16 Months

My darling Tori Anne,

You are 16 months old! And I am EXHAUSTED. You are always moving, always active, always go- go- going. Usually somewhere we don't want you to go. I know to you it feels arbitrary and random--that we just don't want you to have fun--but the truth is, there is just a lot of dangerous shit around and we don't want you to get hurt. But try to tell you that! Impossible.

Luckily, you are utterly adorable and sweet and it makes you very easy to forgive.

The dominating feature of this last month has been the arrival of your will. You are a kid with strong preferences and you are happy to share those preferences with the world. You push other kids, you grab books from shelves at the library, and you get so, so, so mad when we take away something you want but shouldn't have.

I've been taking you to lots of various story time events at our local libraries. I take you for a lot of reasons; I want you to love books like I do, and I want you to see the library as a magical place, and I want you to spend time with other kids. I also secretly hope it will tire you out. Did I mention that we are tired? We are very, very tired. We're really quite old, you know.

We've been exploring other places as well. We visited the zoo again, which was quite fun. You called every large animal "Bubba" which was hilarious, and at the petting zoo you ran from goat to goat patting them and calling them all "Bubba."

It's really fun to take you to places like the zoo because you are so mobile. We almost never put you in the stroller (except as a way to contain you). You never seem to get tired, no matter how much walking you do. At the aquarium on Friday, for instance, you walked for nearly three hours straight with only a break for lunch. You have so much energy! Did I mention that?

I'm not surprised you are strong willed. You are my daughter after all, and I'm totally pushy and demanding of everyone around me (although I'm working on it). You, however, are significantly more charming.

It takes a lot more to keep you entertained at home than it used to. We really wish we could afford to buy you all the toys you want and maybe even need. I think you have enough, though.

You are talking a lot more, even though you don't often say Mommy or Daddy (which is interesting; maybe because we're always around so you don't have to call us?). You can tell me what a dog, cat, cow, train, and duck say (a duck, just for the record, says "cock"). You can point to your head, your knee, your belly button, your eyes, your nose, your hair, your foot, and your diaper. You also say a whole lot of stuff we don't understand, but will hopefully become clear soon. You've also suddenly starting using some of the baby signs we taught you ages ago that we thought you were ignoring. You say hungry quite clearly, which is awesome for us, because we are kind of dolts sometimes (like today when you were screaming and screaming and it was because you had a poopy diaper that was hurting because you had a bite of my chili yesterday).

You and I have developed a really awesome bedtime routine which is my favorite time of day. I give you a bath, blow dry your hair (I know, I know, I know--but you enjoy it, and it looks so cute after), then we play on the bed. You nurse a little (although you don't nurse that much these days), but we play "five little monkeys" and I tickle you until you shriek with laughter. It's so unbelievably adorable and makes my heart swell and swell 'til I think it will explode to hear you laughing.

I know we've struggled this month--we're still learning. But I love you and think you are the most brilliant, incredible, awesome person I have ever met--and I think that every single day. I am so lucky to have you, and I love you with an ache so powerful and fierce that it makes me a better person. I love you Tori Anne. You are the best.

Comments

[CTG]

1.

OMG...she has the best KNEES IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!!

[Eva]

2.

I look forward to your letters every month. They're awesome. But you called her brilliant again so you may have ruined her ability to go to college =) (jeez, I hope I'm remembering correctly that you posted the link to that article, otherwise, you'll think I'm a moron). She really is priceless.

[gina]

3.

ok, the pink shoes in the first picture..... tooooo cute.. and were did you buy them?

[Heather]

4.

She is absolutely adorable.

And for the record, this was the absolute worst month I had with my son. Every month has just gotten better and better since then.

[Diane]

5.

too cute!
In my house a rooster says "cock". I think Regan's just too lazy to say the "a-doodle-doo" part.

[lauren]

6.

GAH! she is getting cuter and cuter every day!

does she call her "sock" , "cock" too?!? =)

[Deanna]

7.

heh. I laughed out loud at the picture of Tori Anne pushing the other child out of what must surely be "her" chair! Sounds like my youngest, who is also very strong-willed and had to be explicitly taught the expected response for the rare occasion when mommy or daddy tells her "no" (does she respond appropriately now, you ask? Sometimes; and sometimes she still screams at us!) I wouldn't have her any other way, though, just like you with Tori Anne. :-)Great update. XXOO

[Amy]

8.

I remembered that you had asked about a non-toxic way to control ants a long time back... and we have an ant problem these days... so I searched the blog and found the ant stuff way back when Tori was about 2 weeks old... I don't know if you read your old stuff, but WOW so much has changed (yes, yes, it *should* change... it's just interesting to watch children grow and remember that the problems change but the time and energy it takes to raise a child does not!).

We took my oldest to England when he was 16 months old. Imagine Tori on a trans-Atlantic flight. Strapped into a seat. For 11 hours.

Uh-huh.

He was so mad about being belted for the descent and was screaming so forcefully that he ended up throwing up all over the two of us. As we went through immigration I told the officer he could keep my son's passport... that was the last time he was going anywhere until he was 18 and old enough to go on his own.

[Nina]

9.

I love reading your monthly newsletters - they give me inspiration for my letters to my son, who is 3 weeks younger than Tori.

It is such a relief to see you are going through the same 'phase' as we are... Our little explorer is starting to show his strong will more and more - I just can't believe the energy he has. Most days I am ready to go to sleep when he finally does :) Max and Tori should meet up, they would be great friends - and he loves books (to pull them from the bookshelf and stand on them, that is).

Actually, because I have to run after him all the time, I barely have time to say hi to other moms at his playgroup... they must think I am very un-social! Glad you enjoyed your latest libary story times.

[Hanlie]

10.

I loved your post, although it made me cry (another crushing BFN this morning!).

Enjoy your daughter! The bedtime routine sounds fabulous.

[Chris]

11.

Ducks say "cock cock" at my house too! Also, cows say "mmmmmmmmmm". Love this age, so smooshy and cute!

[Amanda]

12.

So cute! Ducks at my house say cock too!

[Elizabeth]

13.

What a precious little kid. My heart just warmed reading this, and it got me all bittersweet, thinking about how fast it passes! Just this time last year my daughter was 16 months. It is amazing how fast they change. (And fwiw I think that 28 months is a lot easier than 16 months...still exhausting, but more cerebral than physical! And I do cerebral better than physical!) Hang in there; it's great to have a daughter who knows what she wants and goes after it!

[Heather]

14.

She is so precious. As the mother of a four year old, it is my obligation and duty to tell you that the running around, energy, willfullness, and stubborness only gets worse as they get older. ;-)

[Kathleen]

15.

Oh, it is so tiring, isn't it?

Tori keeps getting bigger, which I expect, but also cuter, which seems not possible yet keeps happening.

Thank you for sharing your lives.

[haylie]

16.

she is so darn cute and you are such a good mommy. love reading your Tori updates!

[Lori]

17.

Tori has the most amazing eyes. What a beautiful child.

[AngelNicki]

18.

What a beautiful little girl! Thats such a fun age, isn't it? everything is amazing to them!

[Amanda]

19.

Those pink tights... TOO ridiculously cute! She is precious!

[Essie]

20.

She is so precious and what adorable outfits! :)

[Rhonda]

21.

Cute! Do you think "Bubba" was random, or was she trying to say "Baa, baa" to the goats?

16mo *is* exhausting but so much fun. I am so happy that things are going well for you.