Ambling Rileys: Fifteen Months, how can it be?!

Sweet Benny,

I swear I have not forgotten you! ~~It has been a busy couple of weeks with Uncle Shawn and Aunt Kacie's wedding.~~ It's the end of summer, and Mommy has gotten lazy! But you are at such a fun, amazing age, and I don't want to forget anything you are doing! I know I haven't kept up with your monthly post, but I think every few months is a good (and reasonable) goal! You turned 15 months this last Saturday, and I am constantly reminded how much I love this age. It's not easy - you definitely keep us busy. But the busyness is more than made up for by your adorable sweetness, excitement about learning new things, and amazement at experiencing things for the first time. Here is what you've been up to for the past few months:

Likes: You love to be walking around... just like Andrew at this age, you want to be free! If you are not contained in a high chair or a stroller, you want to be walking and you don't want to hold my hand! You still love Tucker - petting him, poking him, pulling his ears, and even trying to climb on him. We keep telling you to use "gentle touches" and Tucker is very patient (if very unsure) with you! You love to point out things that make noise - clocks chiming, oven or dishwashers that beep, planes flying over, and birds. You seem to love birds and will point them out wherever you see them (which is everywhere, of course). You love your blankets and love for me to wrap the blanket around you like a scarf. Every night after bath time you walk around with your blanket "scarf". You also seem to like stuffed animals, especially Mickey. Although you don't have the attention span to sit and watch TV yet, you seem really interested in Mickey, and will point to the TV and babble when you see him. You love Andrew and the feeling is mutual - he has started giving you sweet hugs, and you love that. You love to treat him like you treat Tucker - you pull his hair and clothes, poke him, and touch him. Most of the time Andrew doesn't mind your attention, but we have seen the starts of sibling fighting! You also love to go outside, and you get very sad if anyone goes outside and does not take you!

Dislikes: You're still a pretty easygoing little dude, and there's not too much that upsets you. You are at the age where you want things but can't tell us, and so you do get frustrated sometimes if we don't know what you are requesting of us. As I said, you get very sad if we go outside and leave you behind. You don't like when doors are open, and seem to have made it your personal mission to close any that are left ajar. We've gone swimming a few times after dinner, and you don't seem all that enthralled with it. You like it, but you seem to prefer to walk around outside of the water. You do get upset when we take something away from you or if we won't let you go where you want to go, but these are pretty typical 1-year-old behaviors!

Eats: Thank The Lord, you still like food! You are pretty easy to please in the dinner department, and you are not picky like your brother (yet!). You do have your favorites, namely fruits, pasta, bread, cheese, and snack foods, but you will willingly eat most any vegetable we give you. You are also happy to eat most anything we eat for dinner, while your brother will turn up his nose because food is too saucy/wet/spicy/the wrong color/etc. You do LOVE to snack, like Andrew, and we constantly have to keep the pantry closed, because you will be in there "shopping" for snacks. Goldfish, Teddy Grahams, and Ritz crackers are your favorites. You drink milk fairly well, but are also happy with water. Your iron is low, so we can't give you milk in the morning with your iron supplement, and you happily drink water - I think you like that more than Andrew ever did. You are your mommy's son! You especially love to drink water out of someone else's glass - especially mine!

Says: Well, you definitely are saying things, and we recognize a few words. You say bath (ba ba) and Mommy (Mama) and Daddy (Dada). You also say Andrew and Tucker, but they both sound like some variation of Dada (like Dede or Dayday). You love birds, and you say a word like sounds like birdy. You also say "yeah" and "that", but I'm not sure that you mean them in the correct way just yet. You sign for more (but I'm pretty sure you mean "give that to me") and you sign for all done (by which you mean "get me out of here, or I'm done doing this now"). One time Andrew and I were sitting on the floor reading a book and you walked up, closed the book, and signed for "all done". I think your message was pretty clear!

Milestones: You are walking very well, talking, and just generally charming everyone you see! You still have your lovely blond hair and bright blue eyes, and I must admit I'm a little bit obsessed with your hair! It's so fluffy and soft, and I have quite a few pictures of the back of your head... haha! We cut Andrew's hair so young, and he never got back that soft, baby hair. I've held off cutting yours for so long because of that, but I think we're going to bite the bullet this weekend and get your first trim. You're looking a little bit scruffy, and you love to run your fingers through your hair while you're eating, which causes a lot of messes!

You are at such an amazing and interactive age - you love to give hugs and kisses, and will sometimes surprise me with a big, open-mouthed kiss! It's precious, especially with Andrew. You two are very loving, and I love to see the sweet relationship that is growing. You will wave to people (not usually strangers), and you are still most comfortable with people you know. You are also starting to get into books!!! Yay! I have to admit, I was a little bit worried - Mom guilt is terrible! I feel like we haven't read to you as much as with Andrew, mostly because you're competing for our attention with your brother. But since we've stopped nursing, reading is part of our bedtime routine and you seem to really enjoy it. I try to include some of the books that were Andrew's favorites. Our bedtime favorites right now are: The Going to Bed Book, Shake a Leg, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, and Look at Baby. Daddy and I take turns with the bedtime routine, and you go to bed easily for either of us. You will now bring me books to read to you during the day also. I love it!

You're growing, albeit slowly (at least in weight!). We call you our Peanut! I don't think it's from lack of eating - you can put down more food than Andrew easily! At your 15 month appoiuntment, you weighed 19 lb. 4 oz. (6th percentile), were 31.5 inches tall (62nd percentile) and your head was 48 cm (82nd percentile). So, apparently that is just how our babies are: tall and thin with a big ~~head~~ brain. We think (know) you're perfect, and we are so blessed that you are ours! We love the person that you are becoming, and we can't wait to see your personality blossom over these next few months. We love you so much, Sweet Benny Boo!