Fourteen
I know not everyone is interested in the details of my son’s fourteenth month. If you’d prefer to skip them, there are some great links at the end, handpicked just for you, you stone-hearted meanie. Kidding. KIDDING! No, really. But don’t just click and run. At least let me know if you liked any of them.
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Dear P,
You’re 14 months old this week and the changes are coming faster than I can keep up with them. All over the house are little notes to myself about the new things you’re doing and learning. Of course, now that I want to commit them to a monthly post, I can only find a few.
First, I want to tell you that I’m sorry I haven’t taken you to get your portraits done as religiously as I did with your sister. I had hers done every three months until she was a year. You? You’ve had them done twice. BUT in my defense, I’ve taken at least a gigabyte of photographs of you with my own camera and someday, hopefully this decade, I’m going to do something beautiful and creative with them.
This month your personality, though always charming and mischievous, has really started to blossom. When your daddy and sister leave in the morning, you run to the foyer and start waving furiously at the door after they close it. And today, after daddy closed the door, you said “Ba ba.” Though you say a handful of words, that was the first time you’ve ever said “bye bye” and I was the only one to hear it!
Now, instead of just giving me an open-mouthed kiss on my cheeks or mouth, you now do this suction kind of thing so a kiss feels like a light little hickey for a moment. Just knowing that you want to show me affection with a kiss melts my heart into a puddle of pink goo. I love that we are so attached!
When you’re upset, you call me by saying “Muh muh” but when you’re happy and settled, it’s more like “Mahhhh” or a slow, lilting “mahhh mahhh” that sounds like a little sigh of contentment.
When I sing the verse of “Rock a Bye Your Bear” that goes “la la la la laaaaa,” you sing it back to me, but with out the melody. You always respond positively to music, which thrills your Daddy to no end.
Your climbing skills have also exploded this month and you excel at taking years off of my life with your antics. The other day your sister had the ladder out so she could get on the top bunk of her bed with her friend. Imagine my surprise when I heard you giggling and went in there to find you on the top bunk. You were so pleased with yourself and with being up so high. I humored you and let you explore but made sure to follow your every move so I could catch you if you fell over the side. It’s no longer even surprising to find you sitting on the end table these days and pretty soon, I expect I will find you on the dinner table, as well.
Your deep and abiding love for Bootsy, our cat, is still going strong. Whenever he is within three feet of you, you will make a point to walk up to him, pat him on the back and keep going. You also continue to lay your
head on him to show him affection and in turn, he patiently tolerates all your patting, head rubbing and squeals of joy, which is why we all adore him so much.
Your appetite is a force of nature in it’s own right. I don’t when or why but all of a sudden, I cannot feed you enough and anything I have MUST be shared with you. I’m happy that you will eat anything your limited teeth will allow but sometimes I honestly wonder if you have a tape worm or something. You were never as hungry as you suddenly are now. Some of your favorite things are Amy’s [tag]Organic[/tag]as the spinach and feta. You also like Annie’s organic cheese crackers, Goldfish, Cheerios, Yo-Baby yogurt and applesauce.
You now have 8 teeth and 2 molars with the other two just starting to bulge through your gums. I’m glad to see those big old chompers, as they explain a lot of fussiness on your part. But during those times when you’ve not been fussy, you express your happiness and approval by clapping your hands with great delight. Of course, we all find this terribly charming and fall all over ourselves trying to please you so we can be rewarded with “the clap”
Your affection for your sister continues to grow by leaps and bounds. You always followed her around but now you spontaneously hug her and climb on her, doing your signature head rest/rub that indicates how much you love her and the feeling is clearly mutual. That my [tag]children[/tag] love each other means everything to me. I hope you two will always be close.
I [tag]love[/tag] you, my darling [tag]baby[/tag] boy, more than words could ever express. To say that I am attached to you would be an understatement. I inhale you, wishing I could envelop you inside me and hold onto you forever. I crave you when you’re not with me and I lament daily that I cannot keep you this little.
Always know that you are loved beyond measure…
Forever,
[tag]Mama[/tag]
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• You have to see these photos. They’re so awesome that they look fake but they’re not! They are what’s called HDR (high definition range) rendered from 3 photos of the same scene, taken at different exposures. It’s way cool.
• Many of you may have seen this already but if you haven’t, it’s hilarious!
• You were wondering what to do with all your old bras, right? Then click here.
• And if you don’t wear a bra, this might be more your speed.
• Check out Karen Rani’s new blog, Motherless. But beware, you might cry at the brutal honesty and emotion of this powerful site.
That was lovely, Izzy. He’ll love to read these posts one day and know how much his mom loves him.
He’ll love reading these. And he is soooo freaking adorable. Truly.
Your son is 14 months. Mine is 14 years. It’s amazing how they change —- and how our love does not.
So sweet. And I love Kvetch’s comment.
My daughter is going to be 11 months and I’ve yet to take her for professional shots…….So, at least your up on me! AND she’s my first!! By the time I get to my second, forget it!!
Happy 14th month little P!! I call my 18 m/o Sophia my bottomless pit b/c she inhales everything in sight too. She loves to eat like her mama. And those links are hilarious! I was looking for that video on youtube and couldn’t find it. Thanks!!
My little guy will be 14 months on Saturday. It is simply amazing how fast they grow and learn.
So beautiful! We had a dog named Bootsy once. Also, that bra purse was hysterical! Mine wouldn’t even make a change purse though.
i didnt’ click the links. cause i’m rebelious like that. but i read your post instead. you are so precious. you are. YOU. the mom. not the baby (although he is fucking precious too).. you are the precious one. miss you tons
I have always loved reading people’s monthly updates about their children, but now it means even more to me. Thanks for sharing such beautiful sentiment.
