Jack - 17 months

Wow, what a fun and busy month!  Fall is here in Maryland and it has been great to get out the pants, long sleeves, and hoodies (in the mornings).  The highs have been in the 60s and 70s this month, which is perfect for outdoor activities.  It is hilarious how anxious Marylanders are to break out the fall clothes, even when the temperatures are in the 70s.  They get all decked out in their boots, scarves, sweaters, and jackets.. and meanwhile the kids and I are wearing short sleeves and feeling great.  The same thing happened last year and I just don't get it... why add layers and layers when the weather is perfect outside?  Just because it is October?  Maybe it's the Texan in me, but I just think about how we were still wearing long sleeves at the beginning of May and I am not in a hurry to start doing that all the time.  Fall is great but I am not ready for being cooped up in the winter yet, and that's what boots, scarves, and jackets bring to mind.  On another note, the leaves are starting to turn and I can't wait to take some pictures!   On to the 17 month update...

Stats:  His 18 month appointment is November 12, so I'll get some official stats then.  He wears size 6 shoes, size 12-18 month pants, size 12-18/18-24 month tops/onesies, and 18-24 month pajamas.  He wears size 3 diapers.  I think he's gotten taller this month because he is now climbing on higher things.  He got another new tooth this month which leaves only one more until the 2 year molars.

Sleeping:  He is still sleeping well and goes to bed around 7 and wakes between 7 and 7:30.  He takes a 2-3 hour nap in the 12:30-3:30 time frame.  He woke up crying the night he got his tooth, but that's it.  He is content to play in his crib upon waking but cries about half the time when you leave the room after putting him in bed.

Eating:  He was less picky this month but is still pickier than Elise has ever been.  Favorite foods include:  yogurt, fruit, eggs, other breakfast items, cheese, macaroni, grilled cheese, pasta, sweet potatoes, beans, rice, granola balls (nut butter mixed with oats, flaxseeds, honey, and coconut oil) and usually shredded meat.  Notice that very few vegetables make that list... so he still gets a Sili Squeeze most days.  Favorite snacks include raisins, some nuts (I think he is sensitive to peanuts), dry cereal, etc.  We stopped nursing just after his 16 month birthday and he could have cared less :)  

Learning:  Wow, Jack has changed a ton both physically and mentally this month.  His vocabulary continues to grow exponentially.  I love this cute phase and hearing that sweet little voice!  For a little guy who wasn't saying much at all just 3 months ago, he now says a TON of words.... just over 100 as of his 17 month birthday on October 11.  Some cute new ones include "peacock", "bunny", "windmill", "crane", "croca (dile)", "waffle", "apple", "thank you", "raisin", "dump truck", "plane", "all donnnnnnne", etc.  Every time we go somewhere he is surprising me with new words.  Mimi and Pop came to visit last week and he quickly started calling them by "Nene" and "Pop".  He still calls Elise "sister" instead of her name.        

He answers most questions with "yeah" but if you say something like "Who wants to....?", he yells "NEEE"!  Too cute :)

He is definitely more of a climber/daredevil than Elise ever was, and we've had to make some furniture adjustments in different areas of the house.  I looked in the playroom while I was making lunch last week and he was standing on the table with his arms up in the air, like "Look at me, Mom!"  After a few falls off the table, we removed it and pushed the couch against the wall so he wouldn't try to climb over the back of it.  We also removed the table and set up a playpen (yes, in a gated room, but necessary sometimes!).  He loves to play at the park and can slide down just about anything all by himself.  I still hover right behind him on anything high.  He has not mastered going down stairs yet but we're working on it.  Unfortunately, most of the stairs in our house don't have a rail that he can reach, and they are too narrow for the "scoot down on the bottom" approach that he can do on the playground.  He is all out running and rarely falls, even on sloped or uneven terrain.  He tries so hard to jump and it is so cute.  When I went to pick him up after bible study last week, he was so excited and threw his hands up in the air and started "jumping", all while yelling "yay yay yay!!!".

Likes: balls, trucks, planes, animals, playing "siside (outside)", climbing, reading books with Daddy at bedtime, brushing teeth, the playhouse and climbers, having a "nack" with his sister, riding in the stroller (provided that the stroller is moving), playing with anyone

Dislikes: taking baths (really??), being held or picked up when he wants to walk and explore, being told that he can't have something that he sees or asks for, being taken off the couch when he starts jumping on it, basically anything involving boundaries

And a few pictures... you can guess who didn't want to be in the sibling picture.

Jack loves walking on the sidewalk in front of our house

Happy 17 months, little buddy!

And on another note, I got an incredible deal on amazon for the Bob Revolution Duallie in September and I LOVE it!  It's done amazing things for my endurance and I am so happy to be running regularly again.  I was able to get the new Bob + parent console + weather shield for the same price that I got for selling the Bumbleride on craigslist.  I loved the Bumbleride for walks and indoors, but I just don't need a double for errands anymore so it was time to sell it and move on to the Bob.