Walking by Faith: Miles is 15 months!

At 15 months Miles is absolutely adorable but is all boy and a handful!! His favorite past time is climbing.... anything. It turns out, if you pull open a drawer and then proceed to empty it by launching all the contents over your shoulder, it makes a fabulous step stool. So then you can reach all the things mom has put on the top of the dresser to keep away from you! Also dinning room chairs slide easily on hardwood floors so you can get to things out of your reach. Tables are meant for standing on and furniture doubles as a trampoline or jungle gym.

Another trait we are seeing in full force is Miles' temper. This little one year old can throw a fall on the floor tantrum that rivals any two year old. It is quickly followed by pouting and withholding affection from the guilty party.

Example:

Miles throws a toy in the trash can for the 20th time that day.

Brian: Miles we don't play in the trash and spanks his hand.
Miles: Cries, starts shaking he's so mad, falls on the floor screaming. In the process of falling on the floor he hits his head so now he's screaming even more.
Brian: Helps him stand up tells him its okay but we don't play in the trash.
Miles: Pulls his arm away from Brian, stomps down the hall crying and refuses to look back when Brian calls his name.

A little while later Brian is holding Miles and asks him for a kiss. Miles shakes his head no and turns his head away from Brian then holds his arms out toward me.

I'm hoping he gets all of this out while he is tiny, but I'm guessing that isn't going to be the case. I'm pretty sure I'm going to spend a lot of time on my knees with Jesus when this one gets a little older! Although I dislike the one year old tantrums, I do see that they often stem from him being highly motivated and very determined. If he gets something on his mind that he wants to accomplish, like reaching toys on a table he is too short to reach, he will find a way to do it. It may take him a week to figure it out and many failed attempts but he will find a way to get to the stuff on that table! As he gets older I think this trait will serve him well in life, as most successful people I know are very determined and highly motivated. However, from the perspective of being the mother of a one year old with this trait, its going to be a rocky road.

At Miles' 15 month check-up he weighed 22 lbs (20th percentile) and was 31.3 inches tall (50th percentile). As much as this little boy can eat, its absolutely amazing that his weight is only in the 20th percentile but its because he doesn't stop moving all day long (unless he's asleep). At the doctor's office I tried to hold him while the doctor was talking to me but he wasn't having any of that so I put him down and he is running like a crazy man all over the exam room in nothing but a diaper. He tries to climb up the exam table, into every chair in the room and then decides to empty out the diaper bag by putting all the contents in the nearest trash can. Dr. Franklin watches him and tells me he has a few observations: 1) Miles has no problems whatsoever with his gross motor skills, 2) this is why young people have the children not older people like him, 3) his muscle tone is quite impressive, 4) it looks like I am going to have my hands full with this one and 5) I am very blessed to have such a sweet and healthy little boy. In case I haven't said it before, I LOVE Dr. Franklin and if he decides to move his practice to Timbuktu, I will gladly drive there to see him. For his assessment he was on target with everything except for his verbal but the doctor said that was completely normal and that its actually pretty rare for boys to talk before 15 months because the muscle tone in their mouth develops later for boys than for girls. He still only says 3 words consistently, momma, dada and more. He can also say no but most of the time he just shakes his head no. Yesterday he said ugh oh very clearly a few times but when I tried to get him to say it for Brian he wouldn't. He still mostly communicates by nodding his head yes or no and pointing or bringing me things. If he wants to go outside he starts by pointing at the door and if that doesn't work then banging on the door. If banging on the door doesn't work he brings me his shoes and then any other shoes he can find in the house. He clearly understands most things we say although sometimes he choses not to acknowledge that he does.

Miles favorite things in the whole world is riding on the four wheeler!! This past Sunday we spent the day at the farm having a picnic and riding the four wheeler. If someone took Miles off the four wheeler for someone else to have a turn he would immediately go up to them with his arms raised in the air and grunting wanting to get back on. When someone would take off without him on it he would cry. He basically spent the entire afternoon on the four wheeler. He also loves riding in Clara's electric car. The car will be sitting in the garage and he will go get in it and start grunting and yelling for Clara to come and drive him around! Thankfully she loves to drive him so it works out nicely. He also LOVES playing with a stick. All the toys a kid could ask for and he walks around the back yard until he finds a stick then all is well in his little world. Rocks come in a close second followed by eating dirt. He's still a big fan of his paci which comes in handy when we are outside because it keeps him from tasting all the nature around us.

Even though he is all boy and loves going all the time he still loves cuddling with his mommy. He gives the best hugs and kisses and if I'm sitting on the floor he wants to be in my lap. He still likes me to cuddle him like a little baby when he's ready to go to sleep and I don't mind one bit. Daddy is also moving up on his list of favorite things. He use to be all about mommy all the time but now he is in love with his daddy. During the day any time the phone rings or he hears someone in the drive way he starts dada dada dada dada. When Brian gets home in the evening he wants Brian to hold him and not put him down for at least 10 minutes which can be difficult since Clara wants daddy love to.

The last month Miles has gotten a ton of new teeth which has been really difficult. Day after day he's been fussy and crying a lot. After 4 weeks of this I was wondering if this is going to be his new temperament but 4 molars later he is back to his happy self thank goodness.

This little guy is always keeping us on our toes but we love him dearly and couldn't imagine life without him. I love his sweet spirit, his admiration of his big sister, his cuddles, his laugh and his willingness to try new things!