{Austin 17 Months}

Dear Austie,

Today you turn 17 months old. I can't believe that in just one month you will be 1 and a HALF! This is crazy to me. In so many ways you are still my little baby....and in many more ways, you are such a big boy!

You still love me to hold you. You love to cuddle, and you have crazy momma love. You are not a fan of me leaving your side, and you will let anyone know this. I bathe you and I put you to bed. Those two things I must do....but you let your Daddy and Ma do a lot of the rest. Most afternoons you like to nap in bed, and then you wake up and yell for me...so I lay down with you and you fall back asleep snuggled on my chest. I cherish this time. (And when I am at work? You forget all about me)

In many other ways you are becoming such a big boy! You run and jump and yell along with the big kids. You try to play games with them, and are pretty good at hide and seek and chase. You are slowly learning how to be patient with turns, and need some help with this;) You like to jump on the trampoline and run really fast. OH and climb, you climb ANYthing. If we can't find you, we just look up!

You are saying a few words...Baa (Ball), Mmmm Baaa (My Ball), Nana (Banana), Mama, Dada, and Ticka-Ticka-Ticka (Tickle Tickle Tickle) :) Its not a lot of words, but we know that you are understanding a lot. We will ask you to do things, or go get things, and you do. You know EXACTLY what you want and when you want it. We are working on getting you to be able to verbalize what you need.

You are in 2T clothes and size 4 diapers. You eat about 6 meals a day and 400 snacks. You go potty at least 4 times and you sure are aware now. You will go potty, then run up to me and grab your diaper, telling me you went.

Oh the Austie language. You talk and babble all day long. Its like you have your own little language, and you tell us things all the time. We just pretend we know what you are saying. It sounds sort of Chinese:)

You have learned how to throw a tantrum. This is WELL before your brother ever did! Actually, Gavin still has yet to really throw a big one, but you? Oh Austin. You got it down! We think it has a lot to do with the fact that you cant communicate with us....and its frustrating. We are working on it, I promise.

Your smile it contagious and your laugh is adorable. We love you to pieces and hope you always know that!

Momma & Dada