It's hard to believe it, but Peanut is already halfway done being one year old! Chief has already started referring to him as being 2- which I correct and she says, "I know, I know, but he's almost two," and soon I won't be able to say, "No he's not!" Beyond how old he is, I'm shocked at how different he is from his sister. I'm always the first to remind people, when the topic of parenting strategies comes up, that children are each unique, individual human beings who shouldn't be expected to respond uniformly to the same things like robots, and yet when I'm reminded of this reality, it's a little jarring. So let's see just how different Peanut is from how his sister was at this age...
Growing in spurts, seemingly overnight. He was comfortably wearing 12-18 month sized clothes riiiiight up until we arrived in Arkansas for our Christmas vacation- and then his belly seemed to pop out of nowhere, and pants suddenly hit him at the knees. So as soon as we got home, I went on a closet-replenishing shopping spree (all winter clothes- I don't expect these to last until warm weather shows up).
Eating with no regard to his own food allergy! If you've got something on your plate that he wants, he will demand it, dairy be damned. So far this is mostly limited to buttered toast or buttermilk biscuits and the like- he is a carb fiend. There may be something to the theory that an allergy like this can just be sort of willed away, because his face no longer swells when he eats butter- he'll break out in red bumps around his mouth, but if you clean his face and hands immediately after he's done eating, those bumps tend to disappear in about 12 hours. In fact, his skin was basically completely clear up until November, when one day he came home from daycare with a massive eczema breakout all over his back. We've still got the cream the doctor proscribed, along with some Aquaphor, and that seems to be doing the trick to calm it all back down again. We're not sure where it came from- daycare swears they definitely did not accidentally feed him cheese or yogurt, but I don't really buy it. Oh well- at least his stomach isn't upset by it. Oh, and it turns out he's probably not sensitive to soy after all- he's managing to drink an awful lot of it with no problems lately. But yeah, as far as his eating preferences? He would live on bread and Cheerios, if we let him. Meat must come with a tasty sauce; vegetables must be fried (or carrots); fruits are acceptable as long as his hands don't get too sticky eating them, in which case he loses interest and complains.
Talking a little, but not much. He's the strong, silent type, it seems. But he's learned a lot of sign language at daycare (although he's given some signs a signature twist, and uses some signs to mean multiple things) so he can communicate pretty well without words. I figure he'll start really talking the same way he started really walking- when he decides it's finally necessary. He is starting to get frustrated that we don't understand him (sometimes we pretend to not understand him, if I'm being honest) and that will force an attempt at a word out of him...or sometimes it starts a tantrum. I figure the 2's will truly be terrible if he continues with the quiet act, but we're ready for that possibility. (Okay maybe not ready, but anticipating.)
Making facial expressions that are all his own. He has a sly look that he puts on when he's about to cause trouble, and I don't think that look necessarily belongs to Mr. Geek or me- it's all him. His thoughtful, concentrating face looks a lot like Mr. Geek, but other than that, this kid serves looks that are completely original.
Listening to pretty much all types of music, and loving them all. He has a natural rhythm and will bob his head or bounce along to anything from an advertising jingle to a Disney musical. If you tell him to dance, he'll find his toy that makes music, turn it on, and do a little jig for you- stomping his feet, clapping his hands, and bouncing to the beat. I figure he'll either play an instrument or be a dancer (or both!) and I can't wait to see that happen.
Sleeping alllllll niiiiiiight loooooong. Some nights he complains about the concept of bedtime, and would much rather stay up playing, but he almost never refuses to go to bed or wakes up in the middle of the night, which is such a blessing. And he still naps- willingly! Twice a day! He'll start to climb the stairs, so you have to follow him, and he'll lead you to his room and point to his bed. Can't get much clearer than that! He never quite wants to admit he's ready for bed at night, so you can't ask, "Do you want to go to sleep?" But if you ask, "Do you want your paci?" which gets left in the crib during the day, or, if he has another paci on him already, "Do you want your ball?" which means his plush Pokeball that lives in his bed with his plush Pikachu, then he'll generally say yes (or at least not say no).
