16 Months

Owen has turned into a very curious 16 month old. He is exploring everything and freely trots around the house like he is king. He has been surprising us with new words and things that he understands. He is like a sponge absorbing everything in. The sheer joy that you get to share with your child is like nothing I've ever known. He just amazes me. Owen has made our life so much brighter.

Owen's 16 month milestones:

• We have been working on words lately. After being thrilled that he can say bubbles, I've been trying to get him to say other things. He says no a lot, but I don't think he really knows what it means. I ask, Do you want to go bye-bye? No - then he'll happily get on his shoes and stand at the door. He is saying Mommy and Dada with a lot more conviction, so that is definitely cool. He has also started saying mine, which I can only guess that he learned at daycare. He'll grab his sippy cup from me and say mine. Daddy will be talking on the phone and he'll point to it and say mine.

• Likes to read a book on his own. He wants to hold the book and turn the pages all by himself.

• Walking and running so well on his own. I'm still in shock on how quickly he can escape me.

• He loves to be chased around the house, so it's all like a game to him. My favorite is when he escapes while in the middle of a diaper change. Trying to get a bottomless toddler to come back is impossible.
  

• He's getting so good at helping me out with little things. I've taught him how to close the dishwasher or hand things to me. It just tickles me to death when he does so well at following a command.

• Owen has been really into basketball. He can reach up and put the ball through his hoop with ease now. He loves to pick up and throw the full size basketball outside. He has also really improved at throwing a ball to a person. He's got pretty good aim.

• Owen loves to give hugs. He'll come and give me one if I hold out my arms wide. He even runs over to Daddy when he gets home and gives him a big bear hug. He has also started to pat me on the back sometimes when we hug. It is just the cutest thing. I think he picked this up from me as I like to pat his back to sooth him when he gets upset.

• He is continuing to eat well with a spoon and fork. He seems to really enjoy using them on his own. He's not great at spearing things with the fork yet, but he keeps getting better scooping with a spoon. He won't let me do much these days during mealtimes. He HAS to hold the yogurt cup on his own.

• Owen has started pointing to things. Sometimes it's hard to know what he is pointing at, and there are instances when I think he is saying that...but I could just be interrupting his words as that. I feel like he is on the verge of really starting to communicate.
  

• I also wanted to comment on how great a sleeper Owen has been. He sleeps so well every night, that we can pretty much count on him sleeping from 7pm to 7am every night. He rarely wakes up in the middle of the night and is always good about going to bed. He naps once a day at daycare, and I usually get him to do two naps for me on the weekends. I can't believe how lucky we are in the sleep department.