15 1/2 months -- Happy New Year!

You've been so interesting this past month it's hard to know where to start. Here's a list of what comes to mind:

-- Your language development is fascinating and atypical. You aren't starting with the simple words like "mama" and "dada" although you know those ones and have said them before. No, you seem to want to say words that are complicated. Your most commonly said word is "throw" while you hold a ball over your head and toss it. But it sounds like, "doh" and you'll repeat it 5 or so times while throwing something. I swear you've also tried to say "all done," "outside," "drink," and so on. But you say them in your own sort of convoluted way, so it's hard to tell. You babble this amazing Thor language that sounds like little sentences. It's so cute. When you want something you'll go something like: "dat dat dat uhhh itz dat". You also love to mimic now, and when I say, "Thor, say 'muma'." You look very seriously at me and say, "Mummmm."

-- You seriously understand almost everything now. You can follow simple directions, like "Put your duck in your shopping cart and push it to dad." You'll pick up your big plastic duck, which you got for Christmas and love, and put it in the cart, and push it to dad. You'll also take your own diaper to the garbage when I ask. You understand a wide range of words, like eat, drink, nurse, bath, night night, cuddle, kiss, hug, throw, run, stand, diaper change, shoes, coat, eyes, nose, teeth, hair, kitty, doggie, lights, tree.... and on and on. You know what happens when we do those things, or you know what all of them are, and so many more.

-- You were interested in Christmas, but didn't quite understand the presents thing yet. You liked to watch people open things, and you liked to examine your new toys, but you don't understand opening gifts yourself. You weren't very interested in the paper or ribbons, either. But you loved all the visitors -- you LOVE company and are such a flirt with everyone. You love being held by anyone and giving hugs and kisses, which are so sweet. You hold your mouth open and place it on the person's face. It's so cute.

-- I'm slowly weaning you, which you aren't especially happy about, but it is working. You nurse about 3 times a day now. In the morning when you wake up, at a nap, and then at bedtime. At night we're trying to get you to sleep in your own room until 6am, which actually is easier than I thought. You wake up once or twice and dad goes to you and gives you water and your paci and you fall back asleep fairly easily, but now you're getting another tooth and that seems to make it harder. However, it's so nice not to nurse you at night anymore, and it seems to be a fairly smooth transition.

Well, must go to bed while you're asleep. More next time... Happy New Year.