Peter's personality is really developing and every day it's getting more and more fun to hang out with him. Overall, I'd say he's a peaceful, loving, happy kid. He's quick to laugh, loves to cuddle, and is easily entertained. He has also really shown some things to be favorites at the moment. His first love is climbing. He has really surprised me with his climbing ability lately! He still isn't walking, but he's climbing all over the place! I was getting some things out of the fridge when I heard him squealing. I turned around to see him hanging by toes and finger tips to the edge of his high chair. I rushed over and put my arms out to catch him when he fell, but he never fell! He managed to pull himself up and climb in. Once he realized that, he did it again and again. He's also figured out how to climb onto the kitchen table, our outside picnic table, and the large beanbag in the living room. The couches are still tricky for him, but I'm sure it won't be long. He's also discovered that if he pushes my step ladder up to something, he can climb from there. I have had to collapse it when not in use because he's gotten on the counter top, the end tables in the living room, and the piano. Most often, he loves to push it over to the fish tank and watch the frogs and the fish. He helps me feed them every morning as part of our morning routine. He holds the lid of the food container and then screws it back on when we're done.
Peter also loves cars. He plays with cars all day long. He makes the most adorable little engine sounds while he's playing. He especially loves real cars, though. If a car drives by while we're outside, he makes sure to point it out to me. Every. Time. I am not allowed to ignore it. He loves trash day and loves to watch the big trash trucks come by. He also loves to be allowed to play around in our car. Put him in the car, close the doors, and he'll climb around and play for an hour or more if you let him. It worked wonderfully for when we were packing and unpacking the van for our vacation. (No, I never leave him in the car unsupervised. Don't call CPS.)
Peter also loves music. If he hears it over the loudspeakers at the grocery store or on a phone or computer, he'll start to do a little dance. He'll wave his arms excitedly and wiggle. It's adorable. He loves to play on the piano and he loves to drum on the guitar and listen to the vibrations. He also loves to bang spoons on bowls and pots and make music that way. We do that a lot - sit in the kitchen and bang out rhythms. It's a lot of fun.
He loves animals too. His favorite things to look at in books are animals and cars. I've focused on trying to teach him a few very distinct animals first - elephant, tiger, giraffe. Every time we read, I make sure to point those out specifically and talk to him about them. Then I've asked him "can you find the elephant? Point to the elephant." When he can't I take his hand and point for him and then praise him. I'm trying to gauge what words he's learning and where he's at developmentally. Today I asked him to point to the elephant and he studied the page and then pointed to the elephant with a triumphant little "found it" kind of squeal. It was so cute. I was so pleased he finally got it. I decided to ask, "Can you find the giraffe?" He studied again and then pointed to the giraffe with the same excited sound. It was so fun. It's amazing all that he's learning.
Raising babies is so hard and I can never say I love this age but I have really enjoyed watching him emerge as a person and develop so much every day. Today at dinner he used a spoon for the first time. He had grabbed the cover of a popsicle and was dunking it into his food and then licking it off. When I saw that, I realized he was ready. I grabbed a baby spoon and handed it to him. He happily fed himself the remainder of his yogurt by dunking the spoon and licking it off. He was so pleased with himself.
Especially now with Covid restricting where we can go and what we can do, the days home with Peter often feel long. He needs so much attention and it's a lot of monotony and repetition. Some days I wish so much I didn't have to do this all over again. When I see growth moments like that, though, or when he snuggles up to me and puts his head on my chest and relaxes into me, I melt, and I'm so glad I have him in my life. What a blessing it is to have another child and get to do this one more time.
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