Autumn Makes Me Sing: 17 Months

Dear Autumn,

Here we go again. Another month. Every time I think about sitting down to write one of these I wonder how it all of a sudden got to be another month. I realize that I was late doing this last month, but it seems like time has flown even more this time. I have almost all of the photos from the past month in this post, because it has just been that hectic around here. Our house is on the market. It has been since Wednesday afternoon. Your house is on the market. The house we brought you home to, the house where you were inspected by the cats in the kitchen and spent the second night of your life. Your house. Our house.

We always start out with teeth, so here we go. You still have 12 teeth, but they are all very well broken through. The size of your molars seem pretty large, especially since they are just out there in the open with no other teeth next to them. The past few days I've started wondering if one of your eye teeth is starting to come in. Lots of chewing on a finger off to one side of your mouth. And there are moments in the afternoon where you have to climb on, grab my face and press your face all over mine. It is as odd as it sounds. But it makes me think that you are trying to relieve some of the pressure on your jaw.

You've tried new foods like spaghetti, but your eating habits are still about the same. You do surprise me sometimes, but for the most part you eat the same things, day in and day out. Cheese, yogurt, corndog wrapping, fruit (lots of fruit), crackers, cereal, and corn are some of your favorites.

We're still holding strong on one nap a day. It has made the last few weeks easier and harder at the same time. Sometimes at 10:30 I'll think, "Oh my, what am I going to do with this child for another 2 1/2 hours?" Other times when I want to go out and run errands it is nice to have you awake for hours and hours at a time. Of course, that means I have to get up and take a shower before you wake up in the morning, and I would much rather sleep in!

Your behavior has stayed about the same. Mild tantrums, and meltdowns for which I have no idea why they started continue to happen daily. Today you asked for "ray ray" while standing at the pantry door. So I opened the door, got the raisins out, handed some to you and you lost it! No clue what happened!

Today at the grocery store we were in line and there was a little boy in a cart behind us. He turned around and you waved. I went back to unloading the groceries and when I turned back around you were pointing to yourself and saying, "Autumn, Autumn!" You introduced yourself for the first time! Unprompted! It was very cute.

I've kept track of the words you are saying lately:
Kitchen, Phoebe, Autumn, Cold, Hot, Helicopter, Artichoke, Avocado, Cheese, Breakable, Close, Shoes, Please, Hi, Hello, GG, Gra (Gram), Right?, Right there, Goe (George), Feet first, CooCoo (Luke), Apple, Elbow, Hippo, Toot, Poop poop, High Five (ei fi), Light. Elmo, Diaper, Ray ray (raisins), cook cook (Cookie Monster), Gro (Grover), Big Bird

Here are a few stories from the past month:
I asked if you wanted milk and you said "no" but went into the kitchen and stood next to the refrigerator.

You were saying, "Feebee, Feebee" and pointing. I asked if Phoebe was right there and you said, "No".

When the phone rings you say, "Phone!!!"

You found the second tray that we have for your high chair in a cupboard while I was getting your lunch together. I asked you to go over to your high chair because lunch was ready. You took a few steps over towards the chair, stopped, said, "Uh oh" and then went back to get the tray. I tried to explain that we already had one on the high chair but you were insistent on bringing it over and putting it on yourself.

You and Momma went to a pool for the first time this season and you LOVED it! We were there for 2 hours and you still wanted more. You went under a few times but never seemed to mind. You also started climbing the stairs to get out of the pool, walk around to the edge and step off into my arms. You were fearless!