Your infancy is officially over. I am going to try to stop calling you "Baby" and instead by your name. You just don't act like a baby much anymore.
You know how to communicate "I need more water with my Chicken Pasta Mush, Mom" and you know exactly what silly faces make us laugh. You are so aware of your surroundings that you know how to interact with them to get them to do things you like. Its fun to watch you play with your toys instead of just try to eat them or lick them all the time.
You are such a busy crawler. You push your way over obstacles and also blaze through rooms like you are in some kind of hurry. You can see in these photos that you are up and down and all over the chair. Its like this a lot. In fact, notice the red nose you've got... its a wound from a fall.
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| I think all of this movement is strengthening your core muscles! You wiggle and fall over and crawl around. I bet you get a six pack of abs soon! |
Self feeding is still not accurate. Little puffs collect on your shoulders and neck, though you chew as if you got them in your mouth. We let you eat on the patio for a few meals, too. You got good and messy out there with your ginger cookies and other finger foods. We hosed off the high chair afterwards and noticed that there was nearly a full meal down under the seat cushion! Accuracy from finger to mouth needs some improvement.
Colds are no fun for you. You despise getting your nose wiped clean of crusties. I imagine I wouldn't like it much, either, but rest assured, you are much more handsome without the nose crusties. But the fits you throw about getting the mucous suctioned out of your nostrils and sinus cavities are the worst screams you've ever given us.
This week I taught you a new book. It is called Pat the Bunny. It took some practice but now each time we select this book for a pre-nap read through, you turn the pages and interact with the text appropriately. It is interesting to me that you learned how to do each thing in like ONE DAY.
I think the pictures are the cues for you to do the actions, not the words. I think this is because when you see your Foot Book 's fuzzy man, you laugh and laugh. You don't laugh when I say, "Right food left food right food right - feet in the morning, feet at night".
We had a play date with some friends this week. We met the Dorrs, the Lapsleys, and the Stevens for playtime at a park. You were not the youngest because there was another baby boy. You were not the oldest at all either! The oldest boy was a third grader. He was in the Christmas play with our family and really loved you as baby Jesus. He pushed you in the swing for a really long time! You gloated in his attention.
You didn't seem to notice any of the other children besides Taylor. She makes you smile and smile! She laughed with you and showed you how to use the playground equipment. You and she crawled through the tunnels and played on the steps. You are rarely happier than when you are with this little girl! I think you would have really enjoyed having an older sister to play with. |
| Don't worry - I was right there to catch you! You fell on my feet. |
We spent A LOT of time outdoors this week because it was really warm weather. For early April it was unusually hot! You were outside with me when I hung laundry on the line and sorted out plants for the garden. You and I went on daily morning runs with the stroller. You enjoyed the scenery.
This week your dad installed an irrigation system using the rain barrel which collects water from the roof. He dug trenches and laid pipes. He also installed hoses in the garden beds to move the water. You watched him very intently and laughed a lot while he toiled in the hot sun. 
I have a hard time picturing you actually helping your dad do hard yard work like this, but I hope one day you will want to at least try to. He will be patient and kindly let you try. He will teach you to learn from your mistakes and praise your effort. He is a really good teacher for me when it comes to practical tasks like this, so I think he will also do the same for you.
I think you look SO GOOD in red and white. Those were my high school colors. Your dad thinks you are more of a blue and white boy. This is because those were HIS high school colors! We both settle and say you look great in our college colors of black and gold.
This was a fun week, darling boy. I love you very much.
From,
Your Mama Bethany
