Seventeen Months Old!

Starting next month, I think non-mothers will get annoyed with me referring to Oliver's age by months. I'll have to start saying he's a year and a half! That blows my mind.

This month, Oliver continues to improve on his walking. He walks everywhere, all the time, and his stride is slowly becoming less of a toddle and more of a walk. He really doesn't lead with his head. Oliver walks quickly and occasionally crawls when he wants to get somewhere fast, but he doesn't run yet.

He's also started to get more bumps and bruises. In the last week, he's fallen off our bed (while I was in the shower) and fallen down half the stairs (while I was resting in the bedroom and doing a poor job watching him). He's also hit himself near the eye with the dust pan and closed his fingers in the washing machine. Oh, and part of his pinkie toe was mysteriously torn off! Thankfully, he hasn't gotten seriously hurt, and he gives me his fingers to kiss when he gets an owie.

In the land of potty training, we've gone stale. Things haven't picked up since January when we went to St Thomas. I occasionally try to pick it up again, and he'll even sit on the real toilet with a potty seat, but he doesn't stay for long and doesn't tinkle in it anymore. However, when he "boops," he goes and brings us the wipes. He also laughs when he farts (OK, I taught him that one).

His favorite foods are cheese, chocolate chips, peas, and peanut butter & jelly sandwiches. He also eats fish sticks, diced turkey dog, berries, diced bananas, Craisins, crackers, yogurt, eggs, and blueberry waffles regularly. He does OK with tomatoes and broccoli off and on. We always give him a serving of our dinner, and we have a rule that he stays at the dinner table until both Daddy and Mommy are done eating, but he usually doesn't eat much of dinner. I don't know if it's because he's not hungry at that time of day or if it's because he doesn't like eating foods he doesn't eat all the time.

Oliver understands so much of what we say. He understands me when I tell him we're going to the store. He understands if I ask him to put something in the garbage or close the door. He understands when I tell him it's time to do laundry or when I ask him if he would like to watch a video. He understands when I ask for Monkey. He understands when I tell him Daddy is home, and he understands when I tell him to put something back. He understands when I tell him not to eat something, and he understands when I tell him to take little bites. He also understands when I tell him he needs a new diaper, and he understands when I tell him I'm going to take a shower. He understands when I ask him for a kiss, and he understands if I ask him to kiss Daddy or Grandma or Monkey or the mouse in "Goodnight, Moon." He understands if I ask him to give me something or share, and he understands when I tell him, "one more" of something. He understands when I tell him it's time for a nap.

Oliver still has a bit of a temper. He gets frustrated and angry when he can't do something, like get his shoes off. He gets upset if I tell him to close the refrigerator door when he wants to look inside (he still does it, though). He whines when I tell him it's nap time in the afternoon (he's really fighting that afternoon nap these days but isn't quite ready to skip it altogether).

He still loves to help. When I'm changing a non-poopy diaper, I give him the wipe, and he wipes himself. He loves to throw garbage away for me, and he loves to close doors for us. His favorite thing is still to do the laundry. When I cook, he brings me lids for my pots and pans (and sometimes gets upset if I don't put them on, but he'll clap for me if I do).

He also gets busy with projects that he gives himself. Sometimes, he wants to put all his magnetic letters in the crib. Sometimes, he wants to put lids on all the pots and pans. There are times he wants to take the pile of clean laundry and put it all in the washing machine, or put all the clothes he can find in the hamper (and then demand that we do laundry). He also will pick up all his toys and put them in the dresser drawers. Other times, he takes all his toys and throws them over the gate that is usually up to block the stairs. When I'm in the shower, he frequently brings me his toys. He'll also decide what he wants to play. He often brings me his "Five Little Monkeys" book, and then he'll leave and bring back Monkey for me to make jump and fall off the bed.

He still kisses Froggy and Monkey, and at night, when we read "Goodnight, Moon," he kisses the mouse goodnight.

Oliver drinks almost exclusively with a regular cup. We have a sippy cup for the car or when he's drinking milk upstairs. As he has for months, he uses his fork and spoon, but he still prefers his hands.

He also has stopped brushing his teeth. Instead, he sucks the tiny dab of toothpaste off the brush. I have to brush his teeth for him, and that's not easy with a toddler!

Oliver still sleeps in his crib at night, but he sleeps on the mattress on the floor for his naps. I hope to have him sleep on his mattress at night in another five or six months.

He still doesn't take off his shirt or pants on his own, but he can (mostly) put a shirt on. I'll start it over his head, and he pulls it down. He can usually get one arm in, but I have to hold the shirt out for him to get the other arm in. He puts socks on his hands but not on his feet (although he can take socks off). He unbuckles shoes but can't figure out how to pull them off (I think he'll learn soon). He takes diapers off (but not on, of course). He doesn't put hats on his own head, but he likes putting them on everyone else.

Oliver can almost flawlessly point to the letter "O," and often can point to "Z." He understands the word "letters," and his favorite letters to play with are C, O and Q.

Here is a quick list of his likes:
*Music videos

*Daddy coming home
*Watching us flush the toilet
*Books
*Playing with his letters
*His gear toy
*Getting jobs to do (e.g. "Put your blocks away!")
*Naked time (We give him time before bed to avoid a diaper rash)
*The following books: Five Little Monkeys; All By Myself; Isn't Pig Won't Naughty?; Goodnight, Moon; Jamberry; Are You My Mother?; Go, Dog, Go; and The Littlest Mouse.
*Laundry
*Naming body parts
*Rocks
*Wood chips
*Going to the park

Dislikes:

*Other kids
*The bath
*His afternoon nap
*Leaving the park
*Going inside after playing with rocks
*When Mommy stops reading Five Little Monkeys
*Turning off the music videos