Seventeen Months!

Parker--This is so crazy!  You are 17 months old.  Basically, you are one month away from graduating high school being a year and a half old.  You are my "big boy" and soooo sweet and loving.  Every age so far has been our "favorite age."  So here's what is going on with you at our new official favorite age:

• Your eating habits are the thing about you that stresses me out the hands-down most.  It is so frustrating to me to feed you almost the same things every day--waffles, pancakes or french toast, bananas, strawberries, grapes, grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, broccoli yogurt and any sweet or dessert-type item.  OH and also pretty much any cracker-ish, bread or carb-type item.  I know that it sounds like a lot and it is, but it's really mostly just a lot of CARBS.  We need more vegetables and protein!  I am continuously working on getting you to try new things.  It's hard.

• We have a routine that we follow every night that includes you taking a bath, getting your "nightclothes" on, drinking your milk, reading a story, and then rocking for just a couple of minutes.  Lately, while we rock, we do a "roll call" type thing where we say everyone's names and some words.  We go through Momma, Dadda, Reese, Opa, Omi, Grammie, Granddaddy, NayNay, Honey, Granddad, Haley, Ian, Lisa, Frank, Bryan, LuLu, Wyatt, Kaley, Thank You, I Love You, and nightnight.  It is SO sweet.  Sometimes you say everyone's name pretty good, but other times you only say a couple and then just make your own noises. 

• One thing you do that's super-cute is blow on your food when it's hot.  You kind of twist your lips to the side and do the lightest form of blowing air.  Then, even if the food is the perfect temperature, you will often pick it up and then drop it really quick like it's still hot.  (drop it like it's hoooooooooot, drop it like it's hoooooooooooooooot--haha)

• You have had two pretty bad diaper rashes in the last month.  They have been so bad that you have gotten little sores on your butt that take a little longer to heal than the rashes themselves.  You cry and squirm when I change your diaper and it is the WORST.  I hate it.  I can't figure out why you keep getting them--I'm thinking it's food related but nothing about your food has really changed.  Hopefully the one you have right now is the last one for a while.  

• In other news about things that are horrible, you fell in the kitchen flat on your face twice last week.  Your lip was busted and I thought your nose might be broken--it bled a little when the first fall occurred and it was bruised and swollen for a couple of days.  It seems like it's back to normal now, so I think we will be okay.  You just want to run run run run run everywhere and sometimes you get a little ahead of yourself!  

• These pictures were taken at the beach yesterday, which is one of your new favorite places to play, run and scream.  You really enjoyed the beach in Rehoboth at the beginning of the month, and as of yesterday, you are now okay with going in the water!  We went to Chick's Beach yesterday, so this was bay water which I think made a big difference.  It was much calmer and warmer.  I think this will be our new beach destination from now on!

We are having a fun summer together while I am working less hours.  It is going to be hard for me to go back to my "other" schedule in the fall.  I am going to continue to enjoy it all as much as I possibly can!  I love you soooo much and love every single minute that we spend together.  You're the best child I could ever ask for--thank you!