My sweet Kyle,
Nothing melts my heart more than when I get love and snuggles from you. You're such a loving boy, and you show it by giving me quick cuddles, kisses and hugs out of nowhere. This doesn't happen every day, but sometimes out of the blue you'll look up at me and give me a quick peck, hold my hand or crawl over to me on the couch and lay your head on my chest. During these moments I can feel my heart soar and I am trying my hardest to lock those memories in so they'll never escape. It breaks my heart knowing that one day, when you're big and tall and hairy, you probably won't do these things anymore. But it's okay; I'll try and understand. For now, I'm soaking them in with all of my might because nothing can match that feeling of joy and true love.
I know you're only 17 months old, but I can see it in your eyes that you are a good boy, and that you are very caring and smart. Your first instinct with animals (real and stuffed) is to give them hugs and kisses. You put shape puzzles together like it's no big deal, and you can correctly point to every animal on the last page of "Brown Bear."
When we go to the park (which is practically every day, by the way), you come and get me when you want to venture off. You walk over and reach up for my hand and lead me to where you want to go. Or when you need my help, you'll get my hand and show me what you want me to do. If you're running around and I ask you to stay on the grass, you'll (usually) stop when you reach the sidewalk. All of these things make me so proud of my little man. You're listening and learning and trying your best.
Speaking of the park, you're becoming a little pro at playing and climbing. You go down slides like you've been doing it your whole life, and you love to go super high in the baby swing. We bring a ball or your sand toys along, and you'll scoop sand and roam around and explore. You also love playing in water, whether it's the hose, sprinklers, water table or especially the sink. You ask to play in the sink every day by leading me to the kitchen/bathroom and saying "seeeeek seeeeek." This can get pretty boring for your mama, who has to stand there and make sure you don't fall out, but it's ok because you love it so.
This month you surprised me at gym class! We've been going every week for about 5 months now and you would just sit during circle time and listen. I would help you with the arm movements to songs, but you weren't ready to do it on your own. But two weeks ago, you decided you were ready and you participated in every single song! You knew all of the arm movements to the "butterfly" song, you talked on your "foot phone," you made "meatballs" with your hands and you touched your nose to your feet! All in one class! I was so proud, my face hurt from smiling ear to ear. I guess you were just soaking it all in until you were ready to do it on your own.
I love our bedtime routine. Since summer has started, you've been pushing your bed time later and later, but we don't mind because your dad and I are enjoying our evenings together so much. Once summer is over we'll get back on an earlier routine, but for now you've been going down around 9-9:30. After dinner, dad's usually the one to give you a bath, and then we hang out together as a fam. When it's time to go to sleep, you'll help dad turn off the light and then give him a big kiss before joining me on the rocker. We tell daddy we love him, we'll see him in the morning, and then it's me and you rocking away until you drift to sleep. What you don't know is that every night dad comes back in to take you from my arms and lay you down in your crib so that I don't hurt my back. He also checks on you before we go to sleep to make sure your comf and the temperature is right. And he's the one who will comfort you if you wake in the middle of the night (which is pretty rare these days, but it does still happen). You sure are lucky to have such a loving daddy!
Here's more about you at 17 months:
- Favorite foods: tortillas, yogurt, applesauce, carrots, oranges/cuties. In the past few weeks you've become a pickier eater! Foods you used to love are no longer acceptable (i.e. bananas). Meals are becoming much more challenging and I've been pureeing your veggies/meats so you'll eat them, or making spinach smoothies during the day. You'll love something one day, and spit it out the next.
- Favorite books: Brown Bear, B is for Bear, Peekaboo Sophie, Where is Baby's Belly Button (still!)
- Favorite toys: BALLS to throw anywhere and everywhere, baseball mitt, your Mickey tent to roughhouse in, rocking horse, cars, stackable blocks, dad's iPod headphones, anything from the kitchen drawers/cupboards
- Favorite activities: gym class at the park (especially the parachute), playing outside, playing with water, sitting in the sink, saying hi to the ducks, exploring, being tickled on mom & dad's bed, ring around the rosie, putting on shoes
- Activities you tolerate/hot & cold: story time, stickers, coloring (mostly putting crayons in and out of the box), sidewalk chalk, building blocks, bubbles, bath, magnets, puzzle
- Favorite TV show: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. You could watch this all day if we let you! You will get the remote, bring it to us, point to the TV and say "Mi-eeeeee." We usually watch a few episodes a day, and a couple more on the days mom has a work call or deadlines. You just started getting up to do the hot dog dance :)
- Words you say: seeeeek (sink), ice, dad, hi, bye, Mickey, Penny, tuck (truck), bottle (you enunciate this perfectly, no "baba" over here!), chissss (cheese! - to smile for the camera) passssh (paci), peeeesh (please), pop!, noooo, eeeew, bup bup (up), down, out, go. You still sign for "more," "all done" and "help."
- Sleep schedule: down for the night 9-9:30 p.m., up anywhere from 6:30-8 a.m. Nap time is around noon and most days you'll sleep 2+ hours. By noon you are so ready for a nap that you fall asleep right away.
Next month you'll be 1.5 years old! Your dad and I are thinking of something fun to do to celebrate... I can't wait!
