Can it be true? My baby is one and entering toddlerhood. I’ve been intentionally taking the time to enjoy him more lately, particularly in cuddling him since it won’t be long before he just doesn’t fit in my lap and arms anymore. He has grown from a precious and beautiful newborn to a sweet, funny, cuddly, highly active near-toddler. We love him dearly and he has added a wonderful dynamic to our family. This year-ending month has brought new physical abilities, good health (yay!), and lots of giggles!
As noted, Elijah has been SO healthy this month! I’ve never been so happy to NOT have sickness in the house, though admittedly, he has seemed a little “off” here lately. Hopefully it is just a tooth.
Physically, Elijah is literally moving along! He can stand unassisted for as long as he wants and has great balance. He also walks really well with assistance, but he hasn’t put the two skills together yet. He loves to push things along while walking, whether it is a toy that is meant for that purpose, or a chair, laundry basket, box…anything. I had been meaning to teach him to walk behind a push toy because I could tell he was ready, but just never did it. Then Jacob watched the boys while I worked one Saturday and before I left I jokingly gave him that for homework, but when I came home, Elijah was walking behind his tractor!
Random playtime:
Just to clarify, that is an all-out laugh on Elijah’s face, not a cry! Also, he enjoyed some playtime in the toy cabinet. Notice the measuring spoons hanging there? I can’t keep Elijah out of one of my kitchen drawers (actually, I don’t try because I like that it keeps him entertained while I cook) and once he pulls these out, Josiah likes to play with them. He found that they hang nicely on the magnets that secure the cabinet doors here :)
Elijah has also turned into quite a climber, much to my dismay. One of his favorite places to climb is up on top of the books in Josiah’s room. Josiah has a horse bed and we have books lined up between the front legs of the two horses at the head of the bed He likes to climb up on them and stand up holding on to the headboard. He’s tried a few times to get over the headboard onto the bed. It is particularly bothersome when I’m trying to read Josiah’s pre nap stories and Elijah is over our heads pulling our hair and smacking our heads in play. For this reason I have dug out the playpen. Now he gets quiet playtime while Josiah gets some one-on-one Mommy time with stories. (Why, you may ask, don’t I just read to both of them? I’ll just summarize by saying that that does not go well!)
I bought a carton of heartworm prevention, took all the medicine out to condense it, and put the shipping box with all the individual boxes by the door to trash them next time I went out. Well, Elijah got into that and found all the reminder stickers. Josiah then got involved and all of us (but him) got decorated. Elijah didn’t mind one bit!
Speech-wise, we are about in the same boat as we were last month. He can say words, but mostly only in a mimicking way when provoked. Not because he is intending to speak to us on his own. He can also sign, but it has to be encouraged. The problem here is that I find that I’m always in such a hurry that I just give him what I know he wants/needs and only think to make him ask for it after the fact. His fussy grunt method works well for him instead. He does, however, very effectively communicate when he sees a cat, but it is not a specific word that I could even repeat. Elijah also still emphatically “talks” endlessly while waving, pointing, and shaking his fists. Sometimes he is serious, sometimes amused.
On the dietary front, he is still nursing. I haven’t really been in a hurry to wean him, though pumping has been a particularly difficult chore lately, so you think I’d be all over it. He has become a bit picky with food this month, so I decided to go ahead and just try him with cows milk on a whim the other day. He loved holding the sippy cup with something new in it, but he only drank two sips. I guess we’ll be working on that. As mentioned, he went from eating great after being sick to now being strictly carnivorous. He’ll still eat veggies as babyfood, but he only eats Chex, Cheerios, and meat for finger foods. There was a time that he refused all but peas and green beans, but those days are gone…hopefully temporarily. He does still like a few fruits, too. He’s a bit like me in that he is suspicious of all new foods. He was used to eating red grapes and I gave him green ones the other day. He refused them until I forcefully rubbed one on his lips before he proceeded to devour them. Oh well. One thing I’ve learned about parenting is that most things are just a phase. Next month he may be a vegetarian!
So, our little boy is growing and changing as fast as time is flying. I feel like I can’t even keep up emotionally (does that make sense?) and I’m just trying to enjoy as much as I can. I think this is more of a reality to me the second time around because now I look at Josiah who is so big and is finding independence (which is wonderfully bittersweet) and I know that he’ll really only be my baby just a wee bit longer before he is off and running. He truly is a delightful little guy, though, and I think he will make a wonderful little boy who I look forward to playing with!
Well, updates will only come quarterly now :)
2 comments:
They are growing up so fast! Such a cutie :)
A red headed Josiah! I can't believe how big he is! So adorable
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