Twelve Months

Milestones and Firsts...

• He is walking! Not all of the time and not without wobbles, but he's doing it. It began the week of July 22nd... he just kept going and we realized that he was really doing it. Here is some video:

• He understands how utensils work. He has a little trouble stabbing the food with the fork, but he knows how to feed himself with it and is very persistent in doing it himself. 
• We have been weaning him off of formula {ugh, I hate that stuff} and onto whole cow's milk this past month. He has done really well with the transition and continues to eat his solids well. He will take his water in a sippy cup, no problem. He thinks milk is for playing with when it's in anything other than a bottle. I am going to try a straw sippy cup to see if he will use that. At his check up today, his pedi tested his hemoglobin and it was great, measuring 13. She gave us the go ahead to stop formula and give him only milk. Yay!
• The two lateral incisors - I had to look that up, ha! - are coming in beside his top front teeth, so he has six teeth total now.

• He started at his new daycare on July 8th. He is doing really well, but he is still adjusting to his new teachers. He cries when I hand him off, but quickly stops once his teacher distracts him with something. It absolutely breaks my heart into a million pieces, but I know he is fine once I am gone. I love his teachers and his new classroom and curriculum. They have so much for him to do and they take the kids outside for walks. It's one full time teacher because there are just four kids in his class right now. There are a couple teachers that break her and cover her if she has to leave for any reason. Grayson does well with both of them too. I walked in the other day to pick him up and he was sitting in a circle with the other kids, listening to the teacher read a story. So cute, I almost burst. 
• We finished our Parent and Me beginner swim lessons. Grayson absolutely loves it and it shows. He splashes and laughs and kicks the entire time! We are going to continue swim lessons at our local YMCA.
• He went on a bike ride in the Burley D'Lite trailer for the first time! He knocked out. I about died pulling him {haven't been on my mountain bike much lately}, but it was fun and a great workout.

• He is very independent these days. He wants to walk or crawl instead of being carried. He wants to push the shopping cart rather than ride in it. He will sit in the living room {toy room 1} or the family room {toy room 2} by himself and play with his toys for quite a while. 
• He loves his Dada and when I ask "where is Dada?" he looks around for him and repeats Dada over and over until we find him. He is definitely a Momma's boy still and I am just fine if he stays that way forever! His kitties still taunt him and pass him by, just out of reach. He loves them and squeals in delight every time he sees them. He and Apollo are best buddies. They usually hang out together in the backyard, G's favorite place, in the evenings. He also adores other babies and kids. Another kid guarantees a huge smile and squeal from him.
• He is doing well developmentally; pointing, clapping, saying a few words, walking, figuring out his toys that require him to open things, put blocks or balls in them, cause and affect, he knows what "no" means, but I also explain everything to him and I never just say "no" - I always explain why we don't do that, etc. I know that he will understand these things before he can talk, so Nick and I want to make it a habit now. He gives us hugs and shows us affection. His favorite toys are instruments; drums, bongos, the harmonica, any toys that rattle when you shake them... he loves to make noise, and of course, kitchen utensils, specifically wooden spoons and spatulas. He really enjoys being outside and he gets very upset and angry when it's time to come inside or if he sees one of us go outside without him. I am so happy that he loves the outdoors because we love them too. He loves to drop things into boxes or baskets or trash cans, but I think he likes to throw everything out even more :)

Video of his throwing skills:

Other tidbits about being 12 months old...

• He is sleeping very well, just like his Momma :) 12 hours at night and typically one nap mid-day, 2 to 3 hours long. 
• He is wearing 12-18 month clothes.
• He is wearing size 3 diapers.
• He weighed in at 22 lbs 9 oz and measured 29 inches long.

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Well, this is his last formal monthly update. Cue tears. I figure I will post updates still, to track his development and milestones much like a baby book, but nothing formal. I still can't believe he is a year old. It seems the years fly by faster and faster the older I get. It's a great reminder to cherish and savor each and every moment.

xoxo,
Megan