Life with you is as busy as ever. We still spend ample time outside most days, but have also been exploring museums and libraries on very cold and/or rainy days.
You've also dabbled in coloring, finger painting, and painting with a brush. Eating the finger paint is your favorite part.
We are in love with your beautiful, blond mop. We're never cutting your hair, by the way, so we're thankful that shaggy hairdos are what's hip right now for little guys.
You helped both of us celebrate our birthdays this past month.
You're becoming increasingly more independent, preferring to sit by yourself, next to us, rather than on our laps. You're as bossy as ever, and have recently gotten your first spanking. You now come when we call you and you've learned to walk unassisted up a set of stairs at the playground (while holding onto the railing) and have dabbled in climbing/crawling up our basement stairs, but you're not quite proficient at stairs yet and still act rather scared of them. Everything goes back to your not crawling before walking, doesn't it? Will that haunt us forever?
We think you contracted the Roseola virus (high fever and a full body rash upon the fever's breaking) with one night of a stomach bug thrown in for good measure. To top things off, two of your two-year molars broke through your gum that same week, bringing your total number of teeth to 18. (Only two more to go and you'll have your whole compliment of baby teeth!) Those six days we were homebound because of sickness were long and miserable for all of us. But Mommy felt sorry for you and allowed an exception to the no-blankie-outside-the-crib rule.
You've officially transitioned to one nap, giving you more awake time each day to pitch in around the house, and you're becoming a great little helper! You love helping Mommy water the plants and assisting her in the kitchen. You stir whatever's cooking on the stove and peer through the oven's window to check the dish's progress. With firm and consistent instructions, you can also assemble our salads. However, you've been known to snatch craisins and blue cheese crumbles every chance you get!
Your appetite remains healthy, but you're sometimes willful at meals, causing dreadful dinner drama and resulting in your going to bed hungry. However, you recently tried sushi and much to our delight, loved it!
You have two new developments that make our hearts melt: humming/singing and pretending. Your favorite song is Baa Baa Black Sheep. You can't say the words, but hum the tune with the "bah" syllable to the point where even strangers can recognize the song. You're also experimenting with Row Row Row Your Boat and (Mason) Had A Little Lamb. Your imagination has taken off. We've recently noticed your pretending to cook, usually when Mommy's making dinner. You use Mommy's set of mixing bowls, and measuring cups and spoons. You babble and sing while you stir and pour, and then you offer us bites of your magnificent creations. You're quite the chef! Just last week, you began "reading" to your animals. Books are still your true love.
You're so much fun, Mason, and such a handful at the same time. But we love you more than we ever dreamed possible and truly cherish each season of your development, even with the inevitable challenges. Happy 17 months!
XOXO,
Mommy and Daddy
