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16 months old - How time flies!

Hi Everyone!

This will be a quick entry because each time I try to do a longer one, I end up getting sidetracked (usually by Caspian) and then never post it and it's a month later before I have another 5 minutes! Parents - sound familiar?

Anyway, Caspian is doing great! His first birthday was wonderful and I need to say thank you to everyone who gave him gifts! I didn't get a chance to send thank you cards, so I am doing the most gauche thing ever and thanking everyone online and all at once. Please forgive me, I just can't seem to find a moment to do anything (you should see my kitchen).

Caspian is such a grown up boy now! Here are some of his accomplishments, likes, and dislikes.

Accomplishments

1. He can walk really well now! At about 15 months he just started cruising and now he won't stop (his late walking is due to the fact that he was a turbo crawler, so didn't see any reason why he should walk).
2. He can have full conversations with you (we don't understand them, and it sounds a little like he's speaking Chinese - maybe Mandarin?) I am starting to think he was Asian in a past life considering how much he loves Asian foods and speaks his own version of an Asian language already.
3. The words that we can understand are: Daw! (dog), Mama, Dada, Ba ba (bye bye), Baaaa (sheep's sound), Papa (Grandpa), LaLa (Kyla - his daycare lady), Baaw (ball) and he's starting to learn to sing the alphabet.
   

Dislikes

1. Being picked up when he is trying to walk somewhere (how do babies know to relax their arms so you can't pick them up?)
2. Anytime he doesn't get his own way (he's got a temper to match his hair!)
3. Almost anything to eat that isn't breadlike - can you believe Eric and I have a picky eater? Where does he get it from?
   

Likes

1. Dogs (he loves dogs!). When I took him to the zoo, everything with four legs and fur was a dog (including the Alpacas and Otters). The monkeys weren't though - thank god!
2. Water (I think he was a fish in another life as well). We take him swimming any chance we get.
   
3. Bread, pasta, crackers - anything breadlike (it's hard to get him to eat anything else)
4. Toy cars and trucks (where do boys get this? one day, that's all he would play with!)
5. Balls (his second favourite item next to dogs)
6. Ceiling fans and lights (ask Grandma Jan about this one, he will spend half an hour pointing out the ceiling fans in every room in their house over and over again)
7. Books (he absolutely LOVES getting read to, especially his book about dogs)
8. Music (he is a dancing machine this kid!)
9. Climbing the stairs (one flight is never enough, he's got to go all the way to the top!).
   

Ahhhh, toddlerhood. The worst of times and the BEST of times. Caspian is truly the most joyful thing we have ever experienced and we love him to bits. But at the same time, we are starting to think that one kid might just be enough for us :).

OK, I'm going to stop now before Caspian wakes up and I never post this thing. I guess this wasn't that short of an entry after all!

Hugs and kisses to everyone!

Camille, Eric and Caspian