Dear Baby Jack: 17 Months

I will go on record by saying that the time from 16 months to 17 months has been one of my favorites. You have really started to notice things around you and are responding to more and more things every day. This past month you have started using more words more frequently.  Besides Mama and Dada you will say "Up", "Cheese", "This", "Shoes", and a word that I'm pretty sure your dad and I would be the only ones to recognize as banana...[more like a blahblahblah]. You also sort of have a word for Oliver, but mostly you just squeal with glee when you see him. You've started using the word "this" as your way of telling me when you want things, and there CAN be a little bit of drama involved if said item is not immediately relinquished to your little paw. You know how to fake laugh and for some reason fake whisper laugh, which is cute sometimes and other times reminds me of a horror movie....

It is truly a blessing that we received so many toys for you at Christmas because this past month has without a doubt been one of your most active. A new substitute teacher at your preschool told me you were "very VERY busy", and I feel like maybe that was 1) an understatement 2) a clue that I owe her a bottle of wine. There is a park about 15 minutes away from us that is worth the drive because it is made especially for toddlers. Everything is your size and you love going there and climbing through all the tunnels, sliding down the slides, and running from thing to thing. You recently figured out how to spin in circles and for some reason love to be dizzy. You've incorporated your spinning into your dancing, which has turned into quite the routine. For some reason you are really and truly in love with anything with a button. This includes, but is not limited to, the humidifier in your room, the hand held steam cleaner, and the vacuum. We have had the humidifier in your room lately to combat a cold and you wake up after you nap and instantly point to it. If all this obsession turns into you doing chores than I am very excited for the future.

I would say the best part of coming home is hearing you squeal with delight and run over to get a hug. I should say, you only do this to me when I haven't gone into the office without you. Every other time you're far too busy playing at Mother's Day Out or with Grandma to be excited that I am back. You've started helping me at the grocery store by holding onto a few items during our trip and randomly deciding a few minutes in to dump it into the cart. I know enough now to give you soft things instead of cans that are bound to dent other goods. We recently stumbled upon the free cookie container at the grocery store so I think that's helped your enthusiasm for going now. You do throw an epic tantrum here and there, and usually they are over things like putting the vacuum away before you were done pushing all the buttons or me not letting you have 100 crackers as a meal. Real world problems, I guess you could say. Overall, though, I think we all would agree that you're a pretty happy guy, always with a mischievous smile for everyone.