17 Months (and 4 days)

Appearance:

• You seem to be thinning out and getting taller.  We'll visit Dr. G soon.
• Your hair is filling in and is looking curly, especially when we were in NOLA.
• A big round belly that you love to pat and show.  And that belly button is definitely an outie.
• You probably weigh 25ish pounds still. 

Motor:

• You've been working on stairs a lot.  You prefer to do it without help.  You'll crawl up most of the time but take steps heading down while holding on to the rail.  Although Freddie has taught you to slide down on your belly, head first, on GG's carpeted stairs.
• You're a pro at drinking out of a regular cup.  
• Running is a preferred mode of transport, although you often trip over your feet.
• You are getting your sweaters and shirts off, and like to try to get them on by yourself as well but you haven't had too much success yet. 

Sleep:

• 11-12 hours at night, usually 7-6.45ish
• 2-3 hour naps
• Still in your crib, but only for a another month or so
• You go down easily, and rarely put up a fight.
• You call "Maaaaama" when you wake up.

Personality:

• Lots more smiling lately, although folks from our flights might disagree.  You are generally more smiley with strangers than you have been.
• Still stubborn.  I have given up on trying to redirect/distract you when you have your mind set on something you cannot have.  It's a firm no, and I walk away.  And you follow me, crying.  I always outlast you.
• Cuddley with Mama, Dada, and especially with Freddie 

Vocabulary:

• I have been able to note a few words this month, but your vocabulary grows daily.
• Walk...you grab my hand and say "walk" when you want to take me to see something
• Shoes
• Go...said to get out of seat or pointing to the door ready to get going
• Flush
• Elf
• Wipe
• Boogie, as in needing a tissue for boogies
• Tissue
• Guy...all of the little figures you play with
• Fish
• Goldfish
• Help
• All Done
• Airplane
• You've been saying eye and nose but now you'll point to my eye and say "eye" and then the other and say "other eye"
• Football
• Tree
• Backpack
• Towel
• Where are you..."Daaaadaaaaa, where are you?"
• Bite, you've been saying this a while but now he says it to let me know he is hungry
• Animal
• There....You work very hard to get something situated and then he says "There!"
• No is a popular word to let me know when there isn't any...no puppy, no water, no treat, no Dada

Likes:

• Reading books.  You spend time alone flipping through books and babbling the story to yourself.  You also love being read to, and now will talk about the pictures without my even asking you.  
• You really, really love trains.  We will have to expand the train set we have.
• Your pretend play is really taking off.  You will feed your animals and dolls, eat pretend meals from the play kitchen, make lots of train and car noises, make "super hero" sound effects as you blast through the house.  It is so fun to watch,
• Bike!  You ask to ride your tricycle whenever we go outside.  You can just about reach the pedals.
• You get very excited any time you see water.  This includes when the lid to the toilet is lifted.  I've heard you splashing in there more than once this month.
• You also get very excited when you lay eyes on dogs, and you may have gotten more comfortable with dogs approaching you.  
• Eating.  You are a chowhound my dear. 
• You are singing more often, and especially love doing the motions for the Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Dislikes:

• Diaper changes
• Nose wipes
• Sharing.  Sigh.  I suppose you'll get better, and imagine you are especially bad with this because you are influenced by a big brother snatching things.

You're not afraid of goats!

Potty training:

• I'm holding off until the new year, but you are ready!
• If your diaper is off and you have to pee you get really fussy and then look down before you peeing.  
• You have told me "poopoo" a handful of times before you poop.