13 months old!

Maverick, at 13 months old you are a busy, busy little boy. Here is what has been happening in your little world this month:

- you love to babble. I can't say that you have any particular "words" yet, but you seem to be trying to copy or repeat us on some. We *think* we have heard: dog, ball, up, that, button, bug, and of course mama and dada. For everything else it's just "ooooooh" and pointing.

- you love cars! All the fun boy toys you got for your birthday you love to play with and you roll them across the ground, the tile, the arm of your carseat, wherever you are and make "car" noises by either doing "vroom vroom" or blowing your lips.

- you LOVE airplanes and not only have to point and stare at them when they fly over and you are playing outside, but you also make sure everyone else notices as well. Whenever you see a plane you are sure to get my attention and make sure I see (and get excited about!) it too.

- you fell down the stairs for the first time this month. My bad. We have a gate at the bottom and I always put you over and you go all the way up to the top by yourself no problem with me right behind you. I am guessing when you got to the top and realized I wasn't there you turned around to come and get me (cause you are sweet like that) and fell down.I was in the kitchen getting your bottle and heard a couple loud thuds and then you crying and it scared me half to death. You had a big goose egg on your forehead and a bruise on your arm and hip. Tula was standing on the stairs and when i got there her eyes were as big as pie plates from seeing the whole thing. She was yelling "You okay Maverick?" Your big sister is always looking out for you. Needless to say it will be a long time till we try that again.

- you love to sit in chairs, if you can't get into it yourself you will hit at the seat of it and say "that" till I put you in there. Then you like to move all around in there and give me a heart attack thinking you are going to fall off. You have BIG SMILES when you get to sit on any sort of an adult chair.

- you are a bit of a screamer. You have a temper, no doubt. If you don't like or want something you have a scream that would shatter glass. Loud and clear, we get it when you are not happy. You will also try and smack things out of my hand if I try and offer you something you don't want. You get VERY frustrated with me when I am not understanding you, and although we are still working on a couple baby signs to make this stage a little easier, nothing seems to have caught on yet so Mommy plays lots of guessing games with you!

- digging in the rocks. The weather has been cooler here the past couple weeks and you and your sister spend most mornings outside. You love, and could for hours sit in the rocks and dig, pour them from one cup to the other, and load up your Tonka truck and push it around. There have been a couple mornings I have put you out after breakfast and other than me bringing snacks to you haven't seen you again till lunch. I love watching you through the window lost in playtime and wonder in a moment alone or with your sister. You love your Cheerios in the morning, but as soon as you are done and I set you on the floor you immediately walk over to the patio door and bang on the glass till I open it for you and let you outside.

- you are a very independent little guy, I guess you learned this from your big sister. You love your alone and quiet time. You go to bed very easily right now, a bottle and a little snuggle and I put you in your bed totally awake and you go to sleep on your own. Love you for this:) Easy bedtime=happy Mommy.

- you love to clap and are starting to figure out dancing. You think it is funny to do, but when you and Tula start clapping or dancing together it is hilarious to you. I have a couple fond memories of driving in the car and turning around to see you both clapping together, huge smiles on both of your faces. You guys are two peas in a pod.

- oh, you love the television. I don't know if it's a guy thing or what. Your sister was never as in to it as you are at your age, but to be honest I don't think I really even turned the thing on much back then. Tula is older now and has a couple shows she likes to watch but you will sit and watch anything. Sometimes you will go and crawl into your guys' tv chair and point to the tv and "ooooo" till I catch your drift and go turn it on for you. You will lean back in the chair and relax like you just put in a 12 hour shift somewhere and get lost in whatever is on the tube.

-you are waving "bye bye"

- you are my cuddle bug. You still will just come over to me, especially if I am down on the floor with you guys, and lay your head on me. You like to wrestle too, you will sit on me and giggle if you want to play. You love to be touched, any physical contact and you are a happy guy.

Happy 13 months Mav John! Love you!