16 months old!

I can hardly believe that Nathan is already 16 months old.  It seems like just yesterday he was 16 weeks old.

(yes, he is making a horrid "sign" in this picture, but I promise it's totally unintentional!)
 Nathan is doing really really well and is quite a spirited little one!  He thrives on consistency and encouragement and is eager to try just about any new activity, but still prefers his favorites. One of his latest favorites is YaYa, and of course PaPa.  It's so cute because after my parents were here last weekend, he's been asking for them during the week.  Thanks to Chad's kidney stone, Nathan got his wish and YaYa came back to see him!  He was thrilled and called for her from everywhere.  Too sweet. 

Nathan and YaYa

Nathan giving PaPa lots of hugs.

So, what's this little turkey up to?  Lots of motion, lots of teeth, lots of words, and lots of loudness.  He loves to hear his voice and loves to be noisy.  It's really fun though and he's learning (slowly albeit) when to use an inside voice.  He's saying between 50-75 words which is absolutely insane at his age, but he loves to talk!  He says most any word you say, and just yesterday told Sadie to "husssshhhh" after I'd said it to her so she wouldn't wake up Chad.  He is learning more and more signs as well, but at this point, his spoken language far surpasses his sign language.  Some of our favorite words to hear him say are granola, Bailey, ball (bawbawbaw), and please.  Tractor, truck, and bath are pretty cute too!  I can't believe how his language has just exploded!  He learns a few new words every day and honestly it blows my mind.  So much fun to see their brains grow and develop!

Look at all of those teeth!

Nathan is still very attached to his paci for sleeping or when he's really tired and in the car.  The other day, we left MOPS and he had a near breakdown in the car because I'd forgotten his paci and it was nap time.  Thankfully we were headed to lunch with Izzy and Bethany (as well as Kristin and Zachary) and Izzy happily shared one of hers with Nathan for the remainder of the afternoon...

He's not the only boy we know who likes a pink paci! :)

This month, we've tried something new... cloth diapers.  We only have 2 right now and both are BumGenius, but so far, I like them.  I've ordered 4 more and once Chad gives the thumbs up, I think we may move to cloth.  They're so easy and I never knew they would be.  I am a LOVER of most all things convenient and thought I'd never use these, but they are so affordable and much cheaper than disposable, plus they're healthier for Nathan, and the environment.  We'll hang on to disposables for road trips and when we need them, bit I think I might be a convert!  If your skeptical, talk to me, again, I NEVER thought I'd even try them... and I actually love them!  Aren't they cute?  And yes son, that diaper does make your little butt look a bit bigger.





Nathan has really started to enjoy songs with finger play and can do all the motions to the "itsy bitsy spider" and it's so cute!  I'll try to get some video of him doing that in the next few days.  He also sang "how i under" while listening to twinkle twinkle in the car.  My mom and I both heard it and were shocked!  So sweet to hear him start to sing.  He loves "wheels on the bus" and all the different motions.  We're working on "head shoulders knees and toes" but it's a little fast paced so we slow it way down.

As far as eating goes, this kiddo goes through spurts of insane amounts of food followed by a few days where he doesn't eat much at all.  When he is hungry oh my goodness this kiddo can eat.  I wonder how we will afford to feed him as a teenager.  He was 25 pounds last week at the doctor and seems to be going through a growth spurt as well.  He loves fruit, avocado, carrots, chicken, turkey, peanut butter on crackers, yogurt, and granola.  Not a day goes by where he doesn't enjoy a few pretzels as well.  He's not a juice fan at all anymore, unless he's really thirsty and that's the only option... and it comes out of a juice box.  He prefers milk and water and drinks at least 16 ounces of both each day.  Crazy huh?  

Nathan is certainly a toddler and is doing toddler things such as testing limits.  He's learned how to push a few buttons too and is really good at seeing how much he can get away with.  I'm learning how to be extremely consistent, vigilant, and calm.  He's so perceptive and is quick to size people up.  He knows that touching his humidifier is a huge NO NO and low and behold if he didn't pull the wool over Lucy's eyes and "show her how it worked".  Silly kiddo.  :)  It's fun though to see him learning how the world works.  He's also become VERY loving lately and never goes a whole meal without giving many many hugs.  He also loves to bring activities to you and sit in your lap to play with them.  He loves to read his books with people and is so cute dragging the big ones around.

His favorite toys these days are books, balls, musical instruments, shape sorters, puzzles, anything he can climb, the lacing beads, buckets, his shopping cart which he fills and pushes around the house, and our pasta strainers.  He likes to put them on like hats.  So funny.  His favorite thing at a park is by far the slide.  He also loves to pretend to drive and anything that's shaped like a circle is a steering wheel.  He'll carry small circles around for an hour or more and every now and then put both hands on it and growl as he "turns the wheel".  I love it!

Our little man is growing up quickly.  I'm trying to savor every moment as a parent!