16 months

Father and son wearing matching John Deere shirts. Holding Dad's phone, like always...

{Warning: long post} Ever since Carson turned one and I don’t do my monthly updates with the cards I’ve been lazy with the updates. So now at just over 16 months I feel like I should record what he is like. To some-up Carson in one sentence…HE IS NON-STOP! From the moment he wakes up to when he goes to sleep he is getting into everything, wanting to explore and discover everything, CLIMBING UP everything, and trying to figure out how everything works. Son of an engineer I’m afraid. At story time at the library all the other kids sit and sing songs and listen to stories on the mat. Not Carson, he is climbing chairs, opening cupboards, playing with light switches, etc. He does like the Old McDonald song though. He will dance along to that one.

Carson is a dare devil! He has no fear, which freaks me out sometimes. We go to the park a lot and he is going down the big kid slides. Like I said before he is a climber. He will figure out a way to climb up anything and looks so proud of himself once he is at the top.

He loves to “snuggle/wrestle”. He likes to be tossed around and roll on the floor with Mom or Dad, but likes when kisses, snuggles, and tickles are involved. He loves to give slobbery kisses which are basically a lick or suck on the face. We have to be careful though because sometimes it turns into a bite, which he thinks is hilarious.

He is starting on the throw tantrums stage. His tantrums are bursting into tears and sobbing uncontrollably, sounding like he had his feelings hurt. He is great at the pouty bottom lip during these episodes. It is frustrating when he decides to do this in public because people look at me with that “what did you just do to your kid” look because he sounds like I just kicked him or called him ugly or something. 

When we are at home Carson wants to be constantly entertained by me. It is exhausting, which is why we aren’t home very often!  If we are anywhere else he is Mr. Independent and I am just there cramping his style. He is not shy and likes to play with everyone. He is quite the entertainer and loves attention from others. He has joined a little play group with “big kids” and thinks they are really cool. The problem is he is the youngest and doesn’t understand sharing, which frustrates the 2-3 year-olds.

Elmo’s World and The Wiggles are the favorite TV shows right now. He isn’t much interested in other shows. Carson loves to dance along with The Wiggles. His new thing is bringing you books. He loves to sit on our laps and read books. He never sits there for too long and likes to just turn the pages, but we’re excited he is finally into books. His favorite is this really lame one called “Beaten by a Balloon”. It really is a stupid book, but for some reason it is the one he always finds and picks.

Still not much talking yet, although he definitely understands a lot more now than even a month ago. He LOVES  his Dada and says his name constantly, but rarely says my name. When I say “Mama” to him he responds back with Dada with a smirk on his face and knows that he is being funny and it is a joke! Whenever he hears an interesting sound he stops whatever he is doing and says “what’s that?” (sounding more like wasat). Examples; when the garage door opens when Dad comes home, the garbage trucks, a phone ringing, you get the picture.

Carson is turning into such a helper. He demands to throw-out his dirty diaper after he gets changed. I bought him his own broom and he goes around the house sweeping. He is down to one 2 ½-3 hour nap a day, love it! It really opens up the day to more time to go places. He also goes down for bed around 7:30 and sleeps until about 6:30, which is fine by me.  He usually just relaxes in his crib and talks to himself when he wakes up for 15 minutes. So funny.  

Well I’m sure I can go on and on, so I better stop. Carson is at such a fun age. We love playing with him and watching him learn and absorb everything in this exciting world!

We got passes to Six Flags this season and have already gone a few times. Steve took Carson on the "big kid" roller coaster. If you click on this an make it bigger you might be able to see his facial expression. I think we will wait a little longer before he rides this one again, even though he did have a big smile once the ride was over.