Eighteen Months!

Disclaimer: Better late than never, right?  And, apparently 17 month olds don't care to sit still long enough for a decent photo to be taken.  ;)  

September 29, 2011

Dear Riggins,

Another month has flown by and here you are, almost a year and a half old!  The big development this month has been your vocabulary.  I've always heard mothers say their child's vocabulary "just exploded" overnight, and now I know what they mean!  It seems like over the course of a couple of weeks, your use of words just took off, and you surprised us with at least one new word each day.  You now say: mama, dada, woof woof, quack, neigh, apple, Bible, hi, bye bye, cracker, "A" (recognizing the letter), hot, and more.  I adore your little voice, especially your "Hi," which is high-pitched and breathy, sometimes whispered.  Even though it took you awhile to use "mama" regularly, I always said it didn't bother me because I knew that someday soon you would say it all the time!  Well, my son, that was a wise prediction, because I now hear "mama" constantly!  I love it.  My favorite mama moment was when you spotted me from down the hallway during a fire drill at BSF, and you instantly yelled, "MAMA!!!" down the hallway!  

And speaking of mama, you have a bad case of the "mamas" these days.  It seems you like me just a bit, because the baby who never had trouble going to any nursery is now having a hard time!  At first I thought you were having difficulty because our morning activities interrupted your nap time.  Then I thought it was those blasted two upper molars that started coming in.  But then once those variables were controlled, you still cried through the mornings in the nursery, and that's when I knew that the problem was ME!  You're just in a little state of separation anxiety right now, which I hear is common at this age, but I'm hoping we can push through it!  You do enjoy your mornings at BSF, which I think is due to the structured routine; it's easier to bear being away from mama when you're busy!  In the church nursery, it's a bit more of a free-for-all, which I think makes the transition a bit more difficult for you.  You are even showing more of a preference for me over your Daddy when we are at home, so I guess it's just the stage we're in!  

You are a busy boy these days, constantly running and climbing.  You dance at even the faintest sound of music, and you clap every time you see someone clapping.  You throw your hands up when you hear "Touchdown!," on television, which happens a lot now that Daddy is watching college football again.  In spite of your busyness, you are still very affectionate and always stop for a quick hug and kiss.  You are also very affectionate with Weber, giving her kisses on the nose and patting her any time she walks by.  You never leave the house without saying goodbye to her, and you walk into our room to say hello to her the second we return.  This month you attended your first football game, the University of Memphis Tigers vs. the SMU Mustangs.  You loved the people watching and the marching band!  Favorite things include airplanes, tractors and trucks, dogs and animals in general, your yellow blanket, Goodnight Gorilla, "shows" (Baby Einstein and Praise Baby), Weber, sidewalk chalk, bubbles, walking down the sidewalk by yourself, learning letters on Starfall.com, dancing and music, and being outside.     

At 17 months, you take two naps if we are home in the morning, or one nap in the afternoon if we have an activity in the morning.  This flexible routine seems to be working pretty well.  You still sleep from 7 to 7 each night.  You have definitely exemplified the typical toddler appetite that I read would happen: some days you can't get enough to eat, and other days you don't eat a thing (you always drink your milk though)!  Your favorite foods include fruit of any kind (especially grapes), cheese, Ritz crackers, mac-n-cheese, meatballs and meatloaf, my homemade veggie cream cheese on tortillas, peanut butter, and muffins.  You're a good eater when you want to be!  

The biggest development in your little life these days was the announcement that you are going to be a big brother!  On the day you turned 15 months old, we found out we were expecting your little brother or sister.  This news doesn't mean much to you right now, but I know that you are going to be a wonderful big brother, and I am already praying that a close relationship develops between you and your sibling.  Until then, I am completely soaking up these months that I have left with you as an only child.  Our days together are so sweet; you are my best little buddy, the welcome tagalong to everything I do.  I know life will change a bit after next April, and that it will probably only get better, but I want you to know that these days of just the two of us will always be precious treasures in my heart.  You bring me so much joy, Riggins Thomas, and I love you so!  

Love, 

Momma