of music and dance when we put almost anything on. You also like to twirl and will often and twirls to the dances.

oh, yeah, we sang "row row" a bunch this day!

You also love to climb! Holy cow, it's a bit frightening sometimes! One day to we're playing with your sister and I came back into your bedroom to find you on the top bunk! Yikes. 

so many climbing opportunities!

We have become an expert blower, blowing both your nose and bubbles with accuracy. This came in very handy as you spent a large chunk of your 17th month being pretty boogery. The god news is that all of your teeth save one (lower right canine) has erupted and we hope to be done with teething until your 2 year molars come in.

Your stats at 18 months: 32.3 inches (61%), 24lbs 14oz (75%) and totally on target with all your motor and verbal skills. You did NOT enjoy your 18 month check up, screaming the *entire* time, but you calmed down as soon as you were able to go play in the waiting room.

TRL (aka, all the requests)

Dear Goose,
Just a quick note about the cuteness overload that is you right now. You have started requesting songs! If you want us to sing The Wheels on the Bus, you will start rolling your hands expectantly. The other request we get a lot is Baa Baa Black Sheep which you request by saying "baaa baaa" and nodding knowingly. So funny.

We just got you in the bike seat last week and now you want to ride all. the. time. You bring me your helmet numerous times a day and the few times when we are actually going for a ride you start hooting as soon as you see me get our helmets. When you're on the bike, you sing. You like the little guard in front of you and you drum on it and kick your feet. Though you can't say "bike" if you hear anyone say it, ou immediately start patting your head, hoping for the helmet and a ride.

You also request chocolate by running over to the cabinet where it is (which is very high), pointing at the cupboard and signing "more." If you hear anyone say "chocolate" you run over to the cupboard and ask for some.

16 months old!

Dearest Goose,
You are now 16 months old and are the queen of NO! You do have a few other words: "that" "Dada" "Mama" "Da" (means yes) and"bye" you basically just say NO all the time. Oh, the power of no! Sometimes you say no when you mean yes, but most of the time you really just love being contrary.  You shake your head to mean no, you shout no, you repeat no no no no no no, you draw it out nooooo, you smilingly say no, it runs the gamut. You are an expert communicator!

You are just about done with 2 naps a day and are taking one longish nap around 11am these days. You're getting some teeth and are in the thick of separation anxiety, but are still basically a happy go lucky kid.

You love playing with bags and purses, bringing them everywhere you go.

You also love helmets, gravitating towards them on the playground and always wanting to wear mine and your sister's. So we finally got you your own and you are smitten. 

helmet shopping. I'll take them all, please!

You are very opinionated about what you want to wear and refuse anything deemed unacceptable. You went a full week refusing everything except onesies and pants, and it was HOT that week! But no shorts for you! Now you're on a shorts and t shirt kick and freaked out when I tried to put pants on. You also only want to wear your sandals, which may get tricky in a few weeks when the weather turns and you grow out of them. Any time I try to put on other shoes you use your NO and also scream and wriggle. I know to pick my battles and so far this isn't one to fight, so sandals it is. All. The. Time. EXCEPT when you want to wear my shoes, your sister's shoes or your sitter's shoes. Then you are very happy

You love playing in the water, both at the playground and at home. Any time I take a shower, you run into the bathroom and start tugging at your clothes, ready to take them off and get in with me. You also are very happy to take baths with your sister at every opportunity. 

You love to eat hummus, cauliflower, beans, broccoli, hot dogs, guacamole, veggie chips, oatmeal, chocolate, chicken, ketchup, peas, cheese, nut butter, blueberries and strawberries. You do NOT like squash, sweet potatoes or bananas. You want to eat eggs, but they still make you throw up.  We're hoping that clears up, you so want to eat them!

15 Months Old!

Dear Sweet Goose,
You are now 1 and a quarter! It's summertime: you have a sandal tan line, you've been swimming, you love the sprinklers, you've gotten your first rash of mosquito bites, you made it to Vermont for the annual Mommune pilgrimage, you've tried ice cream...it's been quite a summer! You also have one molar! It did not come in easily-you had nearly a whole week of very clingy fussiness, SO unlike you!

You also had your first temper tantrum this month! Wow! While it didn't last long, it was intense. I took something away from you (most likely my phone) and you were NOT having it! You started screaming, then crying, demanding to be picked up, then put down, then picked up again. You kept pushing away, then clinging close. You may have even hit me :-)  Sneak peaks into the tollder years that are coming!

You are in the midst of your first ever Bellevue/Seattle visit! You were a delight on the plane ride west: sleeping nearly two hours, happily playing with headphones and wallets, charming the folks on either side of us, discovering pretzels...fingers crossed the trip back home goes as smoothly!

14 months old!

Dear Goose,
You are 14 months old! It's the height of summer and you have been loving all the summer activities: playground sprinkles, beach days, the pool, even putting sunblock on. You also have come around to bathtime play, though you much prefer rinse-offs to an actual bath. But you will happily play with the water and a couple cups in the tub and don't mind when I soap you up.

