15 Months Old
Dear Bloggie, I am sorry you are neglected. Blame Facebook. Love, Monica
Can't believe our little Stinkey Pete is 15 months old, time flies!! I have no idea what he weighs, but when I carry him very much I would bet on 100 pounds. Ok, maybe not, I'm just wimpy. He's solid though and getting taller for sure. I can tell by his clothes!
He wears size 2 or 2T shirts b/c if they are smaller and washed many times his belly shows! He wears size 12 shorts still, but finally the 18 months aren't falling off either. His little legs are so short, bless his heart I think he's just stuck with that problem like his Momma. He wears size 4 diapers still, size 5 night time diapers because he is SO wet in the morning.
Speaking of night. He's still sleeping around 11 hours, we are so thankful. You never know how much you missed sleep until you start getting it again. Every few weeks we'll have a night where something goes wrong and he wakes up for one reason or another, but we are blessed with a great sleeper now. We still do hold him until he falls asleep at night usually. He takes one nap that is usually 1 and 1/2 hours - 2 hours typically. He has 2 or 3 stuffed animals, a few books and a soft toy that stays in his crib. When he wakes up he will play for a good 15-30 minutes in the morning. That gives me time to hear him playing on the monitor and get myself together before getting him.
(Junk food, the only category of food he loves other than fruit. Takes after his Momma ;) He has just discovered cheese puffs in the past week or two, needless to say they are a hit. He was sitting in the high chair, in the living room watching Sesame Street while I did something?)
Cole says: "HEY" (in all caps, his favorite word) "mama" "dada" "ooof oof" (for all dogs, he LOVES dogs) "oooo" (means moo for cows) "ba" (ball) "ca" (car) "bu" (bubble) "zzzz" (for bees that are in two of his farm books) "bab" (baby) "cacka" (cracker) Then everything else in the world starts with "b" it's his favorite sound obviously and along with a bunch of rambling and chatting, there's a ton of "b" things he mumbles about. He chats the most in the car, but he's generally chatty.
Cole says: "HEY" (in all caps, his favorite word) "mama" "dada" "ooof oof" (for all dogs, he LOVES dogs) "oooo" (means moo for cows) "ba" (ball) "ca" (car) "bu" (bubble) "zzzz" (for bees that are in two of his farm books) "bab" (baby) "cacka" (cracker) Then everything else in the world starts with "b" it's his favorite sound obviously and along with a bunch of rambling and chatting, there's a ton of "b" things he mumbles about. He chats the most in the car, but he's generally chatty.He knows and can correctly use the sign for "more" when he's eating.
(One of the things that makes him seem so grown to me. Watching his Daddy cut the grass. He watches the entire time. When Daddy disappears from the front, he knows to go to the kitchen windows to see him cut the back. THEN he knows he gets to ride!!)
His favorite things are first and foremost OUTSIDE. He'd live outside full time if we'd let him. He screams when he thinks he's going out and doesn't. He walks to all doors and points out while fussing. If he sees anyone putting on shoes, he gets his and immediately grabs hold of your legs and wont let go. He prefers just to walk & run around outside, but also enjoys riding in/on his "cars", wagon, playing with his golf clubs, going up and down his slide (tiny one) and swinging. My Dad, Grand Daddy (aka: Grumpy) takes Cole to ride on the golf cart at their house every day that he's there, he drives ;) That is a favorite. He has sat on the tractor, but never with it running. He LOVES just looking at it. He now rides with his Daddy on the lawnmower after the grass is cut too and loves it!
His other favorite things are bubbles (he likes to walk around holding the no spill kind and actually blew a few the other night finally) He loves anything that he can ride on or in. He has a large car inside, plus 5 things here to ride on and 4 at my parents. He has a jumpy zebra animal at both houses too. He loves to be on something and going. We hear the "brrrrr" car noise continuously all day, every day. He spends most of his time on something like that. He loves cars, tractors and trucks. He likes remote controls, phones and his one favorite thing he couldn't live without is BOOKS! His Momma is a proud woman. Seems my reading and love of books has officially rubbed off. He loves, loves to be read to or just look and and talk about books. He also loves anything that sings like his Elmo Live, our Veggie Tale Larry that sings and an Easter bunny that sings and dances. He now likes to dance to music too!
