William 16 Months (1 year 4 months)

My sweet little William,

This past month has been so fun. We are officially into summer and from what we can tell, you love everything about it. You insist on being outside at all times and just stand at the door begging to go out. You giggle when you dump sand through your fingers in the sandbox and stop to analyze the soft grass blades between your toes when running around barefoot. You love chasing balls, being chased, playing with sprinklers and going down slides. In fact, the only way you prefer to go down is head first. For the most part, you do pretty good at catching yourself but have had a couple spills here and there.

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We’ve set up the pool a couple of times; at first you weren’t a fan of the chilly water, but when the sun had warmed it up a bit, you had yourself a grand time splashing, going down the slide into the pool, drinking the water and lowering yourself to waste hight and them jumping up and giggling with delight. Each time, you’ll look to me for a reaction and I’ll give you some kind of surprised look and you burst into laughter, sometimes so much you fall down.

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We also went to the beach which was a big hit. You loved sitting in the sand and splashing and kicking your legs. You loved picking up the wet muddy sand and having it side out. Thankfully, you there were only a few occasions where it ended up in your mouth. Mama is also grateful you have an obsession with hats to protect your sweet skin from the harsh sun–your big sister is very opinionated about when she will and will not wear a hat.

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As much as you love everything outside, I would say your two favorite things are lawn mowers and trains. You insist on sitting on daddy’s lap while you mow the lawn. You help steer and will chat away while you two mow. It really melts my heart to see my two Williams out there together in matching earmuffs just motoring along. Even when you aren’t mowing you love to climb on it and wiggle the steering wheel and even have the ear muffs on. It is the first place you run to when you get in the garage. You also really really like trains. I randomly brought up the train bin from the basement and it has been a big hit. You’ll pull pieces out and run the trains on them, or on the floor or furniture or my legs, really anything that the wheels will move on. You refer to them as ChooChoos and make the noises as your pushing them along. You also really love to carry them around the house wherever you are going–which is awesome to be constantly picking up trains throughout the house at all times.

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Words

Clearly understood words: Baby, Hi, Bye, No, Bubbles, Ball, Mama, Dada, Mine, Uh-Oh, pease (please), ChooChoo
Things only mama understands: Mi= Milk; Ba= Bottle (even though it is a sippy cup), Do=Show, shoe; Da=done, down; Woof=dog; moow=cat; H=hug and hop (meaning bunny), Dat=Hat and hot; Pa=papa; Boo=moo for cow

Favorites:

Books: 100 first words, Vehicles, Little Blue Truck
Playing in the bathtub
Drinking Milk
Food: Marshmallows, popsicles, ice cream, eggs, raspberries, blackberries, crackers, cereal, crasins, watermelon, avocado
Mama
Thomas the train, Choo Choo Bob
Horses
Climbing
Making people laugh

One Saturday, Dada was gone and you just refused to take a nap. So we sat down and played cars and trucks and read books and played with your farm. We played peek-a-boo behind a plate and oh my goodness did we have so much fun and do you make me laugh. It was so good to have some solid one-on-one time with you where I wasn’t distracted to do laundry, clean the house or start making dinner. It was just good solid play time with you and I. You soaked up that time and love to make me (or anyone) laugh. It will be interesting to see if you continue this comedic personality (like your dada) as you get older.

Dislikes

Swinging
Looking at my phone; if you want me to be playing with you and I look at my phone you shake your head and try and take it out of my hands and throw it–clearly we’re too attached to these things and I’ve been working on not looking at it while you are awake
Lexi taking stuff from you; this is understandable to get upset about this, but you will start crying if she comes near you. You know Mama will come rescue you and are using it to your advantage you smart little boy! You’re a little bit of a whiner and cry-baby and we need to work on toughing you up a little bit 🙂

William, every ounce of you oozes with sweetness from your curly baby hair to your pure blue eyes and dimple in your left check to your cuddly-teady-bear hugs, love for trains, tools and machinery. You so much more of everything I had prayed my little boy would be. Your mama, dada and sister love you more than words could ever describe.

Love,

Mama

PS. I think this happened about a month ago, but I don’t think I ever wrote about it. You have really taken an affection to your raccoon stuffed animal and your navy blue blanket. You take them out of the crib with you and when you see it laying in the floor your run to them and nuzzle your face into them.

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