16.5 Month Update

Aiston, we can't believe how fast you are growing! You can do so many things. Here are some of the highlights...
 

WORDS

up, down, go, stop, water, Buaya, Mommy, Daddy, ball, night night, please, thank you, baby, cheers, bath, hi, bye, kitty, dog, choo choo, Lola, Lolo, Tito, keys, door, love you, moon, no, eyes, nose, big boat

BOOKS

The Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na

I Love You Stinky Face by Lisa McCourt

Poems for the Very Young by Eloise Wilkin (you prefer it to be sung)

SONGS 

Little Red Caboose and Stop and Go by Lisa Loeb and Elizabeth Mitchell from Catch the Moon

You are very musical. You like just about anything with a beat! 

COMFORT ITEMS

Pounds, Trumpet, Big Red and Ellie, your stuffed elephants which you can imitate. You love to chew on their trunks and eyeballs. You will often suck your thumb as you hold one of your elephants close to you.

FOOD

Anything but cucumbers, zucchini, peppers and onions

  

ACTIONS

Shaking a finger like the doctor in the Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed book

Exclaiming "But mama, but mama" while reading I Love You Stinky Face

Dancing (head bopping, knees bouncing, body swaying, arms pumping)

“Coloring” 

Brushing teeth, combing hair

Retrieving objects when asked, finding hidden objects

Pushing objects

Plugging in electronics and understanding how to turn things off/on

Walking up and down the stairs while holding hands

Voluntarily choosing books and sitting alternately in our laps for storytime

Nodding

Clinking glasses while saying “cheers”

Playing music by touching buttons and simulating instruments like the drums and violin

Pointing to eyes, ears, mouth, nose, hair and feet

“Counting” to 1 on fingers and then clapping

Knowing where socks go

Putting items away (just starting to understand this one)

Throwing a ball (and other objects unfortunately)

Sliding down a short slide

Putting keys into locks

Pretending to drive, cook food and eat it, and drink imaginary concoctions

Wiping face with a washcloth, washing hands (with a little help from a soap squirter)

“Talking” on the telephone or via Skype (and getting excited while waiting)

“Typing” on the computer keyboard

Petting the cats gently and getting a kick out of their responses, meowing, panting like a dog

Eating by yourself with a fork and spoon (or at least attempting to)

Blowing kisses

Attempting to use the water dispenser (and proceeding to make a big mess with the water afterwards)
    

THINGS WE ADORE ABOUT YOU

Your gorgeously big, round, sparkly eyes; your dimpled smile and your beautiful skin

Your huge buko belly

Your laugh – it’s like music to our ears

Your excited inhalations and anticipation when being chased around a room

Your incessant babbles (stringing of words and sounds which make no sense to us but clearly to you)

Your clumsy walk and the way you run into things

That you are a risk-taker

Your random kisses or cuddles (rare but oh so special when they happen)

Your friendly nature

Your squishable, kissable cheeks

Your huge toothy smile when we wake you up in the mornings

Your love of horseplay – being lifted, tossed, tumbled, spun, twisted, dropped, jack-hammered, chased after and wrestled with

How active you are and how you love being outside for walks, playtime at the park and swims in the pool

Your curiosity (even though it can be exhausting)

How well you sleep! You are still taking two 1.5-2 hours naps each day and sleeping from 7pm-6am everyday!

MOMENTS WE DON'T WANT TO FORGET

The way you look up at me every so often when I’m holding you after a big cry or while trying to settle down for sleep, just to make sure I’m still there (Mom)

The way you need me when you’re sick (even though you’re usually a big cranky mess – Mom)

The way your face lights up in the afternoons when we come home from work and you run to greet us

The way you hold onto me like a koala when you’re just not ready to be on your own (Dad)

How you “fall” onto floor pillows and pretend to sleep by sticking your thumb in your mouth and saying “night night”

The way you hear music. As soon as a beat starts or music plays, you move your body in time. And you love to dance with me! (Mom)

Your quirks – how you spit out your food at mealtimes when you decide you don’t want to eat it, how you’ve started throwing tantrums that make us laugh even though they are not funny to you at all (and sometimes not to us either), your constant pointing and explaining

The way you are starting to copy things we do (drumming, covering eyes, squishing mosquitoes by clapping yours hands together and then looking at your palms to see if you got any)

The way you giggle when we guess what you want to see or do

Your backing up into your chair with a book in your hands while preparing for bedtime

How you grab Ate's broom and "sweep" the floor

The way you enjoy your own reflection in the mirror

We love you!

Mommy & Daddy