You are starting to sign for communication! You sign "more", "all done" "eat" "thank you" and "milk"  and are working on "water." Plus you wave enthusiastically when we ask "can you say hi?" You definitely communicate with your body! Most every question is answered with a shake of your head for "no" especially those that begin with "do you want..." You hardly ever want what we're offering. Though sometimes you shake your head when you mean yes and sometimes a lack of response means yes. We understand you perfectly almost all of the time.

You had your first pool experience this month and are a big fan. You loved splashing around and even put your face in the water! Though it surprised you to have a wet face, you weren't terribly upset by it. You just eyes the water warily and kept on splashing.

You also went to the zoo for the first time as a toddler and LOVED it. All the plants and animals fascinated you. You loved feeding the ducks and turtles, and were amazed by the peacocks wandering around. And you wanted to pull the leaves off all the shrubs. (The harvesting is a common these, you gravitate towards plants and like to rip off leaves as often as possible. A friend's herb garden left you particularly aromatic and happy).

You have very strong opinions about things, but are generally agreeable to what's going on. You still love to dump out puzzle pieces and containers of multiple products and you're often so quick that I can't clean up after you until you go to sleep. 

You are also a master climber these days, navigating the playground and all stairs with deftness. You are still not super fast, though, and still listen to me enough that when you get to the top of the slide, you wait for me to get back down on the ground to hold your hand and you slide down.

Climbed the steps all by yourself and you are NOT coming down

13 months

Dear Goose,
At 13 months, we're ready to call your first word: "hi!" You have lots of other sounds and will often repeat things that sound exactly like "all done" and "more" but "hi!" is used consistently and in the right context. You are a very friendly baby and like to say hi to many many people. You also like to say goodbye to people, so when you get of the bus or subway, you wave to the rest of the travelers. You don't even mind saying bye bye to your family or your sitter, you're pretty easy to transition from one thing to another these days.

You have all four of your top teeth coming in now, but they're coming in uniquely! The first one to fully descend is the second left of center, now the center left one is about halfway descended. And the right center broke through a day or two ago and the second right of center is about to break. All in a line. So cute! And seem to be bothering you way less!

The way your teeth are coming in reminds me of the way you were born and the way you sometimes approach things: slow and steady. Your top four teeth were on the horizon for MONTHS, but broke through on their own time and descended slowly. You started walking a few steps at a time for weeks. We hear so many stories of kids who took steps, then were running the next day. Not you. You aren't in any hurry. You love to explore things, to look at all the angles of things. You spend days going over and over the toys, putting them in a bag, walking them around, taking them out and putting them somewhere else. It's not unusual for us to put on shoes in the morning that have a toy stuffed in them.

You are also starting to finally enjoy water! Hooray! You had your first shampoo yesterday and have been okay in the bath with your sister. You also have discovered the fountains at the playground and that is awesome.

And, you're very into feeding yourself. You want the utensils, you want the bowl, you want a say in what you're eating. These days you still love sausages and broccoli and oatmeal, but are getting burned out on bananas, apples and peas. You love nut butter and eat it off a spoon from the jar: all of it is good! Berries are a hit but you do not like watermelon. Cauliflower continues to get rave reviews and you've recently started liking tempeh. I gave you cheese for the first time yesterday and you were not a fan. We'll try again with different flavors!

ONE

Dear Goose,
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!

You are ONE! It's so exciting! We had a lovely birthday party for you at the playground and you loved every minute of it. And then you fell asleep for the night at 6:30, perfection for everyone.

birthday cupcake for breakfast

At one year old, you are 29.3 inches tall, putting you in the 56%. You weigh 19lbs, 3oz, putting you in the 41%. You walk and run, though still looking a bit like a drunken sailor. First thing in the morning when you get out of bed, you like to waddle/run to your sister's room. You love to play with bags of things, putting stuff in, taking stuff out. You also love purses and will often be wearing at least two to walk around the house.

 with a purse and a flyswatter, you're ready for anything

gotta try on these clothes while investigating the kitchen

You still don't have any discernible words, though "ahda" usually means "yes" and you say "hi!" at appropriate times. And Dadadada is Daddy, though also just something you say a lot. And "Lie lie" sometimes means your sister and sometimes is just something you say. And sometimes "MOOOOOE!" means "more" or simply "I want to eat!"  We've been trying to sign to you, but you don't really have it yet. Sometimes you'll clap for more, but I'm not sure if you're really signing or just happily clapping. And when you want milk, you simply come up to me and pound my chest. Who needs signs or words? You communicate completely effectively! Also of complete adorableness is you waving for hello and goodbye.You make friends on every bus and train we ride and wave as they or we exit. You also wave to the bus and train when it leaves. And to the phone. 

General One Year old antics: