Dominic - 16 Months

So hard to pick a favorite photo this week. There were so many good ones.

He was in a real posing mood this morning

He's saying, "DEEES!" (Cheeese!)

Weight: 31lb (100+ percentile). 
Length: 32 inches (65th percentile)


Likes:

• His blankets. His two knitted blankets are his primary items of comfort. He (sadly) now insists on pulling loops out of the knitting and wrapping them around his fingers as part of his routine. I hate seeing him pull them like that, but it really makes him so happy... I guess a blanket like this just shows how well loved it is. 
• Watching me prep and cook meals. We're going to be building him a step stool thing that is safe(r) for toddlers so he can stand at the counter with me and watch or help. I cannot WAIT for this. 
• "Jumping". This is really him just doing squats, but it's pretty adorable anyway.
• Playing outside on our patio or in our yard. This will be so nice for the summer and Spring. 
• Trying to pick up the ball and throw it for Sherlock using the chuck-it. He will even tap the chucker on the ground when Sherlock is running because he's seen us do that to get Sherlock's attention again. 
• Pom Poms, pots & pans, and his little IKEA utensils. His quiet time activity of choice right now is to scoop the poms from one pot to another using the ladle. 
• "Buppa" and "Daddy". They are the first words out of his mouth when he wakes up in the morning, and pretty much the last words when he goes to bed. 

Dislikes:

• Teething. Dom has been working on two more molars, and another few teeth this month. He currently has 10 teeth, but we're waiting on another molar and his canines I think he's working on. He gets very sad and needy at times when he's hurting. He still sleeps great 95% of the time though. Yay!
• Not getting his way. He throws himself to the floor in a tantrum if we take something away from him. I usually avoid this by not having anything lyring around that he can't have. Helps when I don't have to spend all day saying, "No."

Notes:

• We've stopped doing the baby oatmeal and feed him regular oatmeal with some honey or cinnamon in it instead. Always, of course, followed by a banana. He would never let us forget the banana!
• He has gotten to the age of testing us. He will try out different ways of getting his way. Whining, charming, tantruming, saying "please" (which is really either a sign or something that sounds like nyu nyu nyu!), or just going for it. I'm trying very hard to be patient and consistent and not to give into his whining. He is most often trying the charming way with me. Sweetly coming to my legs and saying, "Mama" with big puppy-dog eyes, and very excitedly asking for help to take out the vacuum... every. single. morning. 
• He is learning something new EVERY day. It is unbelievable. All of a sudden yesterday he asked to take out the puzzles, so I took them out and he did them... as if he'd done them a thousand times... I've never once seen him so confident with the puzzle. So proud!
• I find he's more into signing than talking, but he does still use both to communicate. His new words I can think of off the top of my head are: Blankey (Nanny), and please(?) or I want that(?) (Nyu nyu). 
• His new animal sounds/signs include fishy (he has a great fishy face), crocodile, hippo, bunny, birdy, penguin, crab, and probably some more I haven't thought of. 
• He's learning new body parts. He can identify eyes, ears, nose, mouth, teeth, tongue, feet/toes, belly-button, and hair (ironic... I know)
• He is totally introverted. He would MUCH rather sit and observe than get in on group action at the toddler/kid groups we go to. He will just stand there with his fishy crackers looking all socially awkward and watch the other kids play. A man after my own heart :)
• He points out cars and trucks everywhere. VROOM VROOM!!! 
• He is SO observant. He watches and copies everything we do. It's time to start watching ourselves for bad habits. Some examples... Putting vacuum hose in vacuum, getting medicine for him, turning on/plugging in the sound machine, washing dishes, sweeping, cooking/stirring/chopping, going to oven/microwave when it beeps, going to let dog in/out when he's whining at the door, blowing our nose, eating with utensils, drinking out of cups, bringing things to the garbage, using keys to unlock doors. Basically anything a grown up uses or does is more exciting to him than his toys. I put him to work with the vacuum the other day and he was very thorough, although it got a little heavy for him.
• He is becoming more and more snuggly as time goes on. He is starting to show affection with hugs and cuddles (finally!). I love it!
• He has figured out how to open some of our cupboards with child-proofing on them as well as pulling out the wall plugs. Sigh... 
• Does "Cheers" with his water bottle.

A Typical Day:

700 - wake up

715 - breakfast (oatmeal & banana)

Play-time

930 - occasionally a small snack

1100 - lunch time

1155 - 10 minutes of Paw Patrol

1215 - nap time

245 - up from nap

3/330 - snack if needed

500 - dinner time

630 - bath (on bath day), jammies, and some wind-down play time. 

7/715 - head upstairs for bed!

He does this when I say, "Hi Yi Yi!"

I swear these photos took VERY little instruction. He was just hamming it up big time!

This morning, an hour before we did the official photos, I brought the bear down to get ready, and Dom immediately crawled on to the couch, said, "CHEESE!" and started posing. Here are a few phone pictures from that little session. He makes me laugh every day. 

Seriously child... What is this face?! Maybe he SHOULD be in commercials. Haha