He is gorgeous. I know thats not manly to call a 14 month old boy gorgeous, but he is. As are your words to him.
Is his dance card full? Thalia likes a man with his molars in.
You’re such a good mama, Izzy
Beautiful. Him and your words.
Oh, so lovely. I love how you do these updates - will you put them together into a book for him later?
When my son was born and on into his twenties, I kept a journal every day so that I couldn’t forget the little details of his life. The things that brought me joy … the moments he would laugh or be sad … the times when he mastered a new skill or figured something out on his own … all of it. When he was 30, I transcribed all those journals into a book with pictures and gave it to him. He now shares this with his sons, my grandsons. I think it was the best gift I ever gave him … other than my unconditional love.
I hope you share the same with your son. He will love you even more when you do.
…peace
Loved the links. The video cracked me up, being a new englander, so much that my son came to see it, and he put it on his MySpace page. But he also said that Duct Tape wallets are “so 6th grade”. Who knew?
You’re a great writer (and mom)
BTW- I’ve always wanted a duct tape wallet…now that dream can finally come true
I have been wondering what to do with all my old, stained, stretched out nursing bras. Now I know what to give my favorite people for Christmas ;-)
Very nice! The pictures you’ve taken are probably better than the fakey posed ones anyway. At least that’s what I say since I haven’t done fakey posed ones in forever of my daughter, and I also have TONS of my own shots. :)
As the mother to a 16-month-old, second child, only boy, fanatical climber, I ate up every word! He’s completely cute.
What a cute little guy he is. He looks a lot like you. Btw, I haven’t taken my son to get his pictures taken much either and he’s my first!
On another note, I visited the Motherless site you linked to and you’re right, it’s very emotional reading. After reading the first post and then coming back to read your post, I felt truly happy for your little boy that he has a mom that loves him so much. You are both blessed.
“I lament that I can not keep you little.” I’m crying Izzy. That is exactly how I feel. With my first on the verge of Kindergarten next week, I’m finding myself on the verge of tears constantly. Why can’t they just stay little. P is an absolute DOLL!
It’s so cute watching the baby and the older one. That is one thing I like about having a big age gap between my kids- Aidan “baby-sits” George.
I bet your daughter loves playing mommy to him. So cute.
Wow, I just looked at those pictures. Amazing.
So wonderful. He’ll really treasure these one day. That is such a wonderful stage when the changes come so rapidly.
I wish I could keep my guy little too … but alas I am not succeeding!
What an adorable kiddo!
When they pass from baby to toddler…you just want to slow it all down.
Izzy, this was so beautiful! I love the melody-free “la la la la laaa” and “the clap.” Too sweet! What a cute little guy.
Cute boy.
Next year at BlogHer - purse bras all around. LOL. I love the wikihow site - I sent my poker-playing friend “How to make a gangster bankroll.”
Your climbing skills have also exploded this month and you excel at taking years off of my life with your antics.
A week into walking my son climbed on the rocking chair and stood up with his arms outstretched while rocking his hips to make the chair rock. His balance only imporved from there, and I have aged two days fo everytime I have found him places he shouldn’t be. He is six now and looking for bigger trees everyday.
What a great post. What an adorable son you have. Thank you for this.
He is so beautiful. And growing so fast! Love the purse bra. And found the Motherless site very powerful.
Awesome letter, Izzy. I do those for Rylan too and print them for his memory book.
So, if all my bras are nursing bras, will my money fall out of my purse?
Beautiful Izzy! Really a wonderful letter to your son!
I checked the MOterless site too…Hits home hard! Thanks for the link.
Ok, Izzy, my womb aches from reading that post. It was absolutely beautiful. Of course he’s adorable too!
Oh my god, Karen’s new blog breaks my heart.
That bra purse seriously made my stomach turn LOL. To answer your ? from my blog- Palm Beach County. And don’t feel bad about his portraits- I only have the one lil one and she has only had hers done three times! I just don’t have the time and money to go do that!! LOL. P.S. My mom paid for them every time LOL!
I don’t what the hell is wrong with me because I KNOW I already left you a comment but apparently that was in the 4th dimension. Anyway, this post is really sweet, and I LOVE reading kid tributes so keep it up!
Cute boy!! Sweet post.
Loved the Tea Party link -hilarious!
Awww…I miss you, too :)
xo
What an awesome idea. I really need to get more organized and start planning for something like that.
This is so funny! We JUST were reading through our old notes about Bunny. We’ve kept none for the Bean (it’s terrible, I know.) Maybe you’ll think that this is as impressive as we do? When Bunny was 14 months old she was saying 50 words!!!!! Isn’t that nuts? We used to scribble things down and stick them up on the fridge with magnet alphabet letters. It was filled with lists and funny little things she said.
Thats beautiful. Your son is so adorable.
why can’t I do this, this kind of wonderful tribute you wrote for P?
it’s lovely.
What a beautiful post Iz.
Thanks for the linky love - and to your readers for their feedback. Much love to all!
That was really sweet!! How come by 6 month old looks like your son’s size? Maybe it’s my perspective hehe. BAAAA…BAAAA..
:0
What a lovely post - thank you.
Love the bra-purse. I have to make the duct tape wallet to go with it.
rofl…mine wouldn’t either :)
Personal publishing is so easy now that I definitely will.
Why thank you ;)