16...months

I am going to say the most cliche "parental" comment...

Time is going so fast!!!

I swear I am going to turn around and my little 16 month old will be 16 and taking the car on his first date. I know I say it a lot, but man it's always on my mind. I can't believe that this month I found out I was pregnant with Liam 2 YEARS AGO!!!! Yeah, um, where has time gone?! Anyways, Liam has changed SOOO much since my last update. Richard and I regularly look at each other stunned at how much he grows and learns every day. He is talking up a storm (I have the words he can say below), he is running everywhere, has the cutest and most adorable personality and is as tall as other 2 1/2 year olds (at his 15 month appt he was in the 85th percentile for height at about 32 1/2 in and 60th percentile for weight at 25 lbs....he is burning all his baby fat running all day long) and also wears 24 month/2T size clothes! My baby is gone. He is all grown up! People are always so surprised when I tell them how old he really is because they always assume he is 2 1/2. 

He LOVES to play with my wallet taking out all my cards and trying to put them back in.

Wondering about that silly face in the picture on the right? That is the face he makes when he is smelling flowers! LOL! So incredibly hilarious if you ask me.

I honestly don't know where to start in trying to explain my little man at this age! There is so much about him that I want to write and so much to him right now. So I will try to think of the most note worthy things:

1. He is the happiest when he is outside! He LOVES being outside and if he had his way, when he wasn't sleeping, we would be outside. Luckily now that its starting to get nice we can do that, and he is so happy we finally can! And he especially loves being outside in our friends little red wagon. He will climb in and sit waiting for someone to pull him in it. He is the most content sitting in it and being pulled on walks, or when Richard runs around with him around the grass. 

(I have the CUTEST pictures of Liam in his wagon and I thought they deserved their own post. So that is coming soon)

2. He loves anything that is round and calls them "balls" or "bubbles"! Like ballons, grapes, rocks, balls, my tummy (lol...he LOVES to give my tummy kisses and calls it a "bubble"), apples, anything round. One of his favorite things to do is to throw or carry around a ball...or anything round :)

3. He is learning words SO FAST these days! So far he can say:

Hi

Bye bye

Hey

Mom

Dad

Ball

Bubble

Touch

Night Night 

Kiss

Soft

No 

Stop

I love you

Thank you (it sounds more like "thank")

Eye (and where it is)

Nose (and where it is)

Shoe

Sock

Hat

Hot

Ready, set, go

Banana

Apple

Yeah/Yes

This

Whats this 

Yay

Up

Ouch

Wee

Poop

Done

More

Wow (I think thats my fav)
Baba (his word for the sippy cup he drinks his milk from)

And knows the noises that an Elephant, Snake, Dog, Cat, Lion, Cow, Monkey, Owl etc.

4. He LOVES putting together buckles. He spends a long time at his high chair or other places there are buckles putting it together, unclipping them and starting all over again. It's a funny fascination but nice because it keeps him really pre-occupied for a long time! 

5. We recently went on a walk with one of my good friends and her little kids and it was the first time since last summer that we used Liams stroller. After that, he has become obsessed. He is either buckling the buckle or wanting to be pushed in it. Whether that is in the living room or outside! :)

6. Because he wants to be running and playing, getting him to sit and eat is my only challenge that we have! Once I get him to slow down enough to get into his high chair he is usually good at sitting there and eating. But he just doesn't want to stop exploring and playing to eat! He isn't a very explorative eater, but he is good at eating his "staples" which are: spaghetti (or any pasta), peas, bananas, Cherrios, yogurt, cheese, any kind of meat, broccoli, apple, fish crakers, fruit snacks, Cheez-its (actually any cracker), Pretzels, eggs, waffles, grapes, strawberries, green beans, corn etc.

At 16 months Liam can...

--Say 35+ words and put together 2-3 words to use in a sentence

--Make the sounds of 7+ animals

--Turn the pages in his books at the appropriate time while I read to him

--Point to his nose and eyes when asked

--Responds to instructions (i.e. "bring me your shoes")

--Throw, kick and push a ball

--Use a crayon, pen or pencil to scribble

--Climb on anything he can reach his leg up to

--Dance to music

--Walk backwards

--Take toys apart and put them back together

--Use objects the correct way (i.e. he knows how to hold/use a phone)

--Push and pull toys while he walks/runs

--Play pretend

--"Read" books by himself (aka: he sits and looks through them)

ETC.

At 16 months Liam likes...

--When Daddy comes home from school/work! He spins around instantly and is running at the door with the biggest smile as soon as Richards hand touches the door knob. Seriously.

--His mama. He really is a mama's boy

--Giving kisses. If you say "Liam give me a kiss" he will stop whatever he is doing and make a "mmmm" sound with his lips pursed until you kiss him.

--Putting buckles together

--His stroller

--Going outside or "bye bye" 

--Blowing kisses and waving "bye bye" when he leaves any where. Even if he is just leaving the room.

--His bed/naptime routine. By the time we finish it, he lets me lay him down with a smile on his face and just happily jabbers until he falls asleep. So nice. He sleeps 10-11 straight hours at night and 3-3 1/2 (I  have to wake him up regularly between 3 1/2-4) hours during the day. That is, as long as he isn't teething or sick! 

--His "bros" (he loves our friends Chad and Devin)

--Putting things into our pockets. He loves it so much that a lot of times he will stand next to me while I make dinner and put either my chapstick, keys etc. in and out of my pocket

--Drinking water and orange juice from his green water bottle

--Being tickled and wrestled with

--Being chased

--Playing on any playground

--Being pushed in his stroller

--Cuddling with mama after his nap or in the morning

--Any animal, especially dogs! As long as they don't get in his face and too close that he feels like he is going to fall down

--Playing with other kids! He doesn't care how old they are, he gets giddy and so incredibly excited playing with other kids. He will thrive with a lot of siblings :) He is SO incredibly social!

--Pulling my shirt up so my tummy is showing to poke at it and give it kisses. He thinks my belly button is the coolest thing ever.

--Playing with my wallet and taking my cards out then putting them back in

--To "help" around the house (he loves pushing around a broom or mop)
--Playing with my hair. When I am singing to him as part of his bedtime routine he always lays his head on my shoulder and runs his hands through my hair. And he does that as soon as I pick him up when he first wakes up. He loves to play with hair!
--Riding on Richard & I's back as we are on all 4's pretending to be a horse or dog
ETC. 

(I would write more but this post is getting too looooong...sorry)

At 16 months Liam dislikes...

--When mama or Dad leaves 

--Sitting in his high chair to eat when he would rather be playing

--Having to sit anywhere when he would rather be playing. But he loves to sit and observe things/people sometimes, but only when he chooses to :)

--Having to lay down to have his diaper changed

Well, I could write so much more but I don't want to overload this post. Liam is such a good, happy, sweet boy and we are the best buddy pals ever. I am the luckiest mama to get to spend all day with him! He is truly such a special, one of a kind little man. 

p.s. as soon as I take a belly picture, I will write a 28 week/7 month baby girl update!