Hayden is...

17 Months!
And Mia is late, I know, I know but things were very hectic with Halloween. But better late than never.

Hayden at 17 months more of a pleasure than I could have ever imagined. He definitely is independent, funny, he loves "telling jokes", starting up games with me, and he loves me! One of my favorite things about him being older is he shows me affection: he asks for kisses and hugs; put his arms around my neck; rub my cheek; he even will put his head against mine!



Milestones


Growth
Hayden has grown so much! He is 26lbs and 34 inches. He wears a size 18-24 months in clothing. Hayden's weight and height puts him just above 75% in weight and height for his age, but the charts for his weight for his height he is only 5 %

Gross Motor Skills
Hayden has good balance and is quite the quick and nimble fellow. Oh, boy, does this kid like to climb! He loves to find new and unexplored things to climb upon. His climbing abilities then allow him to climb in and out of my car and his high chair.

Fine Motor Skills
In the fine motor skill department, Hayden has done leaps and bounds. He can scribble instead of eating the crayons, eat well with a fork and spoon, and he knows how to use his thumb for certain things,such as turning on the vacuum and flipping the latch on the hubby's toolbox.
Something also new, Hayden seems to be a south paw. He throws, plays, eats, and scribbles with his left hand. I am kind of glad because I have heard lefties are smart, but kind of worried too as it's a right handed world.

Social and Language
Toddlers of 1yr aren't supposed to "play" with other children, they simply don't know how. Yup, When I read that that surprised me. Instead toddlers do something that is called "parallel play," which is playing along side another toddler or child. Of course, as with all things Hayden, Hayden wasn't told this tidbit of information as a tot because he LOVES playing with my best friend's daughter, Autumn. He knows her house, recognizes her name, and instantly becomes energetic and excited to see her. She is definitely his best friend.
Hayden has been on a roll with "words" he enjoys copying whatever is said, but he has been absorbing words like a mile a minute. My husband was in the bathroom about to put on his socks when my toddler strolls in and says "toes" plain as day, pointing to them. I was shocked: I never taught him what toes were nor had I said it recently. I last remember telling him toes about 1 month ago when he became obsessed with this Fisher Price learning Puppy that sang "head, shoulders, knees and toes."
Lately I have been lagging in teaching him to sign and he knows the sign for "baby." But overall has been sucking up words when I teach him the sign for it like "eat" he can say now because I tried teaching him the sign for it.

Here's a list of Hayden's fabulous Vocab

Eat
Tree
shoes
puppy
socks
Hi
toes
Kitty
feet
I
please
Mama
thanks
Dada
stop it
wow
no
whoa
this
what
that
it
me

And those are just the one's I can think of, he says a few more. Also, what I think is pretty nifty is he can say phases and string a few words together like "Oh my gosh" "I see Puppy" or "kitty" (the other day it was "I see tree, whoa! I see tree, oh my gosh!") "What's that" or "What's this"
Hayden can understand what is being said and follow directions (and can even put on an evil smirk and defy directions). If showed to do something he'll not only do it but remember it and do it again and again, if not save it for later and do it. This extends to things he knows he isn't supposed to touch, he will wait until I'm gone and do it.
As you can see, Hayden is growing up and up and up! (Sometimes I wish I could freeze time.) Everyday I look at him and he is doing something that makes me think "Wow, are you really my son?" and I have say I had him and remember every bit of it. And I have to shake my head because wow do I love him so much!
I can't believe that in two weeks he'll be a 1 yr and a half! Where, oh, where has my time gone?