Still growing...16 Months

Maybe we'll call this Emmitt's face-maker button. Yeah, that sounds about right. Just press (gently) in the middle of his forehead and you'll get a different facial expression every.single.time.

Happy Emmitt

Scowling Emmitt Love the Sound of My Voice Emmitt

Oh those eyes Emmitt

At Sixteen months this kid knows which look to pull on and how to use it well. He can literally give you one look and you know what he is thinking. Those eyes are the path to his train of thought. He gets such excitement in those eyes when he sees you when you first walk in the room, like you've been away on a long vacation.

He just has to glance at a light switch and then give you the questioning look, like; come on walk me over to it so I can turn it on and off. And when you do, his eyes light up and he thanks you with them.

He can scowl and scream when he wants something that he can't get by brute force. He still squeals to make himself heard and glares at, mainly his brother, us when he knows he is being told no.

He can ask the simplest question with a look of his eyes and a grunt or point. Daily he "asks" us for a granola bar. In the morning he walks over to the snack drawer, pulls out a granola bar, speed walks over to somebody who can open it, gives you the look, shakes his head yes and hands you the bar. All without saying a word. His little mind is just racing and his eyes are full of excitement wanting that granola bar.

At Sixteen months, he still loves to cuddle. This kid gives the best hugs I have ever known. He snuggles onto a shoulder and just can't get enough of the crook of your neck. And those little hands squeeze tight and hang on to your clothing. He snuggles all throughout the day, more when he is just going down to sleep or just waking up. At bedtime he does not want to be rocked or held still. He points to his crib and says his "yes". You ask, "do you wanna go in your bed?" and he is already shaking his head yes. We lay him down, cover him up, give him a stuffed animal of his choice and a full sippy cup of water. If you don't do it in that order, he is looking for the cup of water...if it's empty, you better be running to the bathroom to fill it up. He proceeds to chug more than half and then quietly puts himself to sleep for a good 10-12 hours. Not a peep out of that kid at bedtime. He is still taking a good afternoon nap each day. At least 2-2 1/2 hours after lunch. Some days we stretch it a little later and he doesn't seem to mind. But by 7:30 or so he is ready for bed.

He loves bath time. He has started laying on his belly and "swimming" in the tub. If you give him anything that he can turn into a cup, he will and then drink the bath water repeatedly, until you have tossed out all the toys that can be used that way. Then he resorts to sucking on the rag and re-dipping it in the water.

He is easy to please, goes with the flow and predictable. He operates on his own schedule, other than sleeping. He rarely eats a "meal" when we all sit down to eat. He sits in his chair with us to get used to the routine, but doesn't ever eat a meal. He grazes all day like I do. If we decide to go outside, he'll go to and play nicely until it's time to come in. If I pick out a couple of books and sit on the couch, he sits with me until we are done reading them. But if he decides he wants to be held and I am making supper he screams, clings to my legs, bangs his head on the floor, and cries until something with that scenario changes. I usually buckle him in the chair and give him a snack and that is why he never eats when supper is actually finished. He is currently incapable of sharing. Whatever his brother has, he wants. He will attempt to take it away by force and scream until Parker comes running to say he had it first. We are really trying on making Emmitt not get his way and to share or find something else to play with until the coveted object is available. For awhile we were catching ourselves just telling Parker to give it up so that awful squealing noise would stop! Which we realize isn't fair and isn't teaching Emmitt anything.

That's how you get the babies of the family (like me and my husband)...I'll let you in on a little secret, even though we both are the babies of the family, I still get my way most of the time :)

I can't believe how different this summer is going to be from last summer. It's only going to get easier and better. We have some fun activities planned for the summer and I look forward to them each day.