What is Britton Like These Days?

Britton is 16 months old now, and here I am (as I am wont to do lately), pondering the question ... who took my baby boy away and gave us back this big kid??? Our boy has turned into a walking-talking-tricycle-riding-want-to-be-outside-all-the-time-ball-throwing-cackling-teeth brushing-book reading-climbing-busy body-little-big munchkin. And we are loving every minute of it!

Walking

His biggest accomplishment lately is walking. He started taking independent steps at 14 months, and was getting more and more brave with it. One day at Mother's Day Out, he just started walking all over the place, and he hasn't slowed down since. That was just three weeks ago, and I am amazed at how he gets better and more confident as the days go on. Within a few days, he was turning around in the middle of his stride, making corners, and even, all on his own, practiced sitting down in his chair and then standing to walk (over & over), hence this video. I am impressed. I can see why everyone says these kiddos go from walking to running in no time. Britton is well on his way. We have had fun playing "chase" ... him toddling around, looking back at me, and cackling, as I follow him around. I have to admit, now that the walking stage is here, it really is lots of fun.

Talking
Britton has also been learning words lately. He started saying his first word -- "Dada" -- at around 12 months. He would point to Danny and say "Dada" (still does). He used to call lots of other things "Dada" as well, but now pretty much just uses it to refer to his Daddy. Recently, he has started doing the funniest thing ... when Danny pulls up in his car. Britton runs to the window and screams "AAAAAAHHHHHHH, Dada!" "AAAAAAAAHHHHHHH, Dada!" I have to get a video ... it is the funniest thing. Britton says "Mama," but uses it sparingly. Like, only when he is crying or hungry, and even then occasionally. He'll pull on my pants legs and say "Ma-ma." He has started calling Piper "dog" or "daga" (doggie). He loves his "daga." I will tell him to go love the doggie, and he will walk across the room and give Piper a hug. He always says "aaaaaaaahhhhhhhh" in a soft little voice when he loves Piper. So sweet. His other latest word is "please" but it sounds more like "zzzzzzzzzzzzzz." When he says it, he clasps his hands in the more/please sign, and cocks his head downward. Precious.

In other cognitive skills, he really has surprised me by what he is understanding. A few months ago, I would have said he didn't understand much more than his name and the word "no". But now, he is really understanding a lot. A few examples ...
* When we say "hello" he puts his hands to his ear, as if answering the phone.
* When we ask where his bellybutton is, he'll point to it or pull his shirt up.
* When I ask where Piper is, he'll look up to Piper's spot (on the back of the arm chair) or if I ask where Daddy is, and he'll look out the window. If I tell him Daddy is home, he heads to the window to see for himself.
* When I ask if he wants more food, he does the sign language sign for more or says "please".
* When I ask him to give Mommy a love, he'll come over and put his arms around my neck or come at me with a big open-mouth kiss. Melt my heart.
* When reading books, like our favorite Goodnight Moon, I can ask him to find the red balloon, and he'll point it out on all the pages.
* He'll pick up his shoe or socks and try to put them on. Or even pick up my show and try to put it on my foot. (For some reason this surprises me as it was learned just through observation.) He'll also pick up a brush and run it through his hair.

Playing
He loves playing with his toys, and is always going ninety-to-nothing around our living room with his toys or reading books, or looking under the couch for all the toys that somehow end up under there. His latest thing is loving the outdoors. When Danny comes home in the evening, Britton is waiting at the door for him, he gives him a hug and immediately points outdoors, ready for a tricycle ride. Since the weather has warmed up (although this rain is putting a damper on it), we often take a stroll around the block, pushing Britton on his trike. Or we head down to the lake near our house, where Britton likes looking at the swans, geese and turtles. Such a big boy.

Other Things
Britton is also into climbing these days ...


And is a great milk drinker...


And once Spring hit, he developed "boy knees." You know, scabs, mosquito bites, callouses .... I figured I might as well get used to it.

He also enjoys a Baby Einstein or PraiseBaby DVD every now & then ...


And is beginning to feed himself with a spoon. We usually have oatmeal in the morning, and I will spoon it up, put it on his tray, and he will pick up the spoon, pretend to dip it in the bowl, and then put it in his mouth. He's got the whole motion down, and could probably do a decent job with yogurt or something easy to spoon, we just haven't tried it yet.

He is also a fabulous sleeper. I hesitate to write that, should he find out and change his ways! But he has been a solid sleeper since he was 3 months old, so I don't think anything is changing. He sleeps a good 12 hours at night, and is still taking two naps a day that equal a good 3 or 4 hours. He is also pretty flexible and can handle it when we are out and have to skip a nap. I am thankful for that. His sweet go-to-sleep routine goes like this: I put him in his crib, he immediately flops over onto his stuffed puppy dog, I rub his back for a minute, and then he is out. My favorite time of day though is late at night when we slip into his room to check on him. We'll watch him sleep, rub his little back and cover him with his blanket. It is a sweet time watching our little big boy fast asleep.


Britton continues to be a very sweet and good-natured little guy. He smiles easily, is a big flirt and loves making connections with people. He works the crowd as his Giffen grandparents say, and totally knows when he is the center of attention.

He is a sweet little big boy, and we are infinitely blessed to have him as our son. So thankful for all the miracles in his young little life that have allowed him to be the precious and thriving child he is today.