esch+erin+2: 14 months old

I want to go out there! (Your first time seeing falling snow at home)

My big boy! Happy 14 months (yesterday).

You are such a little pleasure. You beam at me in the morning when I scoop you out of your crib, and you play happily all day. You get frustrated when we block off the hallway with the gate, or when you are told you're not allowed to open the battery drawer and investigate the AA and AAA stash. You say "brrr!" when we go outside into the cold, and when I say "Would you like to go for a ride in the car?" You say, "vroooom!"

You're sad when Mommy or Daddy walk out of sight, which makes us feel good :) You are starting to be able to (with help!) gently pet your dog, Georgia, and she's starting to allow you to get a little closer. You're usually way more interested in what we're eating than what's on your own tray. You prefer that we feed you... when you pick up your own food, you take about 2 bites before you get distracted and realize it's MUCH more fun to smear mushed strawberries everywhere, or to joyfully throw sliced melon into the air like sticky confetti. You still love bathtime. You're intrigued by daily household things like the printer, the washing machine and water coming out of the kitchen faucet.

Busted! Stuck in the corner, turning on the printer.

You LOVE music. You stop what you're doing, start to slowly sway, or smile and bounce, depending on the rhythm and tempo. It is the cutest thing we've ever seen!

Milestones: W is understanding A LOT of things that we say now. He is starting to be able to follow simple instructions (i.e. "Can you please give Mommy the Cheerio?" and he will hand it to me, or even better - really share, and put it in my mouth!). He seems to really be trying to communicate. He will drop something from his high chair and look at us, hold one hand up, with his palm upwards, and say, "Uh? Uh? Uh?" until we pick it up. You can really see the wheels turning in his head when you read to him, and he learns new words daily. Lately we've been working on animal sounds. He says "Ssssss" for snakes, "Weowww" for cats (ha!) and makes a very silly little high-pitched sound for a dog's bark. This month he also mastered standing up on his own. He can walk around for minutes on end without falling (but when distracted is still unsteady!), see a toy on the floor, squat to pick it up, and use those little leg muscles to stand back up. Impressive for someone who was born just a few days ago... right?!

Starting to: Show a bit of a temper! When W opens the TV stand drawers, takes out Daddy's DVDs or touches Mommy's camera, and is told "No," he either immediately bursts into crocodile tears, or throws his head back and becomes limp. What a little rascal. We knew that toddlerhood was coming, but it is a challenge!

Words: Has the same few "words" as last month. He definitely babbles and talks to himself more. He'll walk around the living room jabbering away. I'd love to know what he thinks he's saying!

Favorite Foods: I spoke too soon last month, as lately he is not as "into" lima beans. He is a fruit FIEND, and would survive only on fruit and yogurt if we let him. He loves berries of all kinds (as it happens, that is also a word that he knows... he loved our Christmas berry garlands and still looks for them every day).

Favorite Toys: We rearranged a bit in our living room and made the little recessed area his toy nook.

Since Christmas, he has some new favorites! His kitchen, of course, is incredible and he comes back to it over and over again. He could open and close the doors for hours. He is tickled by his new toy remote, and toy cell phone, which shows a cute little picture of "who" is calling - it's either a dog, cat, or mouse. It cracks him up when we pretend to answer, chat for a minute with Mr. Mouse or his counterparts, and tell W that it's for him. We also cannot LIVE without our new best friend, "Buddy" (the huge stuffed dog). He begs for us to take him out, and whenever he spots him, flops down, laying on top of him, to give him a "hug." I am not exaggerating at all when I say that Buddy probably gets 10-15 cuddles a day. He is a huge hit! W also still absolutely loves books. He will sit by himself and page through certain ones, and is completely rapt every night at bedtime when Daddy reads to him. His favorite book is Eric Carle's Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and sometimes we read it 5 times in a row. He is starting to be able to point out the animals as we name them.

Lovin' Buddy.

Hello? Mr. Cat?

Hmm. While I like my toy version, Mommy and Daddy's real phones are the BEST!

Very busy making something... plastic.

Dislikes: We battle every day at breakfast. I like to give him baby cereal made with whole milk, with applesauce mixed in. It has lots of vitamins packed in, and he's a pretty light eater, so I worry about his intake. I think he's sick of it, but it's good for him, so sadly, he'll have to deal :)