13 months old

Sam is 13 months old! I still marvel at how quickly the time moves. I don't know how much longer I will do monthly updates. Once we made it to the year marker I feel like a skills update post is silly to do every month. Yet I suppose each month still brings new skills and abilities, interests, sounds, and everything else.

At 13 months Sam still isn't walking unassisted, but he sure could if he wanted to. He just isn't ready to let go of our fingers. He will pull us around wherever he wants to go. I try to lead, but it's pointless because this kid is on a mission and he knows what he wants! I suppose that might be what parenting is -- thinking you'll get a chance to lead, but really you're just trying to keep up.

We're enjoying our summer days, playing in the water when we can, and exploring the outdoors.




Sam is speaking in sentences now, only all the words are "Ga". Gone are the days of "Gop" and "Gum", but now he uses inflection to make a "ga" series... "ga ga ga ga ga?" He really is learning about questions, raising the tone in the last ga as he points at something -- "dad will you take me to the window?" "mom, what is that over there?" He still says "bye" and other mamama sounds and dada sounds and such, but I don't know that we have anything that counts as a first word yet.

He makes other neat sounds. He puts his fingers to his lips and goes "shffhhpfhsh" because we play a game where dad and sam sneak up on mom or mom and sam sneak up on dad. He always giggles and gives it away, but he's got the "shh" idea down. He also does the "pfff" for the "woof" that a dog makes and a low toned "oooh" for the "moo" that a cow makes. he makes vrooom noises for his wheeled toys and airplanes.

He is rapidly getting a mouth full of teeth, the better for biting. Food and Mom and everything else. I had little tracks of bruises down my arm from his little baby bites. They hurt but are cute all at the same time. He bites more when nursing now too, I guess since the two big front teeth are coming in. Ouch.

We are starting to have to learn how to discipline, a stern No and such. He will sometimes pull my hair too hard, or stick his finger up my nose, or slap our faces as he tries to get our attention. Most of the time he is a calm, quiet, sweet, and precious fellow but the wild child is revealed every once in a while.

He is now more than ever aware of others and his audience. Will repeatedly do something cute that when we shower him with cute "awwws" and will repeat funny faces and movements. One super cute thing he does is lay down and put his head on a pillow, tummy to the ground, head to the side, arms up by his head, cute smile. It's adorable. He is also afraid of people he doesn't know now too. He doesn't like to be held by just anyone and won't necessarily take your hand or touch you if he doesn't remember who you are. I suppose that's a good thing but it is sort of sad since he's been afraid of some good friends of ours, even those that we saw every week or two.

In the other areas of our lives, we are still sad to see the summer go. The semester begins August 24th and it looks like I will be teaching four classes total -- that's a lot! So I'll be working full time but don't have to be away from home for much more than about 25 hours, so that's good. It will be busy and we are so glad to have Aunt Meg next door to help take care of Sam.