Dear Nicholas,
You turned 14 months about two weeks ago. What an exciting time! Your 14th month was been an eventful one in terms of milestones and new development. Most notably, you took your first independent steps on March 18th, just a few days before you turned 14 months. You and I were hanging out in the living room and you were standing up next to the couch. On a whim, I held my arms out and said, "walk to Mama," and sure enough you did, with two or three bobbly, adorable steps. You then collapsed on the floor in a fit of giggles and rolled around like a little, excited puppy who was so proud of himself. I pulled you back up to a standing position next to the couch, and you repeated your new trick once again, complete with the giggly rolling on the floor afterward. In the few remaining days of your 14th month, you practiced your new skill daily, taking 2-3 steps at a time. And, you can now easily walk across a room (or down the hall of your school as your teachers tell me-- a trip outside is a particularly good incentive) if someone is holding just one of your arms.
You can't quite pull yourself to a standing position without holding on to something else for support, and you're definitely not off an running, but you are just so proud of yourself when you take a few steps from a standing position over to an ottoman or someone's outstretched arms. It's pretty cute. We have no doubt you'll be cruising around on your own in no time.
During your 14th month, your language skills also started to really take off. You've been saying a few words for several months now, but in the past month you've added this/that (dhis/dhat -- accompanied by a pointed finger, usually as a request for us to name the object for you), cheese (cheessss), dog (da), moo (boooooof-- the sound a cow, or, according to you, any large mammal makes), and, surprisingly, socks (tsahts). One day I was sorting laundry and you crawled up to me very excitedly and grabbed one of your baby socks in each hand started waving them around saying "tsahts! tsahts!" I couldn't believe it. But, yes, those were your "tsahts." It took me a little while to figure out why "socks" had made the list of your top 20 first words, but I think it's because I always talk to you about putting on your shoes and socks before we leave for school, and of course a pair of socks play a prominent role in your favorite book, Goodnight Moon. I just love watching as your brain develops and makes connections, and you begin to communicate. It's one of my favorite parts of parenthood so far.
At 14 months, you are really starting to play with your toys. You love playing with your toy cars, you're fascinated by the Sing-A-Ma-Jigs you received from Aunt Kristin and Uncle Dan for Christmas, and you've started trying to ride your orange dinosaur or your Rodi for brief moments at a time. But, hands down, your favorite toy is a ball of any kind. You are obsessed! "Ba" is typically the very first thing you utter when we come get you out of your crib each morning, and we hear it no less than 30 times a day. You've got a good arm on you and love you to throw any ball you can get your hands on. However, your favorite ball is definitely the soccer ball. You haven't ventured into the world of kicking yet, but you love to roll it back and forth with us on the lawn (or inside on the tile if it's wet or cold out.) We may have a little soccer star on our hands, which would make your Daddy thrilled!
A header? Not quite yet...
Each month, I'm a little sad as your babyhood recedes a little further. But, each month, I'm pleasantly surprised to find that I'm enjoying every new stage even more than the last one. Walking and talking are big milestones, buddy! It's so much fun to see you grow and change, and to discover a little bit more about who you are each day. You just keep getting cuter!
Much love,
Mommy
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