Seventeen Months

Wow - lots to tell this month.  Sorry about the length folks.  I got a new computer so I'm hoping to blog more often to avoid these marathon posts....we'll see.  This is my G at 17 months:

Looks delighted to be doing this, doesn't he?

17 Months:

In to:

- dogs: Griffin says “ooof ooof” when he sees dogs or when you say, “What does a puppy say?”

• trains:  Griffin says “choo choo” when he plays with his trains
• cars: still makes his motorboat sound when playing with cars
• really, anything with wheels
• fish
• balls
• giving kisses
• books
• Alvin and the Chipmunks...uhhhh:  There is still something about this movie that is eerily hypnotic to Griffin.  He still likes Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Backyardigans okay, but only when they are singing a song.  I’m okay with him not totally loving any TV show at this point.  It keeps him more active.
• music and dancing: I just bought the Small Potatoes CD and he seems to like it, though I may actually like it more.  I think his old tried and true favorite is still anything by Laurie Berkner.
• DADDY
• Griffin is also totally into his cousin and really loves his Aunt Rachel.  He loves to see his Yogi and BooBoo at church, too.  They have gotten opportunity to babysit a little more this month and Griffin is really getting “into” Yogi and BooBoo.  They. love. it.
• phones, ipad, remote control - really technology that looks important or expensive. Give him a toy remote or phone and he really doesn’t care for it much.
• the book “Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too?”  I literally read this 3-4 times every night .  He can’t seem to get enough.

I'd eat anything this little superman fixed up.

Proof!  You CAN eat with a spoon!

Come on, Mom!  Who needs pants to go outside?

Still love that swing...

Up to:

• Griffin has been signing like crazy, but only a few signs.  He has perfected his “more” sign and “please” sign and uses them appropriately.  He also says “eeeese” sometimes, but it seems to be less frustrating for him to sign now that he has figured it out.  He also uses the all done sign when he is finished or wants down from his meal.
• Griffin says “up” and then signs please when he wants me to pick him up....most of the time. :) Sometimes he just grunts and I remind him “up please” and he either says it perfectly or picks on or the other “up” or “please” to say.  It’s pretty cute.
• He also says “up” when he wants down. :)
• Up to - literally - climbing and standing and running on the couch.  He is getting his first little spankings for this one.
• Griffin is getting interested in using pens, pencils, and markers.  I have found some really cute toddler ones that he likes to get out every now and then.
• He is also attempted to work puzzles.  Some days he is better at it and has more patience for it than others, but we are definitely improving.
• Griffin loves finding his little treasures and placing them inside of things, buckets, cabinets, random drawers. He especially loves to place his treasures in something he can carry or push around like a wagon.
• Griffin loves all of his ride on toys and push along toys.
• He LOVES when we walk down to the creek in out backyard and then throws rocks in it.  He is really getting good and throwing!  This seems like a strange thing to want to teach your child, but we practice and practice.
• When we drive to Aunt Rachel’s in the morning, he gets very excited as we get closer to their home.  I say, “Do you want to go see ____?” and list off each of their names.  Griffin starts bouncing in his chair and throwing his fist in the air as if he is knocking on the door.  THen, when we park, he pracitcally jumps out of his car seat and “knocks” on the air the whole way that I carry him to the door and then knocks on the door himself.   It. is. so. cute.
• Oh - and he hardly cries when I leave now!  Kinda breaks my heart. That just started this week.
• Griffin loves to play with running water in the bathtub.  He loves to brush his teeth.
• He loves to knock down towers that I build.
• Loves, loves, loves going to the park to play.  He can climb up the slide and slide down all. by. himself.

Yes, I know he doesn't match, but remember that picture with im running out the door with no pants?  THat was this day and I grabbed what I could.

throwing rocks in the creek

blowing kisses

Loves ducks!

One of our new favorite toys is a concrete floor and an ice cube. :)

Griffin and his buddy Walt!

Oh. my. goodness.  he is loving trains right now!

All about:

• size five diapers
• using night-time diapers to “absorb the flow”
• growing out of size 7 shoes...it’s crazy!
• size 24month/2T shirts, and can wear either 24month/2T pants or 18 month pants.  The 24m/2T are just a little long usually and we roll down the waist band.
• Griffin says and identifies: boot, shoe, dog, fish, duck, dada, momma, baba (baby), baa (ball), BooBoo
• He says: eeeen uh (clean up), up, tcht (touch).  I think he said “what’s this?” a couple of time when we were looking at one of his picture books.  That’s what I say constantly when we are looking at it, so it could have been....
• He identifies: tummy, belly button, eyes, hands, hair, head, teeth, mouth, ears, nose, feet.  He does get hands/head/and hair mixed up and for teeth he always points to my teeth. :)
• Griffin takes a bath aroud 7:00, goes to bed between 7:30 and 7:45 and gets up between 5:30 and 6:00 (every 3 weeks or so he sleeps until 6:30 or 6:45.)  He then takes a nap around 9:30 or 10:00 that varies from 1 to 2 hours and then he usually takes an afternoon nap sometime for 1-2 hours.  If he actually sleeps until 6:45 or so, he will only take one nap at around noon and sleep for a good 2 and a half hours.  I do still rock before bed.  Sometimes I lay him down awake, sometimes asleep.  He does drink milk right before bed.  Yes, he does.  I kind of feel bad about it, but not really because I’m still letting him do it.  He’s never used a pacifier or anything, so I gotta let the little guy have something!
• Other tricks:  “What does a cow say?”  “mooooo”  “What does an elephant say?” (Griffin raises up his arm like a trunk and makes a motorboat/spitting sound.  A dear friend of mine’s little boy does this and I showed it to Griffin and he picked it up in no time.  Thanks for your trick, Jamie!)  “What does a puppy say?”  oooof ooooof

All I could get him to eat this meal was broccoli and asparagus... I just though I should document this. :)

I know I look lovely, but Griffin actually took this picture with his mad iphone skills!

more trains....

we took Griffin to the new aquarium in Grapevine.  It was wonderful and he loved it!

playing in dirt at Aunt Rachel's!  He LOVES it there.

another one from Aunt Rachel

Joey is such a good helper feeding Griffin!

Ewwwwww!  Just thought I should also document the black eye Griffin gave me.  He dropped his sippy cup right on the bone...crazy.

He can go up and down this slide all by himself!

still loving the beautiful weather and the park

"Dadaaaa?  Dadaaaa?"  Chris went on a trip with some buddies last week and Griffin and I waited for him to get home the night he came back.   Griffin was so cute looking around for dada.

BooBoo got to keep Griffin some this month.  This is just a pic of one of the wagon rides he got to go on!

Griffin, baby, we are so, so thrilled to be blessed to be your parents.  We are prouder of you by the day and you bring us so much joy.  We pray that you will continue to bring joy to all those around you as well and that you keep growing big and strong and smart!  Love you so much!