Loving: dinosaurs! The kid loves dinosaurs so much that he received a whole gaggle of them for Christmas from nearly everyone in his life, and when we were shopping for new clothes, his big sister made sure basically every new outfit had a dinosaur on it. He identifies them merely by pointing and making his imitation of a growling sound (which is really just "AAH!") and he will snuggle with even the most ferocious T-rex; puppies; bread; Cheerios; coffee cups (particularly empty ones, which he wants to stick his foot inside for some reason); his sister; his Mommy; his Daddy (who is a newfound favorite; this was pretty much the age Chief decided Daddy was cooler than me, too, so...whatever I'm not jealous); shoes; footballs, basketballs, bouncy balls, and soccer balls; Christmas decorations; pretty girls.
Hating: the suggestion that he should eat something with a bit of protein in it; the Nose Frida; diaper changes; not being held if he's sleeping; not being allowed to run around if he's not sleepy; basically any rules about appropriate behavior at church; putting on clothes; taking off clothes; waking up before he's ready; being left in his crib any more than 2 minutes after he wakes up.
So, Peanut is officially a toddler. I'm afraid if I blink he'll be in preschool!
Much love,
The Geeks
Growing in spurts, seemingly overnight. He was comfortably wearing 12-18 month sized clothes riiiiight up until we arrived in Arkansas for our Christmas vacation- and then his belly seemed to pop out of nowhere, and pants suddenly hit him at the knees. So as soon as we got home, I went on a closet-replenishing shopping spree (all winter clothes- I don't expect these to last until warm weather shows up).
Eating with no regard to his own food allergy! If you've got something on your plate that he wants, he will demand it, dairy be damned. So far this is mostly limited to buttered toast or buttermilk biscuits and the like- he is a carb fiend. There may be something to the theory that an allergy like this can just be sort of willed away, because his face no longer swells when he eats butter- he'll break out in red bumps around his mouth, but if you clean his face and hands immediately after he's done eating, those bumps tend to disappear in about 12 hours. In fact, his skin was basically completely clear up until November, when one day he came home from daycare with a massive eczema breakout all over his back. We've still got the cream the doctor proscribed, along with some Aquaphor, and that seems to be doing the trick to calm it all back down again. We're not sure where it came from- daycare swears they definitely did not accidentally feed him cheese or yogurt, but I don't really buy it. Oh well- at least his stomach isn't upset by it. Oh, and it turns out he's probably not sensitive to soy after all- he's managing to drink an awful lot of it with no problems lately. But yeah, as far as his eating preferences? He would live on bread and Cheerios, if we let him. Meat must come with a tasty sauce; vegetables must be fried (or carrots); fruits are acceptable as long as his hands don't get too sticky eating them, in which case he loses interest and complains.
 |
| Visiting Sesame Place at 13 months old |
Making facial expressions that are all his own. He has a sly look that he puts on when he's about to cause trouble, and I don't think that look necessarily belongs to Mr. Geek or me- it's all him. His thoughtful, concentrating face looks a lot like Mr. Geek, but other than that, this kid serves looks that are completely original.
 |
| Dressed as Flounder from The Little Mermaid at 15 months old |
Sleeping alllllll niiiiiiight loooooong. Some nights he complains about the concept of bedtime, and would much rather stay up playing, but he almost never refuses to go to bed or wakes up in the middle of the night, which is such a blessing. And he still naps- willingly! Twice a day! He'll start to climb the stairs, so you have to follow him, and he'll lead you to his room and point to his bed. Can't get much clearer than that! He never quite wants to admit he's ready for bed at night, so you can't ask, "Do you want to go to sleep?" But if you ask, "Do you want your paci?" which gets left in the crib during the day, or, if he has another paci on him already, "Do you want your ball?" which means his plush Pokeball that lives in his bed with his plush Pikachu, then he'll generally say yes (or at least not say no).
 |
| Celebrating Christmas early with aunts, uncles, and grandparents at 17 months old |
Hating: the suggestion that he should eat something with a bit of protein in it; the Nose Frida; diaper changes; not being held if he's sleeping; not being allowed to run around if he's not sleepy; basically any rules about appropriate behavior at church; putting on clothes; taking off clothes; waking up before he's ready; being left in his crib any more than 2 minutes after he wakes up.
So, Peanut is officially a toddler. I'm afraid if I blink he'll be in preschool!
Much love,
The Geeks
