Latest milestones:
Yesterday, we removed the stairs gate. It’s official- he’s on his own. Seeing him spin around and back up to go down the stairs is the cutest thing. It’s a newly acquired skill and he’s very proud of it, grinning proudly and grunting to get my attention every time he does it. Determined to master it, he practiced all day, spinning around going down two steps and then climbing back up then repeating.
Pointing. I love how this milestone opens up our pathways of communication. Now I know what he’s looking at, what he’s interested in. He points at pictures in books, at faces in pictures, at dogs out the window.
Hard to see, but he has six teeth now. Four on top.
Books. He’s loving book right now, especially his Touch and Feel Farm book. He flips back and forth through the pages feeling each animal. He’ll often crawl over to the bookcase and pull a bunch of his board books off the shelf and look at them throughout the day.
Cruising. He’s getting more and more daring with his walking. He can walk with us holding one finger. He’ll push chairs across the floor walking behind them. We really need to get him a walking toy. He’d love it.
Kicking. So it’s the funniest thing, and I’ve never noticed another baby doing it, but Anders is very interested in kicking. His coordination with his right leg and foot have developed quite a bit in the last few weeks, and he no longer needs to use his hand to pull up his pants to swing his leg. He likes to kick balls. He loves it when we play footsie- with him sitting on the floor and I on a chair. He’ll lift his little foot and I’ll nuzzle it with my toys. He thinks its hilarious. He also tries to step up on things- while sitting down.
Climbing. I had the ladder out (painting our picture window’s trim) and he tried to climb up. He likes to climb up on the first step of Scotland’s step stool. He loves the stairs, and Scotland has taught him how to slide down. (Thank goodness Scotland hasn’t learned how to slide down head first yet!)
Grunting. Anders will let you know if he’s displeased. Loudly. He often turns heads.
Eating. He continues to have a ginormous appetite. Though he is a bit picky and throws the most dramatic fits when I give him something he doesn’t like- sweet potatoes, carrots, bananas. He throws his head back, arches his back and yells out with his face tight in a pout.
It’s amazing how fun old beans can be!
Laughing. I had him repeatedly belly laughing the other day when we were playing blocks. I’d build a tower and he’d knock it down- and laugh and laugh when I’d squeal and say “Ah! Don’t knock down my tower!”
Balls. He loves them. He gets them out everyday. He loves to throw them, and try to kick them. He’s actually really fun to play pass with because, though his form looks ineffective he successfully throw it to you every time. He’s also taken to chucking his passy, especially at church. He must pick up on the fact that I keep giving him his passy not to soothe and comfort him, as I do at home, but to keep him quiet. And he’s not into quiet.
Obedient. He can be mischievous- intentionally- looking at me with sparkly eyes and taking off after I see him, but if I lay my foot down on something he obeys. We had two days of “training” with the pellet stoves, and we’ve never had a problem since. We two episodes with the toilet paper, and again no repeats. For this, I am VERY grateful. Let’s hope he keeps it up.
Smiles. Still full of them. Still constant. Still melt my heart.