Of A Different Spirit

Okay, so maybe it's more like a penguin/crab combo. I've also heard T-Rex. Well, whatever he looks like, he is walking here, there, and everywhere! Actually, he started walking just a few days after my post about our Thanksgiving in Nashville. Of course, he would choose the holiday season to reach this milestone when I had little time to record it and share. I know most of you that read this have already seen him and know that he is whooshing all over the place, but I just couldn't go on with the blog without doing a post about it. Besides, how could I waste such a good title?

With his new found mode of transportation, Caleb has become more busy than ever. It is very difficult to keep up with him. He is never still, unless he's sleeping. When he's out, he's out. I must say that is one good thing about all this activity. Once we get him to be still with his blanket, he is asleep very quickly. The busyness has also made taking pictures more challenging. You will notice that there are very few in which he has taken the time to look at me.

At 16 months Caleb's ability to communicate has increased quite a bit. He still uses his own language when speaking, which continues to entertain us, but his ability to communicate on an emotional level is what has developed the most. He can now show affection in several different ways as well as demonstrate negative emotions. Most mornings I walk into his room to be greeted by a smiling toddler that is standing on his toes in his crib stretching up to give me a good morning kiss. On the other side of this, is the little boy that informs us that he is unhappy with Keith leaving to go to work and that he would rather his daddy stayed and played. He has also developed an new interest in stuffed animals that he can cuddle with. He has a few that are his favorites and will walk around holding and hugging them. He is growing into a busy, but loving toddler.

He has recently recovered from yet another cold. I really wanted to help him fight it off, but when he woke up one morning with one eye almost completely swollen shut, I knew we needed reinforcements. I hope that we have better luck this year than we did at this time last year.

Caleb's understanding of verbal cues has also increased and continues to do so daily. He understands short phrases and is obedient most of the time, thankfully when it is the most important, such as in the bathtub. He hasn't added very much to his vocabulary, but he is using those he has already mastered more often and with more purpose. He says "Hi" a lot, but mostly to the cats, with everyone else it makes few appearances. He asks "what's that?" and points at objects. He has mastered "momma" and says it for many things including me. In addition to words having purpose, objects do as well. Brushes are for brushing hair, phones and remotes are for talking into, remotes are for turning channels, and so on. The phone and remote are his favorites. He spends much of his playtime "talking" on his cell phone or remote, anything with numbers on it.

His play has become more complex as his behavior organizes and his ability to interact increases. I now see some imagination as he manipulates his toys. He pushes buttons, pulls levers, and flips switches all to see the cause and effect relationship. The development of organized play has been the most evident with his bathtub toys. For Christmas his Uncle Kevin and Aunt Jessica gave him some little monsters that squirt water. They are now his favorite bath time toys. He will line them up on the side of the tub, have them speak to each other (I think that's what he's doing), then push them back into the water. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but to me it speaks volumes about what is happening in his brain development. His play with Keith and me has also become more complex as he mimics our behavior. He can recall a game that we played with him yesterday and can initiate it. Peek-a-boo is a whole new game now that he realizes that he can use his own hands to cover his eyes and when he does so, we react by playing the game with him.

Other things have remained the same in some ways and have changed in others. He still loves music, but now he can react to it and become a participant. He has found that he can dance even better on his feet and that he can use his voice to create music. He "sings" a good bit while he plays, especially if it is something that he is very interested in or if it is a new discovery. He has a favorite dance in which he walks in circles to the music. It's quite the crowd pleaser.

The past few months have shown a slowing in Caleb's physical development and an incredible increase in his cognitive development. We have been introduced to the wonderful and crazy world of toddler hood and are loving it!