16 Months

Andy has grown up so much in the last couple months.  He is so much more of a little boy and becomes less baby every day.  I love seeing all that he learns and how he changes, but it goes too fast! Some updates and milestones:

• Some words he says and associates correctly are: dada, mama, doddy (doggy...but he still thinks all animals are dogs),  I (hi), bye, ayo (hello), nanas (bananas...and all food, actually), and uh oh.
• One of the cutest things he does right now is talk into the phone and say hi.  It doesn't even have to be a real phone.  He'll hold anything up to his ear and say hi.  
• He's learned how to dance, which is adorable.  His version of dancing is pretty much squatting up and down.
• Much to my dismay, he's learning to climb up on things (like the couch), and has way too many falls.  
• He absolutely loves to run around outside.  Sadly, this doesn't happen all that often, living right in downtown Amsterdam.  I try to take him to the park a couple times a week, and he gets so excited when he realizes I'm taking him out of the stroller.  (Poor guy spends so much time in that thing!) 
• He loves trying to climb the stairs standing up.  With help, of course. He knows he can't do it on his own, so he holds up his little hand looking for mine to help him.  I love it.  
• He loves to have his teeth brushed.  Of course, he mostly tries to suck off as much toothpaste as possible while I try to get a few good brushes in there. :) 
• He also likes when I do his hair.  He tilts his head forward for me when he sees the comb.  Adorable.
• Cameron and I always talk about what a social little guy he is.  I swear, it's his goal to win over whomever he's with.  We'll get in the elevator or metro with someone, and it's his personal mission to become best friends with them.  He smiles coyly at them and says "hi," until they give him some attention. It always works.  
• He is also stubborn and strong-willed.  Always has been.  If something devastating happens (like...I take too long to pour the water into his sippy cup), he's so upset he can't even breathe.  Literally, he turns blue and eventually starts screaming about 30 seconds after the initial upset.  You think we'd be used to it, since it happens daily, but it scares us every time.  
• He loves to run to the door when Dad gets home from work.  Cameron is his absolute favorite person.  He can't stop smiling the second he sees him.  Even a picture of him.  One of his favorite activities during the day is going through Cameron's facebook profile pictures.  He says "dada" when he sees each one.  Cutest thing ever.
• His favorite song right now is, "If You're Happy and You Know It."  He claps when he's supposed to and touches his head when he's supposed to.  He's also learning to touch his nose and ears on command, but he gets them a little mixed up right now. :)
• He also loves "Old McDonald Had a Farm," the ABC song, playing pat-a-cake, and the Itsy-Bitsy Spider.
• He likes to imitate us when we shake our heads.   
• His eating habits still drive us insane.  He makes sure to tell us he doesn't like or want something by throwing it on the ground or handing it back to us.  Especially when it's something healthy I've been slaving away preparing all day.  His favorite foods are bananas, apples, yogurt, raisins, and peanut butter sandwiches.  (Notice no green vegetables are included in this list.)  
• He loves curtains and thinks hiding in them/pulling on them is hilarious.  I'm just waiting for the day he ruins the church's curtains.  
• He loves being around other little kids.  I feel so terrible that we yanked him away from so many playmates in Round Rock just as he was really becoming interested in playing with them!  Whenever he sees another little one at the park or something, he makes a beeline for them and wants to play.  
• He enjoys his books lately.  Still, he's not interested in me reading them to him.  He just wants to turn the pages by himself.  He still loves books where he can lift the flaps.  His favorite book right now is called "Hushabye Counting."  My dear friend Katie gave it to us when he was born.  (Thanks Katie!) It's the only one he'll actually let me read him from cover to cover.   
• He is such a boy and finds anything destructive to be hilarious.  Things like throwing food everywhere, puppets knocking down blocks, etc.  
• Speaking of puppets, he loves them.  My mom just sent him four, and he carries them around everywhere.  His blocks are probably his favorite toy right now, which he's gotten really good at stacking by himself.  
• He loves his stuffed animals in his crib and still talks to them for quite a while before falling asleep.  
• Speaking of sleep, he just dropped his morning nap and is down to one nap now.  I'm missing my morning free time (shower time!), but it was definitely time.  He usually naps from about 1-3 and goes to bed about 7:30 or 8 and wakes up about 6:30 or 7.  No complaints here.  A year ago, I never believed this day of normal sleeping patterns would come. 
• As always, a little slow in the teeth category.  He's got 4 on the top, and barely 3 on the bottom.   

We love little Andy so much.  We're so grateful to have him in our family!  

First (and last) time I let him feed himself his peanut butter nutella sandwich.

First time coloring!