16 months

Somehow a whole week has flown by, and I haven't posted . . . where does time go?

(Since you I asked: Tuesday - one meeting after school, Wednesday - inservice meeting, then 2nd meeting till 6:00, Thursday - p/t conferences till 6:30 . . . it feels like there has been a lot of after school "school" stuff lately).

In fact, I am actually packing to head to Des Moines for a conference for school from Monday evening to Wednesday afternoon. It will be really weird to be gone from my boys for 2 nights! I am sure they will do just fine, but I know I will miss them a lot.

So - Mr. B is 16 months old (on Wednesday of last week). He's still not talking much, but we decided that "li" is light (actually it may be more like simply "I," accompanied by pointing at the light), we've heard "wow"a few times, and he definitely is saying "yum" or "mmmm" when eating. I can't wait for more words! (I know he's not that behind, but it seems like his peers are saying a lot more).

He enjoys playing with his toys more independently for longer periods of time - and can make a "mess"/get them all out in record time. We're constantly putting toys away, since he hasn't mastered that part yet. ;) Still loves cars (and finds hard surfaces to roll them on), making baskets with his little hoop, and stacking/knocking down towers. Newer interests are his Little People Farm/animals, and his favorite cuddle toy is now a very soft lion.

We've started working on phasing out the binky -- he still likes it at night/for naps, and we're sure it must have some sort of magic calming power when he is upset, so we still like to have one handy for when we are out and about. We know Braden is getting tired when he looks for a bink and pops it in by himself (and turns it around if it is in upside down). But he needs it less and less in the car, and we're trying to save binks for bedtime at home. I was feeling a little badly about the binky use, until I read on someone else's blog that their 18 month old still takes a bottle. . . Braden gave up bottles very easily by 12 months (that was harder on me!), and currently uses sippys or straws, and is able to drink from a cup (we just don't allow that option very much due to the mess factor!).

Additionally, at 16 months, Braden . . .

• loves bananas. He eats one almost every day - and insists on eating the whole banana.

• is still a great eater, willing to try almost anything. Occasionally if he just doesn't feel like eating a particular item, he sort of blows on it (like when something is hot) and makes sort of a "ptt" sound.

• wears 18 mth clothes, size 4 shoes

• got his 3rd salon haircut last week (still did not like the clippers, so she had to just trim with a scissors - which went well, especially with the assistance of 2 suckers) - see photo below of his new do

• loves those books - current favs are a farm book with lift-the-flaps in it and one called I Love My Daddy Because (I will admit to sometimes hiding that book because we've read it 23 million times).