Happy 16 Months Luke!

Watching you grow each month is a true blessing. It is amazing how much you grow and change in just a month's time. From the way you walk, you'd hardly believe that you only started walking last month. You get around with ease, and quickly follow after Ella and Troy or chase after Reeses. You've also had an explosion of words this month. In just a few days time, you had several new words. You get better at communicating each day. You like to yell "my" at us - we think that means something along the lines of "mine."

You are very funny when you don't like something. One of the funniest times was when we were opening our Christmas presents. You didn't know what was going on, and you did not want Dad to help you with unwrapping your present. You had a complete meltdown until you figured out what was going on.

You continue to love books. You love to look at them on your own, or for someone to read them to you. One day you asked me at least twenty times to keep reading the same book over and over to you.

 

You are so proud of yourself when you do new things. I wish I could capture that essence in a photo. For instance, you had been carrying that little green seat around, and then finally sat it down and climbed into it. When you got into it, you were so proud! 

We have said for a while now that you are a "busy" baby. You are always up to something or playing with something. One of your favorite things to do over the holidays was to buckle your seat over and over again. You couldn't unbuckle though, and would "yell" at someone until they would unbuckle it for you to do it again. You also loved playing with the hammer and nails set. You actually did really well using the hammer (I was surprised at how well you could coordinate to use it). 

You really did well over the holidays. It is never an easy time for you or your siblings with all the travel, crazy sleeping arrangements and schedules, extra excitement about Christmas, plus grandparents and cousins around. You had lots of fun opening presents, and playing with new toys as well.

Signs you do: more (though you are "lazy" most of the time and do a modified clap instead of the official sign), finished, thank you (one time!)

Words you say: Mama, Dada, Eh-wa! (Ella), "anks" (thanks), "eeses" (Reeses), "eye" (hi), "inished" (finished), "ba" (banana), Rhu-Rhu (your grandma), Pop-pa (your grandpa), "pees" (please), "mah!" (more), uh-oh, yay, my (you yell this a lot, and we think you are trying to say "mine")

Favorite foods: Yogurt, chicken (especially chicken nuggets/strips), grilled cheese, baby pouch foods

Favorite activities/toys: Books, balls, little figurines (like Mickey Mouse), cars. You love to "put things in things" as well as throwing. You also love to play chase with the other kids, and you've added a new level of "fun" since you started walking. You like to chase after Reeses as well, but she's not to sure about that. : ) You love to push things around too (boxes, your push toy - especially if Ella is riding on it, etc.).

Luke @ 15 months
Troy @ 16 months
I didn’t start writing these monthly posts for Ella until she was 17 months old

Happy 16 Months Troy!

Happy 16 Months Troy!

Ah, every month bring lots of changes, but this month you seem so much more grown-up! You are finally walking! You started taking steps early on in the month, but didn’t really take many steps in a row until about halfway through the month. You got fairly sick in the middle of the month, and after being sick didn’t seem interested in walking again for a little while, but once you were feeling better started taking steps again.

You love playing with Ella, and y’all generally do enjoy each others’ company. I love listening to you playing and laughing at each other!

You are stubborn. Really stubborn. You consistently get into things you know you aren’t supposed to get into (like the dogs’ water bowl or their food dishes). You demonstrate that you know you aren’t supposed to do things because oftentimes when I see you getting in the dogs’ water, for example, you’ll start crawling away really fast! You also keep on doing whatever it is you are doing after we tell you no (several times) like throw your food or touch my computer. This is new territory for us . . . when Ella was your age we usually only had to tell her a few times not to do something and she steered clear of the activity.

You also finally quit taking a bottle this month! We had intended on weaning you earlier on, but after a couple of bouts of sickness and travel, the timing just never worked out. We (along with our wallet) are glad that you are finally weaned! You have also been eating a ton lately, I feel like I can’t feed you enough! There have been days in the past couple of weeks where pretty much anytime you are awake you are crawling/walking around saying “bite! bite! bite!” (in a Chinese accent no less).

 

You continue to love being the center of attention. You’ve started clapping at yourself if we tell you that you’ve done a good job. You are such a cheese ball! You are also a huge chatterbox. You constantly talk even though we don’t know what you are always saying (most of the time we don’t know, ha!). The pediatrician kept commenting on how much you were talking when we were at your 15 month well check.

You love, love, love throwing balls. You are really good (especially considering your age) at throwing a football (or other things). You can get good distance and are pretty accurate too. You got a basketball goal for Christmas, and you’ve been having a lot of fun playing with it, and shooting baskets. Just recently you have been able to pick up the basketball, walk to the goal, shoot, and (sometimes) make a basket.

Signs you do: more, finished, milk, hungry, thank you, please (although only once, maybe twice), thirsty, sleepy (although thirsty, sleepy, and please all look a lot alike when you do them . . .)

Words you say: bye, ball, Bible, bottle, bite, book, blue, mama, dada, Ella, “eeses” (Reeses, our dog), “ah-ee” (Ali, our other dog), Lucy (grandparent’s dog),  “anks” (thanks), “ank oo” (thank you), “ish” (fish), “inished” (finished), duck, “ootball” (football), RhuRhu (grandma), Gigi (grandma), hey, hi, down, up, uh-uh, “eese” (please"), play. I also think you say something that sounds like “what’s that?”

Animal noises you make: chicken

Favorite foods: banana, and then I don’t know what else. You eat a ton of different stuff, but half the time something you gobbled up the day before, you won’t touch the next day. It can make it very tough figuring out what to feed you!

Favorite activities: crawling/walking and exploring everything, especially following Ella or chasing a dog; dancing (you love to turn on the music that plays on toys and dance to it); reading books; watching Blue’s Clues; taking baths; playing with balls (you love to throw any kind of ball); trying get any electronics or drinks you can spot.

Troy at 15 months