The Bebej Blog: Kyler -- Month 13 (11/18/12-12/17/12)

[Sorry for the delay -- Ryan will take the blame for this...]

It was such a busy month for our little man! There were many new places to explore, foods to try, and trouble to get into. His one year appointment went really well. Our "little man" has remained tall (31.5 inches) but with all his activity his weight has started to plateau (23 lbs 15 oz). The pediatrician called him "motorific," and we could not agree more with that descriptor of our child. He continues to dig into our cupboards, but has now discovered that he can find and bring us snacks when he wants food (which seems to be all the time). Kyler discovered the fun of gravity and the great bounces that things take when they are thrown through our gate and down the stairs. He still loves to push anything with wheels, but has also started to "ride" the toys and push himself backwards. He started to climb into boxes and onto different toys to get up into things we once thought were out of reach. Though at this point he could not climb onto the couch or chairs yet, he displays no fear of heights and if you are not right there, he will take a flying leap into the great unknown (or Christmas tree). After his evening baths, Kyler loves a goofy game of "peek" with his bath towel on the changing table. Even though he is continuously busy, he also started to migrate towards only one nap per day, which has been an adjustment for everyone.

Though Kyler is extremely advanced in his motor skills, he still does not say many words clearly, but now says "Mama" and "Dada," as well as sticking out his tongue when you ask him to do it or do it yourself. He started to shake his head "no" even though we are not sure where he picked that up. :) He has been following so many directions, including doing two things consecutively, like "find the ball and put it into the truck." Much to Ryan's excitement, he became very good at hitting a ball with a bat (on a stationary tee of course), and--to Ryan's dismay--he has shown an affinity for kicking/dribbling a soccer ball. He continues to try many new foods, including cows milk, beets, egg whites, tomatoes, oranges, and strawberries. We have worked on drinking from a cup, and he does it very well when he wants to. Kyler often likes to put his food in the cup and then try to "drink" his food. Thankfully, we have been able to get the "all done" wave down, but often not until Duncan has been fed most of Kyler's food.

We also had a lot of fun traveling to see family and visiting with friends. We had a great time visiting the whole Bebej family over Thanksgiving, and Kyler had a great time playing with his cousins and celebrating his birthday. Kyler especially loved that he got to sleep in his parents' room, and after much screaming and crying, he even got to have an impromptu sleepover in bed with us. Kyler slept great, but Ryan and I found no comfortable way to have a toddler sleep between us without at least one of us being awake. Kyler has also become very curious about wheelchairs and walkers, taking Great Grandpa Hodge's for a spin and stealing walkers from little old ladies while visiting Great Grandma Van Dyke. We visited Ryan at work and ran around the halls of DeVries Hall (not very quietly though). We visited Hager Park with Jess, Michael, and Ashley and for Ryan's birthday. During these trips, we discovered that Kyler's walking skills are diminished with any incline or decline. :) It has been so much fun watching his mental wheels turning more and more, and we are so excited to see how he continues to change in the months ahead!