Amos - Month 17 Summary

EATING:

Amos is really starting to develop likes and dislikes with food.  For the most part, he’ll try and like most things.  There are a few things that he knows he does not like and will no longer even try.  Green beans and lettuce are two that he refuses.  This month there were a few days where he basically didn’t eat.  We would sit down to meals and he would nibble, but would eat hardly anything.  In hindsight, I think all of those times were while he was teething.  He has started eating more sweet things.  Jason got a big bowl of ice cream a couple of nights ago, right before Amos went to bed and Amos decided he wanted some.  Needless to say, it took a while for Amos to go to sleep.

PLAYING:

Amos loves to play.  What kids doesn’t?  He does a great job keeping himself entertained for a while, but then wants me to join in.  He’s really started playing with his animals.  In fact, he has a coat rack made of animal heads and he just discovered that they make the animal sound when he pushes their buttons.  I often hear elephants, and tigers and zebras coming from his bedroom these days. 

Right now, he’s really into coloring and drawing on the chalkboard.  Most of the time I supervise this, because he’s still learning what he’s allowed to color on and needs to stand in the chair to reach the chalkboard. His other new favorite thing is dancing.  Jason said that he thinks that if Amos hears music, he has to dance.  Because for the most part, this is what happens.  It doesn't matter if it is on the radio or I'm singing.  Amos dances.  

The kid has a thing for shoes.  A big thing.  Take off your shoes and he'll put them on.  No matter the size, color or shape.  They are going on his feet.

He doesn’t want me to read books to him much anymore.  Instead he reads them to himself.  Most of the time, book reading consists of him bringing me book after book to begin and the he takes it to finish.  We haven’t made it through a complete book in quite a while.

Playing with Silas looks like patting him during tummy time, or giving him kisses.  Sometimes he will share a toy with Silas, but is ready to take it back if he looks like he is having too much fun.  Amos still enjoys playing with other kids too.  Sharing isn’t the easiest, but he’s learning.  He had lots practice at Thanksgiving while playing with Emma, Teigan, and Josie.

PERSONALITY:

Minus the days that he was working on teeth, Amos has been such a sweetie.  He starts the day with a big smile on his face and a kiss for Mom and Dad and ends it the same way.  He lets me know what he wants not by saying, "Yes," but by bursting out into a HUGE smile.  It's hard to say "No" to a smile like that.  I'm sure he is going to get just better and better at working over Mom.  One of our favorite faces is his "I'm seriously working on this" face.  His eyebrows go up and he tightens his lips.  He uses this while playing with his phone, using a spoon, coloring, drawing, and getting into things he's not suppose to.  We see it a lot.

COMMUNICATION:

He knows what he wants and he is doing his best to communicate it with us.  For example. when he knows a word for something, he likes to use it whenever possible and in as many situations as he can.  I think he actually pokes himself with our Christmas tree needles just so he can say, "Ouchy."  His newest word is "tree" and I'm sure its because on Saturday we said tree a hundred times and now have a tree in our living room.  "More" is used for a lot of things.  He thinks he should magically get whatever he wants if he says it.  He's learning that is not always the case.  Its funny too, how he seems to have picked up the wrong word for some things.  For instance, when he wants a spoon, he says bowl.  He refuses to even try to say please or thank you.  Instead he just smiles really big.  We're working on it.

DISCIPLINE:

Put us right smack dab in the fit throwing/whining phase.  If he tries something and doesn't quite get it, he whines.  Also, he can scream with the best of them.  Most of his screams are reserved for teething days or late nights, but they can make an appearance other times too.  Also, any time he does something he knows he's not suppose to, he thinks if he says "Uh oh," it's ok.  Little does he know, he's just giving himself away.  The only new development with how we discipline, is that he now gets in trouble for throwing fits.  When he can turn them on and off so quickly, we know he understands what he is doing.  Luckily I usually only have to feed Silas once while Amos is up because Amos is learning that Mom can't get to him as quickly if she is feeding Silas.  One especially rough afternoon involved me stopping three times to discipline while I fed Silas.

SLEEP:

Well, the morning nap is back!  He's actually been taking really good naps.  It nice now, because I can ask Amos if he wants to take a nap and he'll let me know if he is ready or not.  If he's not ready, he avoids eye contact and continues to play.  If he is ready, he looks for his blankets and runs smiling to his room and then tries to climb into his bed!  It's pretty wonderful.  Still sleeping great at night too.  Silas' crying hasn't seemed to bother him either.

SPECIAL EVENTS:

Amos has two new teeth and all 4 molars are about to pop in.  This has made for several cranky days this month, but I can't wait until he can really chomp on food.  The all natural teething tablets really seem to work for Amos.  I know every baby is different, but I'm glad we found something so effective.

Another special event was Thanksgiving.  Amos loved playing with cousins, but also enjoyed so much attention from aunts and uncles and GRANDPARENTS.  We are loved.  

OUR SCHEDULE:

7:30 - Wake up, play with Silas and eat breakfast

8:15 - Play/Activity

9:45 - Morning Nap

11:45 - Lunch/Outside

1:00 - Independent Playtime

2:00 - Afternoon Nap

4:00 - Snack/Daddy Time

5:30 - Dinner

7:30 - Bedtime