Month 16

Dear Leif -

You are wrapping up on month 16! It seems like the last couple of months are slightly easier than before, perhaps because you are learning to talk, or perhaps because we are learning to listen.

sleep
I think I am ready to talk about sleep. The last year and a half has been a real rollercoaster, and in the last month or two things have finally started to work themselves out. At the moment you wake twice a night, sometimes once, which is much more manageable than before. I think your night wakings are related to your size - you've finally reached 17 pounds in the last few weeks and I think that helps. You are also able to wake in the night and be talked or shusshed back into slumber land, rather than needing to nurse. This is great, because Dada can help with the night wakings.
Your naps are still pretty good - you take a 1.5 - 2.5 hour nap everyday, and you love it.

eating
Your favorite foods are broccoli, half-n-half, eggs, pancakes, and all forms of crackers (crah-caws). Then there is juice. You love juice (surprise!). Mostly you eye the "mama juice" and "dada juice" (aka: beer) and beg beg beg for some. Too bad! Of course we would like you to eat more (since you are a little on the skinny side) but we try not to think about it too much.


talking
Your vocabulary is growing each day. So far you use the following words on a daily basis (in order of appearance): bike, truck, dog, please, help, cheese, juice, house, Dada, Mama, caw (crow), kitty, poo poo, hot, nose, eye, mouth, hurt. You use these in combination with the baby sign, which is too cute to even describe. By far everyone's favorite is "PLEEEEZE!" where you rub both hands on your belly and sway back and forth while batting your eyes. We are helpless when you pull out a "PLLLEEEEZE!". Sharp knife? Sure! Drink river water? Of course you can!

toddlerness
Since we are new at this whole baby/toddler business your emerging personality can be a little intimidating. Should we say "No!" or should we distract you? Tantrums? Table manners? We are leaving the land of sleeping & eating and entering strange territory of "discipline" and "boundaries". Not to over-think this whole process, but we spend lots of time talking about how to parent in a way that feels true to you and us, while still being culturally appropriate and effective. Wish us luck.

With so much love I have a toothache,

Mama + Dada