19 Months

Is it the 8th of July already? My goodness. I thought I had a little more time to compose this entry but it looks like I've left it a little late to start. Oops. Short one then.

Hey there little one,

I may sound like I'm repeating myself over and over again, but I just have to say it again. I can hardly believe how fast you are growing and the amazing things you are capable of doing now. Let's see... what's new this month?

You are sprouting all 4 canine teeth at the same time. Yes. All 4 at the same time. Aside from some restless sleep at night when the amber is around your ankle and not around your neck, you haven't seemed disturbed by them at all. I wouldn't even have realised that you had new teeth if I hadn't decided to have a peek some time last week.

You are still eating like a champ. Most of the time. I swear, some days it seems to me that you are surviving on nothing but air and mama's milk. But we all have days like that, of low appetite. So I have learned to keep offering, but trust that you know your body better than I do. But the wonderful thing is that your repertoire of accepted foods have vastly expanded and that makes me happy. You used to reject eggs and most meat and even kiwis. But now you happily gobble it all up. Best of all, you are not able to tell me what you want to eat. Like for breakfast, I ask: You want oatmeal or bread? And sometimes you say oatmeal, sometimes you say bread. Sometimes you just know it's time for your snack soon and you tell me that you want to eat bananas (or something else) even before I get a chance to ask you.





You are starting to really exert your independence and will now. You struggle and fight us when it comes to diaper time, and will only cooperate if we had given you a choice as to where you would like to have to diaper changed. If you got the chance to choose a spot to lie down, you would cooperate nicely. Same with almost everything else. Drives me nutty sometimes, but who can blame you for wanting some semblance of control over your own little life right? Independence is good. Most of the time.

This month you started soccer classes at our local community centre. Only 2 classes before the term ended, but you looked like you really enjoyed it. And it certainly helps that you are perfectly capable of kicking a ball like a little pro soccer player. Makes your soccer-fan mama so proud :D This are pictures from your "graduation" -

You have gotten much much better at entertaining yourself if I say that I'm busy and you've got to go play on your own for a while. You'd get your books out and flip pages, while pointing at pictures and naming them, or babbling away incoherently, presumably reading the book your own way. Or you'd get all your toys off the shelf and toss them all over the apartment and start walking all over them, delighting in the different sensations under your feet. Or sometimes you simply crawl under the table where I'm sitting and spread yourself across my feet and play with my tosies while you wait for me to finish whatever I'm busy with. To some people, it may seem like I'm ignoring you and that's neglect. To me, I find it to be valuable time for you to play independently, and let your imagination roam free, without an adult affecting your creativity and play. You may not appreciate it now or most of the time, but believe me, some day you will probably thank me for it.

You've been good at engaging with activities that I set out for you, whether it be transferring pom poms, ice cubes, pouring water, "cutting fruits and vegetables", etc. Usually these activities can hold your attention for at least half an hour, and sometimes even more if it's something you haven't seen before or did in a while. And that's mighty impressive to me, the kind of focus and attention you have.







You taken an interest to trains and look forward to meeting daddy at the train station each evening, and watching the trains come and go. It's all so fascinating to you, and thanks to you, mama has started to look at the trains from a different point of view. I've always taken it for granted, knowing how it all works. With you though, seeing them through your eyes, I can appreciate the sense of marvel and wonder that you have when you watch these giant machines in action. It really is pretty cool :)

You are still incredibly outgoing and friendly, even to strangers. Going up to random parents and kids and babies and people wherever we go just to wave and say hi. Sometimes people are amused and they respond in kind. Sometimes they look at you and me, like we're weird. So I shrug and we move on. I'm not letting these people dampen your positivity. It'll happen in time to come, but if I have anything to say about, it won't be any time soon.

Funnily enough, you seem to have developed an apprehension towards dogs that we meet. From a distance you are enamoured and all you want to do is stand there and watch. But you don't really like to go near them anymore. Not sure what triggered this change of attitude, but I think it's a good thing that you don't just run up to random dogs indiscriminately without knowing if they are friendly or not.

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At 19 months old, you are adorable, lovable, smart, curious, engaging, charming, cheerful, determined, and simply wonderful. But at the same time, you can be infuriating, frustrating, annoying, and irritating. But whatever it is, I will always love you unconditionally. You are my son. That's all that needs to be said.

Love,
Mama