16 Months

Life with a 16 month old is puzzling. In so many ways. First, planning his social outings is a challenge. Every weekend morning is a struggle as we try to figure out what we will do that day. It has become quite common in our house to ask "what's the plan for today?" Because we always need to do something to keep parents, and child, happy and sane.

We can also never guess what's going on...with teething, eating, sleeping, speaking.

A few weeks ago it was obvious he was in a lot of teething pain, but no teeth. Today, out of the blue, we discovered tooth number 8, the last of the bottom four - now his smile will finally be symmetrical. I won't get into the eating and sleeping, because sometimes he does these well and sometimes he doesn't...no rhyme or reason.

Occasionally he has moments of many words and then they disappear...completely. We've heard him say chocolate, wait a minute, what's that, and a few others, but only once (maybe twice). This morning we had breakfast with Becky and Dylan. Dylan has lots of words. Spoon, bagel, cookie, more, hat. He says them often and without prompting. We were impressed...maybe more like worried? About Xavier's failed hearing tests...or could it be because he's bilingual? So hard to tell at this stage. Then all of a sudden Xavier says more and bagel...just because his buddy Dylan said it (or to prove us wrong in public, Becky and I agreed this happens sometimes). Haven't heard bagel again, but we have heard more. At dinner when he wanted more chicken! Thanks Dylan! You taught Xavier a word and he loved playing with you today. He cried all the way down the street when you walked away.

In the afternoon we gave the backyard a try...