Thursday, December 29, 2011

1 Year 9 Months

I don't know how two months slipped by without me sharing a short, maybe long post about my growing boy.  Maybe, it was the holiday travel.  Maybe, it was the ongoing sickness ravaging our house.  Maybe, it was laziness.  Whatever it was, here I am ready to share about my closer to 2 than 1 year old.  


I have often heard that children tend to be advanced verbally or physically, but rarely both in their early toddler years.  While B does very well with his fine motor skills and is a little slow with his gross motor skills, he takes up all the slack with his verbal skills.  HOLY COW, he talks all the time :) and I love it.  It is nice being able to ask him a question and have him answer.  It is nice that he can point to something and tell us what he wants.  I may have to hear it twelve times, but most of the time I will eventually understand.  For example, the last two nights he has stood up in the tub and said, "Issy, Bssy, Bier" over and over.  When I finally got it and began singing, "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" his whole world lit up. 

He uses three words sentences on a regularly basis, which makes us LAUGH, usually because it takes us by surprise to hear what he has to say.  He will say things like, 

"Watch Thonas, please" or "Cookie mouth paci," which is his way of asking us to put his paci in Cookie Monster's mouth.  


He loves trains and will say all of their names and ask us to sing.  He'll say, "Go Percy." We sing, "Go Percy, Go Percy, Go, Go, Go Percy."  Then, he moves onto Thomas......Kevin......Sir Topman Hat......Salty........Ironworks Bert......Henry.......James.........and now Toby.  He knows all of their names and talks to them constantly.

Bennett has become much like a parrot and will repeat almost anything we say.  It is quite hilarious.

He is really beginning to look like a little boy with a little of the baby fat disappearing all the time.

His hair has gotten much darker.

B's love of testing the boundaries is growing and growing, especially when cleaning up before bedtime.  He will do exactly what you asked him not to, to see what happens.  He is pretty well behaved for the most part, but on occasion he requests a reminder that mom and dad are serious about obedience.  For example, a few days ago he picked up his rather large dinosaur and dropped it on the ground.  I told him not to do it again or he would sit in time out.  He bent over, picked it up, looked me straight in the eye, and dropped it.  TIME OUT!!!!!

He has been eating with a spoon for some time, but now he almost always requests a fork.  If we don't put one on his plate, he will definitely ask for it.  Honestly, he eats very well with his utensils, so I am glad he asks for them.  What cracks me up is he will pick up a piece of food with his fingers, place it on his fork, then eat it.  We have finally stopped using the bib.  Some days gladly, other days not so much.

He is able to point at several objects and name them independently.  A few favorites are orange, apple, all of his trains, all of his animal magnets, and several animals he will see in various books.  

He really enjoys music and will often request the song he wants us to sing, but rarely will sing himself.  The most requested songs are:
  • Itsy, Bitsy Spider (Issy, Bssy, Bier)
  • Jesus Loves Me  (Dis s ano--I know what is that, right?  He tries to say, "This I know" for the song)
  •  The Thomas Theme Song and others (Thonas Song)  
  • Go ________, Go _________, Go, Go, Go ___________ (fill in the black with anything cheese, train names, mommy, elmo, etc.)
The one song that he will start on his own while attempting to complete the motions is Ring Around the Rosie.  He hums the song (on and off) while twirling around in a circle, then he falls down at the end.  Occasionally, he will come grab my hand to play the next time.


He has developed some fear of heights and does not like to be put on his daddy's shoulders.  It is obvious that he gets scared.  Nor does he like being held upside down by his daddy.  

He can climb the steps, but will often grab for my hand.  He descends steps with one hand hold, but still lacks the confidence in his gross motor skills to descend while holding a rail only.

B is doing better with taking off his shoes and socks, but he is still showing little interest in dressing/undressing himself.  I keep saying I am going to spend more time encouraging him to do it, but I end up forgetting it in the morning and at night I just want to get him in the tub.

His imaginative play is really beginning to take root.  I have seen him mimic several of the things I have done with him (ex. herding the cattle with his plastic farmers, march the animals across the floor, talk to his trains, etc.).  Currently, I think he is thinking more about the way I have done it with him, but I am sure in a few months he will be coming up with all kinds of fun stories.  

