12-16 Months Video Compilation

16 Months

Hey little you.

You have been 16 months old for all of 9 days and you are a world away from the baby you were a few short months ago when I wrote you on your first birthday.

Your language skills grow every day. I couldn’t list all the words you know if I tried and you love to enthusiastically repeat the things we say.

At lunch time today Dad called and I had him on speaker phone – it went like this…

Dad: I’m on my way home, be there in a second
Me: Ok
You: OK!!
Dad: She still awake?
Me: Yes
You: YES!!

You’re really into putting “a” before things right now. It’s never just “dog” or “car”  it’s  “A CAR!” or “A DOG”! 

This morning you pointed to your mouth and told me “Tee. Out-ch.(Teeth. Ouch.)” I hope it’s true – you still only have 6 teeth and could really use some more. We have to cut everything up for you – you can’t take bites of a sandwich like we see other kids your age do. 

But still you amaze us more and more every day.  You are an absolute sponge. You know the alphabet and have taken to excitedly pointing out (read: screaming out) letters anywhere you see them. We waited in the car for Dad to buy something in Walgreens a few days ago and sitting under the sign that said “PHARMACY” you declared “A!”.  I said “Yes, good job, that IS an A!” to which you responded with a frown “NO!” We went back and forth for a few moments – with you growing increasingly frustrated until finally you said “NO! TWO!”. 

Now, here’s the truth Kiersyn. I don’t really know what to do with a 16 month old who can tell me there are two As in Pharmacy. Your aptitude is intimidating and I fear being unable to help you reach your full potential. In addition to knowing the alphabet (albeit not perfectly, you sometimes confuse similar looking letters like E and F) you know eight basic shapes, animals and the sounds they make, your body parts, understand the concept of counting (wanting me to help you count things constantly and tell me you have 2 of something any time you do) and your creativity is impressive. Last week you took to stealing dog food out of Lexie’s bowl when she was outside to make trails – one tiny piece by piece - from the dog door down the hall or to wherever you saw fit. You squealed in delight when she followed along stopping to crunch on each one. I have no idea where you got this idea as you definitely haven’t watched me or Dad do anything like that. 

When you don’t know the word for something, you find a way to communicate. You’ve been playing in the baby pool (sans clothes) in the backyard quite a bit as it’s over 100 degrees right now. Yesterday you stood at the back door, pointed at the pool and said “Baf peebs (bath please).” To which I responded “You want to play in the pool?” you looked at me surprised “Ohhh. Jess (yes). Pool.”

You’ve begun to enjoy pretend play; rocking and feeding your baby dolls and pretending to drink (along with slurping noises) too.  You’re REALLY into animals that “roar” – lions, tigers, bears… and will crawl on all fours roaring at us until we roar back. You also really love to “scare” us (Lexie included) with a sudden “BOO!” – you especially love to fling open the shower curtain and yell it while I’m in the shower. I assure you this is indeed occasionally truly startling which you of course absolutely love. 

You are still an incredible sleeper. At night we read a book, say a bedtime prayer (which you end with a resounding AYYYYMEN!), usually we rock a few minutes and then I tell you night-night, give you a kiss and put you in bed. You either roll over and go right to sleep or talk to yourself and whatever stuffed animals you’ve weaseled into bed with you that night for a few minutes before drifting off. You sleep 12-13 hours at night and recently have been taking a 3 hour nap in the early afternoon. Crazy…but no one’s complaining.  

Now, reading over all that you sound like a dream child. Hate to break it to you… but you aren’t.

You may have inherited your father’s need for sleep but despite my praying and bargaining with the Lord, you did not get his consistent, even keel, laid back personality. You move from deliriously happy to inconsolably upset in a heartbeat– fortunately it is usually the former.

You are ridiculously adamant about your independence. You are a stubborn, hard headed, strong willed, free spirit and Heaven help us if anyone gets in the way of it. If someone touches you when you aren’t in the mood or you think there is a threat of being physically guided you will shriek or pick up the hand touching you and throw it off. You’ve even been known to casually remove my arm around you while sitting in my lap reading a book. A gesture that confirms our relation in a way that rattles me to the core- I know you’re gently saying “Don’t confine me”. Thankfully, you do love to give affection on your own – you will walk up and say “wuv (love)” hugging our legs and leaning your head against us (Lexie too). 

You are seeing just how much control you really have lately. You have taken to shrieking at the top of your lungs for minutes at a time to see if I react. It makes you absolutely furious when I don’t get upset. It’s hard not to laugh at your expressions of irritation when I don’t follow your agenda. 

You also have a need for constant stimulation. You get bored in an instant and every second you are not fully engaged or challenged is a countdown to meltdown. You will play by yourself for a total of 5 seconds, tossing whatever you’re playing with to the side and stare at me with a bored “Ok now what?” You demand continuous interaction. When I try to do my makeup in the morning you bring a pile of books into the bathroom, flip through each one and then begin to repeat “Mom. Mom. Mom. Mo-om.” increasingly insistent until you either lose it or I give you something new to do. 

You’ve begun telling yourself “No, no, no” when you approach something you are not supposed to touch. And then… you touch it anyway. Almost. Every. Time.  Kills me.  Fortunately your little pep talk with yourself serves as a fantastic warning system in the event that I don’t happen to be in the same room. 

There is so much more I’d like to tell you about the ways you keep us on our toes but you’re waking up from your nap and calling me ever so impatiently so it’ll have to wait til next time.

Love you goober fish.

Happy 16 months!