Caden – 16 Months

Thank goodness for this blog.  Without the commitment I’ve made (to myself and you), I’m afraid all the little milestones that the kids hit would just slip by without me really noticing.  I’m so thankful to get to spend each and every day with my kids and to watch them grow up.  It’s all the small things that make our memories so sweet, and I am grateful that each month is packed with little notes.

• Caden’s vocabulary is growing by leaps and bounds right now.  He understands most of what we tell him at this point, and I constantly find myself underestimating (and surprised at) what he can do. He is responsible for putting his dirty clothes in the laundry basket and will reliably walk all the way from his bedroom to the laundry room on the other side of the house to put his clothes in the hamper.  He will also put his books back in his book bucket and his blocks in their canister.  Picking up is definitely a work in progress, but he is learning and he certainly understands that everything has a place.  Caden loves to help with the chores around the house – particularly moving laundry and unloading the dishwasher.  He also likes watching me cook in the kitchen, especially if I am using the big mixer.

• We purchased a second step stool for the kids to use in the main part of the house, and it is constantly in use.  Caden uses it all the time to climb on to the couch or chairs or to watch what you’re doing.  He is not asking “up prs” quite as often and will go get his stool instead.  Caden is such a little climber and is up and down off furniture, the coffee table, and the potty all day long.  His favorite right now seems to be on top of the potty tank where he can turn on the sink and play in the water.  I’m really discouraging him from doing it, but it is only a matter of time before he falls and smacks his face.  Silly boy.  One morning I heard Caden doing his “oh no” cry and hurried into the bathroom, assuming that he’d gotten stuck between the sink and the potty.  Instead he was sitting IN the sink and had managed to turn on the water which was pouring all over him.  Oh my!

• He is also getting more articulate and knows a ton of words.  Caden is especially fond of his “First 100 Words” book right now and will repeat attempt nearly every word you say.  Some of his favorite words right now are shoes, outside, yes (“eh-ss” while nodding his head), milk (now sounds like “bapbapbap”), good boy (“buh booooy”), night night, bye bye, and bath.  Of course uh oh is always a popular choice, as are “no no no” and “go go go.”  He spends a lot of time babbling while playing, and I know it is just a matter of time until those babbles turn into more and more words.

• He has learned most of the major body parts now – head, hands, arms, teeth, eyes, tummy, belly button, legs, and feet.  Caden has also been fascinated with his belly button and keeps walking around the house with his shirt lifted up, tickling his belly.  It’s cute … if not so appropriate for company.  Lol!

• Caden loves loves loves to spend time outside.  If the weather cooperates, we spend at least an hour outside each day.  Usually we go for a walk or play in the backyard while I do yard work.  Caden sure knows how to enjoy himself too … and he can get mighty dirty in the process!  I found him sitting in a puddle of mud the other day, completely soaking wet, with dirt on his face, and mud in his hair.  Since Caden’s second favorite thing is taking baths, he is happy as a clam when both occur back to back.  Let’s just say we have spent a lot of time in the tub lately and the washer has been busy!  What a mess!

• We are definitely still working on his dramatic side.  If he expects to get something and you tell him no, it is the end of the world as he knows it.  He is so dramatic about it, it is comical.  He’ll fall to his knees, arms hanging limply by his side and cry these big ol’ tears to say he’ll never be happy again!  This can happen several times per day, especially if he asks for milk between meals and I turn him down or if he thinks he is going to get to play outside but we are just going to the car.  Oh my, he sure knows what he wants.  So far I’ve mostly been ignoring his pleas; I hoping that making sure his dramatics don’t work will be enough to nix the behavior.  If he is being just ridiculous, I’ll ask him if he needs to go to his room to fuss and that’ll usually knock out some of the pitiful-ness.  He is allowed to fuss, but he needs to go do it in his room (the same rule for Miss Kamy).

• Kamy and Caden love playing together!  They are so much fun to watch and make me laugh every day with their antics.  They spend plenty of time entertaining themselves, but Caden will seek out Kamy to play with.  He’s very much in the “what’cha doing?” stage right now and Kamy is his favorite target.

• Caden is Mr Monkey-See-Monkey-Do right now.  He is so observant and since he can learn from Kamy, we have less control on what he picks up and when.  With Kamy we could avoid things like flushing the potty and turning door knobs and opening the fridge door by being discreet.  Instead Caden just watches Kamy like a hawk and wants to do whatever she is doing.  Here is a little video I shot of Caden playing with Min — not five minutes after Kamy was playing the same game.  His little mind works so fast and it takes no time at all for him to learn something new.

• I have been really impressed at how much self-control Caden is developing.  I know I have high expectations of what he can do, but even I am blown away by him sometimes.  We went to Home Depot two weeks ago and Daddy let Caden walk.  He told Caden that he was allowed to walk as long as he didn’t touch anything.  Fully expecting to have to pick him up in two minutes, we were so proud to watch him walk all over the store and up and down aisles following me and not touching anything.  He loved to stand on the yellow stickers on the floor and he smiled at the employees who all commented on how cute and good he was.  To make him even cuter, he tends to walk with his hands behind his back when he is not supposed to touch anything.  I find it so adorable (though I know I say that all-the-time about my chill’uns).

• Caden is such a sweet little boy.  He loves to give hugs and kisses.  When you ask for a hug he lays his head on your shoulder and says “awww.”  Kisses are always on the lips … if you try to turn your head so he kisses your cheek, he’ll match you turn-for-turn until he catches your mouth.  He also learned how to smack his lips and now he gives kisses that way too!  He loves playing with his Daddy who can always make him laugh.  They have a new game too — Daddy says “night night” and Caden puts his head down.  Then Daddy calls “wake up!” and Caden pops right back up.  Caden would do it over and over again (but I don’t have a good video of it yet).  It’s super cute.

I love my little man.  He has such a happy, friendly personality and is such a joy to be around.  It seems like he was born just a few short months ago, but it’s been nearly a year and a half already.  I love my little toddler!