Dear Rowan,
You are 15 months today. It's getting weird to talk in months. The backup daycare you're in this week (normal daycare is on Summer Vacation) said to me "He's two, so he's in the toddler room!" I almost shouted, "HE IS NOT TWO!!!" You act like it though, so I may as well get used to it.
You like to play "imitate daddy". I often come home to both of you wearing only shorts and running around screaming. That's a game, I guess. You like to play with your "house" blocks, stacking them high, and then taking them down carefully, nesting them in each other, then taking them out and stacking them again. You like to play in the drawers in the bathroom, put on my headbands and play with my makeup.
You like to clean, which is weird. If we give you a rag or a tissue you will wipe off the table tops. You try to pick up all the cleaning bottles and carry them around, which scares mommy half to death. You also like to push trash in the trashcan and clothes in the hamper, and you almost always know the difference. The other night you even cleaned the floor like mommy does, by stepping on a rag and walking around the kitchen while listening to Pop music.
You have a thing for shoes now. You bring me my shoes, to hide Daddy's shoes, you touch other people's shoes (gross). Yesterday you took your shoes off half way to daycare, and then threw a fit when I tried to buy you new ones. We got a new bench to sit on while putting on shoes, with little drawers for everyone's shoes. See? We're even decorating with your love of shoes in mind.
You haven't liked being worn on my back so much, so we've been trying "Robin's Hip Carry".
I'm also trying to get you to wear your baby.
You've learned to say "No", though I don't think you know what it means. I give you something and you turn away and so "nah nah nah nah nah", shaking your head and holding your hands close to your body. But 10 seconds later you cry because you don't that that thing I tried to give you, because I stopped trying to give it to you because you said "No". You'll learn.
You are getting more and more clear about communicating what you want, even though you still don't say real words. You point a lot, and you come over and grab us and bring us over to what you want. This morning I was having trouble understanding what you wanted, and you were so patient. You just kept asking, and I just kept guessing until I got it.
You LOVE dogs. SO MUCH!!! You give Gipper hugs and kisses, you chase her and pretend she's chasing you (she doesn't). Whenever we pass a dog on the street you tell and point. We're working on just waving at the dogs instead of reaching out to them, since Mommy is afraid you're going to lose a finger or two one day. "Dah!" is one the few words that sound like what you're trying to day ("Dog"); that and "Buh!" ("Bus").
You still eat everything. Everything. We've been trying to find things you don't like. Daddy tried coffee ... you loved it. We almost had it with fried plantains, but that was one of those "nah nah nah nah" moments, when you immediately ate it. You've also learned to dip things -- dip chips into hummus, and dip spoons into soup.
You give kisses to Daddy at bedtime, but you have to be in a really lovey mood to give kisses to Mommy.
And you love LOVE Blue's Clues. Really you love TV, but I put on Blue's Clues for you and you point and yell and sit down on your TV-watching pillow.
You yell and point at the screen when there's a Clue, and you dance when the music comes on.
We're still nursing, despite a very difficult week last week. In the morning and at bedtime. You get very distracted nursing during the day, popping on and off and on and off, and Mommy doesn't like that. I'm able to distract you, which makes me think you're not really into it anymore (during the day) ... I'm not ready to give him morning time.
You also had your 15 months check-up, and everything is great. 20 pounds (which seems little, but you were only 18.5 at your 12-month, so that makes sense). 29 inches tall. Head 19-ish. You were completely freaked out by the medical assistant. Ok with the doctor for a few minutes. Dr Newman checked my eyes and ears and heart before checking yours, which made it fun!
