almost sixteen months

So much of our time since Reese's birthday has been consumed with doctor's visits and antibiotics, I feel like I haven't been a very adept transcriber of "him." We went for our fifteen/sixteen month checkup today and we were actually given a clean bill of health!

Height: 33 inches exactly (90% )
Weight: 30 pounds, 15 ounces (90 %)

Head: 19 and 3/4 inches (95%)

Here are a few things about our sweet boy I never want to forget--

Reese is funny. The kind of funny that warms your whole heart and makes you laugh til you cry. He loves to make people laugh, but if no ones around, he'll laugh at himself. This is clearly a trait he gets from his Daddy.

His favorite things in the world are music and books. When this child hears music, be it on the radio or on television, you better believe he is going to dance. And by dance, I mean he raises his arms in the air, sways from side to side, and {if the song so moves him} drops it like it's hot. If you aren't sure what "drop it like it's hot" means, well... let's just say it borders on scandalous.

Praise the Lord! I have birthed a reader. While pregnant I secretly wondered what I would do if my child was "non-reader". Luckily, my irrational fears were wasted. Reese loves to read. He has a few favorites that he carries around the house. Most of them involve animals. If I'm sitting on the floor he will back into my lap and open one up for us. The teacher in me puddles!

Reese loves to eat. Although in the last few weeks I've noticed he eats normal portions, not super-sized. His favorite foods are cheese, goldfish and mandarin oranges. He also loves him some apple juice. If we let him, he would drink three or four cupfuls. He also loves green beans, hamburgers, and cinnamon rolls. Generally he eats whatever we eat. Unless we eat pizza. For some reason pizza makes him scream. Oh and monkey he is not, bananas are also on the hate list.

We have seven teeth. Three are on bottom, four are on top. We have had these same teeth for a very long time. Sometimes I forget he doesn't have a full mouthful. Last week I made pork chops for dinner. Poor thing loved they way they tasted, but clearly could not chew them. Mom of the Year realized he couldn't chew them at the same time he started choking from cramming seven bites in his chubby cheeks.

Reese is a ladies man. He winks, bats his eyelashes, and waves at all the girls at school. Lock up your daughters, my friends. He could be dangerous. He can also give multiple types of kisses. Fish kiss, open mouth smooches, and blown kisses-- Reese is a buffet of love. If prompted to "snuggle" he will lay his head on your shoulder and pat you.

He expects to be rocked to sleep every night. I've asked Lofton if we should start letting him "fall asleep" in his crib, but Lofton clearly thought I was loony.

Me: I talked to Laura and the twins go down for the night without being rocked. I was thinking we might should let Reese start doing that.

Lofton: Why?

Me: Well, so we don't have to rock him every night. Are we still going to rock him when he outgrows the crib?

Lofton: No. Then we will lay in bed with him at night until he falls asleep.

And that was the end of that.

Reese loves to explore. We have a curious child. He likes nooks and crannies, plugs and trash. He finds a way to climb up on every chair and couch in our house. We are destined for a lifetime of boo-boo's.

And finally, we are the best of friends. Our admiration for each other is mutual. I know I won't always be his favorite, but right now I am. Yes, doing chores and cooking dinner takes a little longer with my helper underfoot, but I wouldn't have it any other way! I am soaking up every minute.