We officially have a TODDLER!

August 7, 2012

We officially have a TODDLER!

I wrote this post months ago, but never finished or posted it…I’m pressing publish without making any edits so I don’t stall anymore.

I honestly can’t believe that a year has flown by already, and am having a hard time processing my emotions…especially when I think that we were still in the NICU at this time a year ago.  I wish I was one of those people who got more eloquent when filled with emotion (a poet I will never be)…instead, I become almost mute, with all of my emotions bouncing around inside of me, not able to put my feelings to words.  It’s annoying.  I love writing, and would love to be able to express myself (maybe even write a book some day), but I’m so much of a perfectionist that I become crippled with the need to formulate my thoughts perfectly.

Anyways…let’s talk about my little man!  And since there’s less pressure in bullet form, here’s what A’s up to at a year:

• He finally starting signing “more” around 11 months.  Since we started it at meal-times, it has come to mean both “give me more food” and “I’m hungry”, so I’m now focusing on the sign “eat” when we start eating, and using the sign “more” as part of play-time.  Other signs that we’re working on are “all done”, “milk” and “water”.  In fact, signing “more” led to his first time standing on his own (since he needed both hands to make the sign)!
• We started weaning at 11 1/2 months and it has happened pretty organically.  We started with milk at his afternoon snack and he sucked it down in his sippy cup like he had been drinking milk his whole life!  The mid-morning feeding was the next to go, followed by lunch.  He’s still not drinking much milk during the day (always does the best in the afternoon), so consequently our morning and evening nursing sessions have gotten a bit longer.  I’m having a hard time figuring out which one to drop next…he seems to want both for the time being…but we need to be completely weaned by the end of June.  S and I are leaving him with my parents for five days and taking a trip to California!
• He has already started getting very stubborn and FRESH.  I noticed it around 11 months, it was like he flipped a switch and all of a sudden was a little boy with an opinion of his own!  The poor kid comes from two stubborn and feisty people so he never really stood a chance, but I’m trying to start being consistent with discipline before it turns into a real problem.  He’s already throwing food on the floor (holds it out until I look at him and say no and THEN throws it on the floor), pretending to kiss my shoulder and then biting me instead, throwing a complete temper tantrum during diaper changes (complete with a leg out to the side to kick me in the stomach)…I’m sure that we’re in for a wild ride. 😉
• But he is equally one of the sweetest and happiest little boys you’ll ever meet.  He loves to cuddle, always has a smile on his face, loves people and will hold his arms out to just about anybody.  His Grammy (my mother) is one of his absolute favorite people, and he also loves his Uncle D (went to him at his birthday party and wouldn’t even come back to me)!  D is 6ft+ and he must have a better vantage point from up there. 😉
• He doesn’t mind sand, but HATES grass.  Whenever we put him down on the grass to try and take a picture or whatnot, he literally picks up every one of his limbs off the ground and whines until we pick him up.  I’m trying to make sure that he’s not OCD like his mother, so that’s what we’re going to be working on throughout the summer.  Even if I put him on a blanket surrounded by his favorite toys, he’ll play with the grass but WILL NOT crawl on it.  It may as well be an alligator infested moat, lol!

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