13 Months Old

Whew!  Long time coming... but here it is - the monthly update!
Finn is now 13 months old.  Here are his pictures side-by-side:

12 months old

13 months old

I know it's pretty awful, but I've been working the weekends a lot and so after I did it on the 2nd as normal and then saw that they weren't very good I never really found the time to re-take them until it was too late.  Which is a shame, because it's getting easier to take his picture, since climbing in and out of chairs is his new favourite thing ever! (although it does mean he's always moving and therefore never in focus, but ah well!)

I don't know what he weighs or should weigh ... I'll figure it out and update soon...

I do know that he's tall though! We're often amazed these days at what he can reach.  The other day he managed to get my coffee cup down off the table.  And not just swipe it and knock it down.  He reached up, took it by the handle and lifted it down without spilling it (there was only a mouthful left... a mouthful which he promptly gulped before I could stop him!).  He's certainly getting a lot longer and leaner - so much of his chubby baby fat is gone!  I miss it a little bit :)  Every now and then he gives me a look and I don't see baby - I see definite little boy.

So what's new this month?

Well, he's talking a LOT now - no more new words really but a lot of very interesting and complex babbling.  Actually, he kind of has new words - he still says uh-oh a lot and has got that down pat.  But every now and then he will also attempt 'hello' - only it sounds a bit like 'Huh-oh' and is easily confused with uh-oh (as you can imagine)!  He also says 'up' but it usually comes out as uh-pa-pa-pa-pa. And he says 'no' but it usually comes out as ni-ni-ni-ni-ni.  So he's definitely getting more wordy, but I certainly wouldn't say he's talking!

He's also not walking yet, but nursery reports that he's standing up unaided a bit longer these days - 5 seconds today! So maybe soon...

He's also pretty much got the whole feeding himself with a spoon thing down pretty well - we can give him a spoon and a yogurt pot and he'll happily eat it all, but things like milky cereal we still do for him... and he's working on mastering the fork... he thinks it's pretty fun, though some days are better than others!

As I mentioned, he's become a bit obsessed with climbing in and out of chairs - but also in and out of boxes!  Unfortunately I haven't got any pictures of that, but I'll try to soon because it's pretty funny.  James reports that this morning Finn managed to squeeze himself into a box not much bigger than a shoebox!  Only thing is, James wasn't in the room at the time so has NO idea how he managed to do it!! And the box is gone now, so it might never be repeated... He's a bit like a cat though - if he sees a box, he can't resist climbing inside.  He'll take toys or a book with him, of course - but everything seems to be better if you're in a box.  Odd child. Then again, this is also the child who was obsessed with a bowl for a very long time... so maybe he just really likes containers!

Speaking of boxes... he likes to talk on the phone.  Or anything that remotely looks like a phone (like remotes for instance!).  Actually, anything that is vaguely rectangular in shape is immediately put to his ear.

Like so:

But I would say his absolute all time favourite thing to do at the moment, is pointing.

It doesn't matter what else he is doing, he is always always always pointing. And when he points, he says 'dat.'  Half the time he wants you to tell him the name of the thing he's pointing at and the rest of the time he wants to have the thing he's pointing at but the day is continuously riddled with the sound of 'dat.   dat... dat.  DAT!" (we don't really know whether it counts as a word because although it sounds like 'that' we're unsure how he would have picked that up, since we always pointed and said 'this'... curious though).

I think that's mostly it for doing and learning new things - but we've done some fun things as well!

A couple weeks ago we took a walk and visited a city farm to see the animals. (for my rural friends - many city kids have never seen 'normal' animals like cows, sheep, geese, chickens, pigs etc - so city farms are small places (in the city, obviously) that grow foods and keep animals and anyone can go (usually for free) to have a look)  I thought it was a pretty cool place, and quite enjoyed it.  Finn seemed more baffled then amazed...

We tried to carve a pumpkin for Halloween... but Finn wasn't too interested.  He came over to have a peep a couple times, but for the most part was having way more fun elsewhere...

And our local Children's Centre run free activity things like the 'Dads club' that James and Finn go to every other Saturday - breakfast for the Dads, fun things for all the kids, and the Mums get some quiet time - what's not to like!?  They also do a 'garden club' every other Friday from 3:30-5:00.  They've got a huge garden and you can come and do outdoor activities.  Last Friday it was all about leaves - and Finn made (weeeelll - he had some help!) this excellent hat!

When we went to take this picture of him we decided to take a few more.  The best place in our house to take pictures of Finn is the bathroom - because it's got the biggest window and the most light.  It's also great for neutral background pictures - just stick him in the tub and he has a great time standing and banging on the sides!  I'm sure it's a bit odd to stick your kid into the bath tub to get some good pictures, but hey!  The proof is in the pudding! 

(Finn LOVES that little red car!!)

I think that's all!  And I've put SO many pictures in that I don't even have extras to add at the end! 

So instead, I will add a selection of quotes from his nursery daily reports...

Enjoy!

Monday 22^nd October

Finn enjoyed an activity of song and dance. He listened to music and used his whole body moving to the music and laughing.

Wednesday 31^st
Finn enjoyed exploring various mirrors. He was laughing at himself in the mirror and playing peek-a-boo.

Thursday 1^st November
Finn enjoyed exploring bugs in jelly. He used a spoon to move the jelly around and reveal the bugs. Also enjoyed filling and emptying bags with plastic hair rollers.

Friday 2^nd
Finn enjoyed the trip to the library. He looked at various books with staff and peers and enjoyed listening to stories.
He really enjoyed sharing the experience with other children at the library and was smiling at lot at them.

Friday 9^th
Finn helped make a cake for Annie's birthday. He had a turn of mixing with the spoon and enjoyed exploring some of the flour on the table.

Monday 12^th
Finn really enjoyed sitting in the big yellow car outside and turning the steering wheel with his hands. Also had fun exploring in the home corner.

Friday 16^th
Finn enjoyed exploring in the home corner. He played with playfoods and cups and plates and really enjoyed pressing buttons on the till.

A poem place holder

I know, I know!  It's been too long, I've missed a monthly update, I know!

I'm working on it...

And in the meantime, here's a poem I just stumbled upon that I'm really feeling at the minute:

Wean Me Gently by Cathy Cardall

I know I look so big to you,
Maybe I seem too big for the needs I have.
But no matter how big we get,
We still have needs that are important to us.
I know that our relationship is growing and changing,
But I still need you.
I need your warmth and closeness,
Especially at the end of the day,
When we snuggle up in bed.
Please don’t get too busy for us to nurse.
I know you think I can be patient,
Or find something to take the place of a nursing;
A book, a glass of something,
But nothing can take your place when I need you.
Sometimes just cuddling with you,
Having you near me is enough.
I guess I am growing and becoming independent,
But please be there.
This bond we have is so strong and so important to me,
Please don’t break it abruptly.
Wean me gently,
Because I am your mother,
And my heart is tender.