(Cole has now discovered golf, much to his Daddy's delight. These are clubs that Daddy's best buddy Larken and his family gave Cole before he arrived. We got them out a few weeks ago and he adore them, see the smile? He plays with them inside and out. He whacks everything, the blue club is his favorite and how has packaging tape around it b/c it was broken and he had a fit. He does know how to hit the ball now, of course it goes flying and sometimes he claps ;)
Cole still loves Sesame Street and we've seen last seasons 35 episodes 100Xs each, at least! I can't wait for a new season. We have several Elmo DVD's and watch those as well. Sesame Street and Elmo are the only thing that officially get him to stop and watch on his own. Other than that we watch Dinosaur Train and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse some. Then Veggie Tales & Hermie the Caterpillar and friends as well when I need him captured in the high chair or pack n play for something. (while playing or eating a snack)
(One of the funny random things he does that we didn't show him, he just knows to do. He shut his door when he gets in his car, cracks me up that he just knows that.)
He's been coloring for quite a few months now. He does pretty well not eating the crayons for the most part. He likes to see the colors show up on the page. Normally that's saved for in a restaurant, but we've colored at home some recently too. Just this past week we tried painting with water colors. He really enjoyed it though got frustrated after a few minutes and wanted to get wild with the brush.
Cole got to ride on his first "coin car" this past weekend at the mall. He rode in 2 little cars and of course loved it. He flung our hands away when we tried to get him off, like we knew he would. We expected a total meltdown, but thankfully were able to distract him before we drew a crowd.
Cole has a huge thing for girls, older or younger. He doesn't care! He loves baby girls and kisses them given a chance. He loves little girls and blows kisses to them no matter where we are. He notices them in stores, restaurants, church, it doesn't matter. He loves teenage girls, waitress, women in stores. If they don't pay attention to him, there will be a HUGE amount of "HEY" shouting until they do!!
We're still struggling with eating. He has good days and bad days. We have tried so hard to get him to eat mostly "big people" food, but it's a constant struggle. He loves fruit and will eat any "real" fruit. His favorites are bananas, raisins, strawberries & mandarin oranges. He will eat cut up grapes, dried cranberries, applesauce, pears and peaches. He will eat french fries from most places. He likes the cheap variety of rice in a bag, "rice sides". He likes waffles, pancakes, cereal bars, grits and toddler/baby cereal still. Everything else is totally hit and miss. Sometime he will eat a few bites, sometime he wont. If it's a bad day, he wont even taste anything. He simply sticks his tongue off and let's it fall back off. No amount of bribery, playing, teasing, airplaneing, threatening, forcing. etc.. will help. It is a battle of wills. Chicken, peas, beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, noodles of any kind, toddler meals, grown up meals, you name it. Sometimes he will eat a bite, sometimes he wont. Thankfully he loves milk and drinks only milk, chocolate milk and water. He's growing and healthy, so I try not to worry too much about it. He eats when he's hungry and I was a super picky eater as a child too. (Seems that's worn off, ha!)
Cole can correctly point to his nose, eyes, ears, mouth, tongue, teeth, hair, belly and (unfortunately, blame it on Daddy) his "boobers". Ugh..
(Cole, in Pappy's lap. At Mimi & Pappy's pool with his cousins. What a mess trying to get 6 kiddos anywhere near each other and still, in the pool no less, at the same time!)
...I love the little things that make him seem so grown up. I love how you can point to something or ask him to get it and he brings it to you. (ball, car, book) It cracks me up when something rolls under the couch and he lays on his belly to look for it. We always get a kick out of him imitating us with sneezes or coughs. He has a big "aahh ahhh boo" production that his a hoot! I love how he knows to hold up his arms one at a time for putting them in a shirt, how if he's holding something he knows to switch hands while we put an arm in. I love how he can point to what he wants and shakes his head no if you don't guess correctly. I laugh when you mention changing a diaper and he heads to his room and changing table/dresser. (One day Granny was going to change him in the floor and he took the diaper from her, walked to his room and looked at the table. What was wrong with that woman?) If you mention brushing his teeth now he runs to the bathroom and points to his teeth. He likes to play peek a book everywhere, behind chairs, doors, etc... There are so many things that shock us daily and remind us how he's growing up and how smart he is.
We couldn't be more thankful for the little guy and the fun he brings. We are blessed beyond measure. We are praying for God's will in adding to our family now. We have been officially approved for adoption again since July and will continue to pray that God brings Cole a baby brother or sister, how he sees fit, if he so chooses. (and I certainly hope he so chooses!)
