12 Months

What is Hayden up to at 12 Months?

The most exciting thing…Hayden has started sleeping through the night!!!  He usually sleeps 11-12 hours straight now.  Hallelujah, PRAISE THE LORD!  He also still takes two naps a day.

Hayden’s little personality seems to unfold each day!  It is so much fun to see what he will do or “say” or what noise or face he will make next.  He makes so many different noises with his tongue, lips, voice, etc.  He loves to make his “motor” sound, growl, and “yell” especially when we are out in public.   He loves attention!  

He loves playing peek-a-boo (hiding behind furniture, doorways, etc.) and loves looking at himself in mirrors.  He also gets a big kick out of chasing the dogs around.   I can only imagine what this is going to be like when he starts walking! 

Pointing is our new thing lately.  He loves to point at random things around the house or outside.  He will point and talk, talk, talk.  I wish I knew what he was saying!  He also has this thing with his Nanny.  Instead of waving bye, he will point at her.  They put their fingers together. (Yes, like ET…Phone Home) It is like their secret goodbye code or something.  It is too cute!  Speaking of waving bye, he doesn’t really care to do it.  He did it for a while a few months back and we continue to work on it, but he doesn’t care to do it now for some reason.

He has also started pointing at things in the books we read (cow, dog, sheep).  I am not quite sure he is purposely pointing at them quite yet, but we will say he is.  :-) His favorite books right now are Brown Bear, Brown Bear,  Moo, Baa, La, La, La,  Five Little Monkey books, and This is the House that Jack Built.  If you are new mom and haven’t discovered Sandra Boynton books, they are a must have.  Hayden loves all of our books by her! 

Diaper changes have become particularly fun these days.  It is like trying to tame a wild monkey.  Between keeping his hands away from his “goods”, keeping him from throwing the clean diaper on the floor, or grabbing the dirty one or anything else in sight, and  keeping him from turning over…It takes about 10 times longer than it should.   We try to come armed with a toy or something to keep him occupied.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.   Hey, at least I get a little workout while I am doing it.  :-)

He has learned how to throw things.  He will throw things on the floor from his high chair (although the dogs like it when he shares his snacks, it isn’t a habit I would like to have), throw his little toy balls, and throw his sippy cup down when it doesn’t have any more in it.   And when the sippy cup is thrown down on the floor when it is empty, this usually includes a small fit.  

Yes, he has learned to throw a little fit when he doesn’t get his way (out of milk, doesn’t want to come in from outside, take something away, doesn’t want something you offer him to eat, etc.).  It’s lovely.  :-)

He has become quite attached to his milk…cows milk that is.  He LOVES it!  He has been completely weaned from breastmilk for a week.  He gets about 6 oz. four times a day. 

He has 4 teeth (two top and two bottom) and two more on the way up top.  He has started gritting his teeth.  We have no idea why he does this.  Maybe it feels good?  Sometimes we give him his paci to keep him from doing it and to keep our skin from crawling when we hear that sound.  :-)

He has learned what “no” means.  Sometimes he is a great listener, sometimes not so much!  Ha!  He particularly has selective hearing when he is headed for the dog bowls and the nightlight.  When he is headed toward the dog bowls, he will crawl and then stop to see if you are watching.  When he sees you watching, he will just laugh and crawl as fast as he can to get there before you do!  Too funny!

  

LOVES to be outside!  If the door to go outside opens at all, he literally “sprint crawls” to the door from wherever he might be in the house. 

He has mastered this one legged crawl.  I am not sure if this is the step before walking or what it is.  He will crawl with one leg and drag the other like he wants to stand up and walk, but crawling is so much easier!  He will stand on his own for a few seconds, but isn’t real interested in walking yet.  He is cruising quite well though.

He has recently started pushing things around on the floor and carrying things around with him.  I think he might need some cars soon! 

 

He still loves that $1 ball from Wal-Mart!!  He also loves to play with hats (especially when they are on your head).  And of course, he still loves remotes, phones, etc.

 

Hayden loves to dig in the cabinets.  He will only do this if the doors are open.  At this point, he doesn’t get into them himself.

He has also started playing “bulldozer”.  When we are laying on the floor, he will crawl up to us and put his head in our side and try to “bulldoze” us.  He will usually just end up crawling over us.  I think his Daddy must have taught him this when I wasn’t around.  Sounds like a good father/son game! 

 

Hayden has also discovered how much he likes taking the dog toys out of their basket (and maybe chewing on them), taking all the laundry off the couch right after they were folded, etc.  He will take these things and just toss them around over and over again while going in circles.  It is quite comical. 

Hayden seems to like facing forward in his new car seat.  He just looks so grown up facing forward.  I love being able to see him.

I think that about sums up our precious baby boy!  Sorry for the long post.  I know this is more for our memory and I didn’t want to forget anything.  We cherish every moment with him.  Fit throwin’ or not.  :-)