This little guy can really be the sweetest snuggler, but when he is tired.....WATCH OUT!!!  Just like his momma, oh wait, I am not much of a snuggler, but I am much happier with sleep.  He has a grin that will melt your heart and he loves to share it when he is proud of something he did or when he is having fun.  He is still super ticklish and loves when his daddy tickles him.  When his daddy gets home, he pretty much loves everything about daddy.  

He can also turn on the fake cry like a water hose when he doesn't get his way.  However, he gets his feelings hurt easily and will often cry when that happens.

I know doesn't that break your heart.  That was about 2 seconds after the above shot of him in the tent.
His LAUGH just keeps getting better.  I get sad when I think about the day his deep belly LAUGH won't be captured under my tickling hand. 

When he wants you to do something, he will grab your finger and pull you along.

He requests that we brush Percy, Thomas, bucktooth (another word which makes him crack up) Salty, Cookie Monster and Elmo's teeth before we brush his.  These are all bath toy.  It only takes about 30 seconds and WOW is it ever worth it to avoid the "brush your teeth" fight.  I started pretending to brush their teeth when he started to fight it a month or so ago and it has worked great thus far.

He had actually lost two pounds last time we went to the doctor, but he has been sick on and off for two months which has been extremely tough on all of us.  However, he is wearing 24 month-2T clothes which I think will be where he will stay for a while.  


I am not sure I want to share his sleep schedule, but lately we have been lucky to get him in bed between 8:30-9 and he is up anywhere from 6 to 8 in the morning.  Naps range from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours and begin around 1 p.m.  His dad and I are more than ready for him to be well, as he has not woken up or gone to sleep happy more than a few times in the last two months.  Today, he had a 2.5 hour nap, which is why I was able to write this.  WOO HOO!!! 


9 comments:

Unknown said...

YAY for 2.5 hour naps!!
what a great update and kind of a look forward to what i can expect in the coming months of my 14 month old daughter... she is opposite of B tho, she is physically more advanced than she should be which is KILLING me lol i take my eyes off of her for seconds and she has climbed up on my sons train table trying to reach from the shelf... AHHHHH and she is a natural born escape artist lol she doesn't talk much at all it's more like baby chinese still at this point which is fun for mom and dad to mimic tho! ha :o)

katy said...

I hope he gets to feeling better soon! It is so rough when they are sick for long periods of time. We are right there with you. I hope he gets to sleeping better for you too! It sounds like he is doing so well! Bailey already tests me like that, ALL THE TIME! I have some high-strung little ladies. ;)

Unknown said...

So fun to read these updates. B is such a smart little boy :) and of course adorable, too!

Raymonde said...

Although I don't have babies anymore, I really enjoyed reading your post about your little boy. It reminded me of when my kids were growing up and how I would observe them and love them so much, as you have seen they are all grown up now. By the way thank you for the visit and comment. I really appreciate.

I take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very Happy New Year 2012. May The Lord bless you abundantly. Kind regards. xxx

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Mama Smors said...

Happy 1 year and 9 months, Bennett!! He is so cute in that tent it is hard to believe that big tears were just a minute later :) How funny!

Kindra said...

I really love this update on B. It's so neat to see how he's changed so much from the tiny (well, it's all relative right:) newborn we first met in the hospital to the little boy he is now.

His verbal skills really are incredible. I love "Issy, Bssy Bier". That picture with the tears melts my heart. Maybe he gets his sensitivity from me - hehe:)
Great idea with the teeth brushing - I might have to try that one as this is a battle right now!

Kindra said...

Oh and YAAAYYYYY for the 2.5 hr nap!!!!!

Gina Kleinworth said...

Oh my goodness- this just brings back so many memories & makes me smile. (& maybe yearn for another little one just a bit) My son was that way about Thomas- we spent a small fortune on those trains & made a decent amount back when we sold them all after he had grown out of them. What special times. I love that you are able to blog all of these moments because I know that if I had been able to do so when my babies were small- I would have all those things captured in time to refer back to. It's not until I read other tales that it all comes flooding back. Thanks for the smiles!

Carolina said...

Loved your update, and I'm so excited he is talking up a storm! It is so sweet and wonderful to hear them communicate and crack up at the things they come up with. We will have to get the boys together soon! and although I shouldn't, I just love the picture of him crying. And agree with Kindra, yay for the 2.5 hour nap!