Austin at 1 year!!!

I don’t think I will continue with the monthly updates on what Austin is up to, now that he is over a year.. maybe I’ll do one every few months… so for now, this is my last monthly post (sad face.. my baby isn’t a baby anymore… wah!!!)

-weighs 24lbs, is 97% for height, 75% for weight and 80% for head. So he’s tall and skinny with a slightly large head. Middle school is going to be awesome for him, I can just tell.

-mimics us like crazy! Not just in sounds, but in actions. He holds his hand up to his ear like a phone every time we use our phones for anything, he wipes the floor with washcloths when I’m cleaning up, and dances along with us if we start dancing.

-We went against some advice and switched him to facing forward in his carseat. Guys, this has single handedly saved my sanity! No more 40-minute commutes of guttural, animalistic screaming from the backseat. He now looks out the window and babbles, I can reach back and tickle his feet and make him laugh, and his favorite thing is to cough, which then I cough back, then he coughs back at me, and on and on.

 

-Wants to be involved with Neal and I when we are doing “grown-up” things. If we’re unloading the dishwasher he is there pulling things out along with us, if we are cooking he wants up to watch what is going on.

-Signs for “more”, “cookie”, and “milk”

-Says “dah” for dog, and “gen-goo” for gentle. I haven’t heard him say gentle yet, but his teachers claim he says it a lot at school.

-Knows the word “no” and will grin at us and shake his head "no" when we say it to him. Then he promptly continues to get in the garbage or the dog food or whatever other naughty thing he was doing.

-Doesn’t like to take afternoon naps anymore, and is basically down to one long morning nap a day.

-Knows where his baby cookies are stored, and will walk into the kitchen, reach for the cabinet and stomp back and forth while going “mmumm! Mum!! mummm!”

-Knows certain things get a reaction from Neal and I and will act silly and watch us react and laugh at him. He’s a little comedian!

-Loves to play chase and will run and hide around corners and then peek out and see if we are still chasing him and then go back to hiding while squealing in delight.

-wants to climb on any toy that moves, like his little car race track that spins around. We call this “playing Godzilla” because he stomps onto the racetrack, knocking cars everywhere and then seems confused as to why it won’t rotate around with him on it.

-has been eating food fairly well, but still is a bit picky. He loves pancakes, waffles, cornbread, spaghetti, Grillers meatless patties, blueberries, cheese, applesauce, crackers, and milk. He must be a texture sensitive kid because getting him to eat actual fruits and veggies is a challenge. He spits them out and looks at them sternly. So we are back to fruit and veggie purees.

-climbs up the stairs with ease and now knows how to get back down going backwards.

-climbs up on the couch and can get down. Also (tries, but we stop him) to climb on the coffee table, and climbs on a little stool too.

-is in a Mommy phase and has been pretty clingy to me, even when Neal is around. He cries when I drop him off at school now, so he’s becoming really aware of the whole “Mommy is leaving thing.” Breaks. My. Heart. Hate that part!!!!!

-is obsessed with the following things: hats (and taking them off people’s heads), getting inside the pantry, getting inside the fridge and playing with the condiments in the door, grabbing at Henry, the remote, cookies, and graham crackers.

-started to carry a blanket around with him everywhere in the evenings, earning him the nickname “Linus”.

-babbles a ton and really strings together different sounds. He really sounds like he is “talking”- with gestures, inflections, etc. I think he is going to be a major chatterbox!

-doesn’t scream or fuss anymore when he wipe his nose. I thank my Mom for this.. she watched him for 4 days and when he came back he suddenly handled nose wiping like it was no big thing! He is even starting to try and blow when we wipe his nose.

-is overall, a really good, really fun little kid!

I really love this age, he is such a little person now, and so unique. We can play, interact, he understands, makes us laugh… there are still whiney days (oh lord are there WHINEY DAYS!!!!!!!), and tears, and tantrums, and frustration but I overall we are kinda having a blast with him lately!

Here we go into the toddler days!!