Ollie at One

Oh my sweet little baby monster. I can't believe you're one already (well, 13 months but let's not be pedantic--I get to things when I can these days!) It seems like just a few months ago when I was pregnant with you and dreaming about meeting you one day. Or when you were just a littlish (you've never been little, I'm afraid!) brand new baby and only wanted milk and me (in that order!).

And now you're getting to be so grown up so very fast. Every day in every way you are making your place in the world and amazing your dad and I with everything you are learning. For instance, it wasn't so long ago that I was beginning to worry if you'd ever start to talk. Don't get me wrong, you've been saying "Adios" (part of our good-bye ritual for Daddy every morning when we shout "Adios" repeatedly and increasingly loudly to Daddy as he walks out to his car) or "Row Row" when you want to play Row Your Boat, for some time now. But I kept waiting for the "Mommy's" and the "Daddy's", and frankly I'm still waiting to hear either with any regularity. But that doesn't mean that you aren't talking. Lately, it seems like you're adding a new word every day. You say "bird", "ball", "book", "car", "no-no", "Nacho", "banana", and I'm not sure what else. But my absolute favourite is when you say "ahnk kooooo" (Thank You!) or when you cover your mouth when you cough. So unbelievably cute, trust me!

And your language skills aren't the only things you've been impressing us with. We've always known you were one extra-coordinated baby, but lately you've just been showing off with the way you can run after a ball while kicking it like you've played soccer in a previous life or something. Or the way you can stand on one foot while tapping your other in time to the beat of the music blasting on the ipod. Or how you crouched down and then tried to a two-footed jump while putting your hands over your head when you saw me trying to teach Elliot how to do a star jump (jumping jack).

And speaking of Elliot, boy oh boy, do you idolize your big brother. Ever since you've been able to get around on your own, you've followed Elliot everywhere he goes and tried to do whatever it was that he was doing, usually making yourself a right pain in your big brother's bum in the process (not that he's ever been super tolerant of you). And heaven forbid you accidentally touched one of the toys that he may have touched or thought about touching at some point during the day, and he would tear it away from you with all sorts of righteous indignation about not snatching (And if he's not telling you off for snatching, he's telling you off for one thing or another and acting like he's the boss of you.)

But this is about you and not Elliot, so I should probably mention that the days of you quietly finding something else to play with are OVER!!!! I can't pinpoint exactly when you started standing your ground, but I can't imagine you ever giving it up now. If Elliot tries to grab something off of you, you yank back. If you decide that you aren't getting enough attention, you growl or giggle or shove in. You get our attention. And if that isn't working or if we take something off of you that you really shouldn't have, lord help us!!! You have mastered the tantrum at such an impressively young age, my little knuckle head. Your dad and I have learned to recognise the signs: the screwed up face, the arching of the back. We jump to cradle your head before you smash it on the hard wood floor boards, lower it to the ground and then STAND BACK! There is no way to misinterpret your sentiment. You want what you want, and you want it NOW!!! And we used to feel bad because you've always been so content playing on your own (and still are) that we felt like we neglected you. Now we sort of fear your toddler days.

Speaking of your impatience, I really should mention that your impatience for food, especially milk, is something quite remarkable. This really isn't a new phenomenon, you've always been impatient for food, however what is impressive is the intensity of your impatience as you've gotten older. Again, we've learned to recognize the signs and act quickly. Trying to appease you as we prepare a healthy meal or snack is not pretty. So much to our dismay, you end up getting more milk arrowroot biscuits (a lowish-sugar cookie) and rice crackers and cheerios and other fast toddler foods than we'd like.

And can I just mention right here how much you are capable of eating!?!?! As much as Elliot, sometimes more. At breakfast time, definitely more. 220 mL (8 oz) of milk, a whole banana, a piece of toast, maybe some cheerios or a pouch of yogurt. And you'd keep eating as long as we gave you food. I'm so afraid of our food bills once you and Elliot are teenagers, mijo!

Good thing you like other things besides eating. You still are so content to play with your toys. You love the Little People or pushing cars around or listening to Diego or the Dinosaur Train dinosaurs talk. And the phone! You pick up anything that looks remotely like a phone and gab away! If Daddy can't get you to lay down for a nappy change, he pretends you have a phone call and passes the remote control, nappy cream, whatever to you for you to chat while he gets down to the dirty work.

And you love to climb! Anything! And once you get to the top of the play gym, or the couch, or your dad, you climb down just so you can climb up again. And again. And the red car that Sam and Reuben gave you, I think that you would be happy to sleep in that thing. You climb into the seat, put your foot on the dashboard and wait for somebody to push you around the yard with that beautiful smile and gorgeous wrinkled up nose. Gosh I love you, kiddo, and can't wait to watch you teach us all about you as you figure the world out!

Oh and P.S. Your running smiley hugs when I get home from work or your clingy cuddles when you're feeling a little under the weather are just magic. I hope I never forget how good they feel. Ever.