Very creative post title, huh? Man alive, I have been slacking with the blog! I finally have somewhat surfaced from a wedding attending, working, moving, unpacking, and fixer-upping fog, so I thought it was high time for a proper update. I am taking a deposition next week in New York, and once that is over, I will have even more time for updates. Maybe even get some trick or treating pictures posted!
So...I last updated on Henry six weeks ago. Since that time, he has really taken off developmentally, as toddlers are wont to do.
Cognitive Development
After we moved to Maryland, Henry switched pediatricians. I am in LOVE with our new practice. I took Henry for his fifteen month visit a couple of weeks ago and the doctor talked with me for at least twenty minutes. Twenty minutes!! That was unheard of at our old practice, even with the doctor I loved. This doctor told me Henry should have around 3-5 words he says independently at this age. In other words, he can't just repeat you.
Henry, I am relieved to say, meets the "minimum." He says, without prompting, more (his favorite word, which he always says while doing the accompanying sign), dog (his second favorite word), nose, down, up, brush, bib, and door. He will say mama and dada, but it's actually pretty infrequent. I guess he figures he has our undivided attention and he doesn't need to call for us! Every so often he says "bye" and does his own version of waving, which is more of a twisting of his hand.
Henry repeats more than he says on his own. Just tonight he said what I think is his first two syllable word! After I was telling him about the cookie monster on his diaper, he said "cookie" clear as day! It was so cute and I was so proud. I doubt he will be saying that one on his own anytime soon, but I was happy he at least repeated it!
And Henry's receptive language skills are improving, too. He understands so much. He will follow simple directions like pointing to body parts and going to get a particular toy I have mentioned. He will get a book from his shelf if you ask, throw a paper in the recycling bin, and find his shoes when asked (if they're in the same room).
Henry can now identify several body parts: head, hair, mouth, ear, nose, belly, belly button, feet, and toes. When you ask him to show you his nose he always has to touch your nose, too. Same with the belly button: he absolutely loves that one!
Henry is able to tell you what a sheep says--baa! He doesn't say any other animal sounds yet, but we're working on them!
Another important milestone: Henry said goodbye to the pacifier officially in late October! I had been dreading the day when we would have to take the pacifier away because we had become dependent on it for naps and bedtime. My plan was to try around 18 months. But when Henry was getting his molars, he bit through not one but two pacifiers! He was attached to, and would only use, the wubbanub pacifier. We ordered another one, but during the days waiting for it Henry had to make do without it. He was going to sleep and staying asleep ok, so when the new one came, I decided we would not give it to Henry. He never looked back! It was a relief that the transition went so well. I saved one of his chewed-up wubbanubs for his "special things" box.
Physical Development
Once Henry began walking I feel like this area kind of plateaued. I mean, there's not much left to do, other than walk faster and then run. Both of which Henry now does. He is fairly clumsy when he runs because his brain must work faster than his legs. He took his first real tumble at the park the other day and scraped his nose. So sad! But it was the first of many I'm sure.
Henry is able to walk down stairs now as long as there is a hand or a railing to guide him. Luckily he doesn't try this on his own (knock on wood) because we haven't gotten the baby gates installed yet! That is on next weekend's agenda.
Henry loves to dance, which is so cute. He dances to his toys that play music and to songs if you put on the radio. The cutest part is he enjoys when you dance with him and is known to grab your hand in an effort to get you on your feet and grooving! Henry seems very musically inclined, which would be nice and is definitely something he did not inherit from his mother.
Henry's stats at sixteen months: 24 pounds, 9 oz. (40%) and 32.5 inches tall! (85%). He's getting a long, lean build (with a big tummy, of course!). I am guessing he will level off in height, but who knows--maybe he got some tall genes from a distant relative!
Sleeping and Eating
This is the area where we are struggling the most. Henry is now in his own room at our new house. He naps pretty well; still twice a day for about 1.5 hours in the morning and an hour or so in the afternoon. But he is fighting sleep at night. He always cries when we put him down now--how hard and how long varies by night. I hate it for him, and for us. We're not sure why Henry is crying at night but think it may be a residual effect from a bad bout of teething he had about a month ago. But he is sleeping through the night, which is something. It would be awful to revert to waking in the night!
Henry also is becoming more and more picky about what he eats. I didn't think that happened until much later! He eats consistently well in the morning and will eat pretty much whatever we offer. But lunch and dinner are dicey. He pretty much always will eat cheese, cereal bars, peas, and fruit (and Chickfila of course--those grilled nuggets must be made of crack). Other than that, it's hit or miss. He generally likes avocado, pizza, ground turkey, organic fish sticks and chicken nuggets, and peanut butter bread. What I am finding the hardest is getting Henry to eat what we eat for dinner. Most of the time he won't touch it, so I end up giving him one of his stand-bys. I hate that, because I don't want to get into a pattern of fixing a separate meal for Henry. I am hoping that if we keep offering him what we are eating, he will start to eat more of it. Fingers crossed!
NEXT UP: A picture post!! Stay tuned.
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