Stats
Size 4 diapers
12-18 month clothing
24.4 pounds (55%) & 32.0 inches (36%)
Notable events
We had two cabin trips over the last 3 months, and this kid seriously lives his best life outside. He LOVES just walking around and exploring. And when we’re home, if anyone goes outside without him, he usually cries because he wants to go outside, too. My little nature baby!
About a month ago we went to a memorial service for Russ’s grandma, and it was right at nap time. Although I did attempt a nap in a nearby room for 15 minutes, I ultimately gave up because he was still crying. This resulted in Pete’s first ever no-nap day. He was actually totally fine the whole day — a little wired in the early afternoon and very tired in the late afternoon, but not cranky until the next day. He fell right to sleep that night! 🤣
We tried taking family pictures in Lake Tahoe earlier this summer, and he was just cryyyying so we gave up. We tried again a couple weeks ago and luckily he wasn’t crying the whole time, but he definitely didn’t want to smile! We got a few tiny smiles but that was IT! 🤣
Tricks/Milestones
He reliably gives high fives and pounds it.
Points to his nose, ears, and cheeks when asked.
Trying single stairs standing up (but prefers to hold a hand to do so).
Running 🏃🏼♂️
No longer immediately knocks over towers, for which the girls are grateful! He even started putting blocks together.
He’s getting more adventurous about climbing. He climbs onto chairs and the couch, and he also climbed these huge things at a park the other day.
He’s been using spoons, forks, plates, and bowls more lately. Still not GREAT at it, but not horrible.
Signs please, food, water, more, and all done, though not always. He almost never actually signs “all done,” and instead just starts throwing his food 🙄
Says car, woah, go, ma (which means more/want), nana (banana), no, la la (from Moo, Baa, La La La), please, all done (though he doesn’t USE this one much 🤣), night night, dog, and possibly others. His total is around 20 words.
Favorite things
I did not read much to this kid for the first 16 months of his life #thirdchild. So he didn’t like books as early on as his sisters did, but now he is OBSESSED. He is constantly bringing me books to read, especially if I sit down on the floor anywhere upstairs, or in the chair in his room. He takes that as an invitation to bring me a book and plop himself in my lap. His favorite is Moo, Baa, La La La which he calls La La. If I recite a book to him while I change his diaper, he is much more relaxed since he can focus on my words.
He has started singing, LOUDLY. Anytime I turn music on in the car, he just screams along basically 🤣
He still loves to play with balls, but mostly just NEW balls. He’s not super interested in the 91 balls we have at home, but if we go on a walk or to the park and he spots a new one, he’ll point it out and say “ball!” The funniest time was when I was wearing these big pearl earrings I have, and he noticed for the first time, said “ball,” and tried to get them off my ears 🤣
He loves making friends — waves and says hi to everyone we pass on walks (though usually too early for them to hear/realize), and to every animal!
He loves dogs. He often chases after them.
He loves airplanes! Every time he hears one, he points to the sky and looks for it. So stinking cute. We went to an air show the other day and he was in heaven with all the airplanes to look at!
I let him roam pretty freely at the park (I have loved watching his independence and abilities SOAR over the last two months), and occasionally he’ll come over to me for a quick little hug/snuggle before going back out to play. I love it so much 😍
Random tidbits
One thing that’s different about having a boy? He’s already had at least 4 haircuts in his life. He looks so handsome after a fresh cut!
If he’s around when I exercise, he tries to copy the movements and it’s so funny and cute.
Whenever he finds Barbie shoes, he puts them on his tiny fingers. This kid 🤣
For the most part, he is still the sweetest, easiest baby. The only hard thing is that he loves to throw balls, and now he’s started throwing EVERYTHING like it is a ball! He also bangs things against walls for the loud noise. So, we’re trying to figure out how to help him be less destructive 😅
I think Daddy is his favorite! Which Russ loves and I’m fine with. He’s still sweet with me when Russ isn’t around, but he’ll head straight for Rus if he’s an option!
Sleep
For a little while he would cry for a minute or two (and occasionally for 15 solid minutes) every time we’d lay him down, but we stayed consistent and luckily that stopped! .
His schedule looks like:
~7am awake
7:30am out of crib
12:45-3pm nap
7:30pm down
8pm asleep
Occasionally he wakes before 7, but he’s usually calm so I still leave him til 7:30. Occasionally he sleeps until 7:30, but I wake him at 7:30 if he’s still sleeping.
Previously, I was starting his nap more flexibly, based on his morning wake. I’ve moved to a more solidified 12:45/1pm start time. He basically always falls asleep within 5-10 minutes.
I often have to wake him from his nap at 3pm. Although I generally allow for naps up to 3 hours at his age, I’ve already started cutting back on his nap to help him fall asleep more quickly at night. Even with waking him at 3, he generally takes about 30 minutes to fall asleep. I could shorten his nap further or push his bedtime later to get him falling asleep quicker, but I don’t want to do either of those things just yet because it still works fine.
His schedule in waketimes is approximately 6 / 4.5. His sleep works out to be about 2 daytime hours, 11 nighttime hours, and 13 hours total.
