What Spike is Like at Age 1

We had an eventful trip to the doctor's office yesterday. Miles came with us because his parents are in the process of making him a big brother! (Not the traditional way, hee hee. They pick up his little baby sister this afternoon! Congratulations, Scott and Emily!) It was actually much easier than I thought to have two toddler-babies with us. We put both carseats in our car and the boys thought it was so funny to ride next to each other. The first thing they did was reach across and grab each other's hands. Then they passed toys back and forth, the ever-polite Miles saying, "Please?" and the ever-generous Izey complying graciously.

When we got there, the boys chased each other around the waiting room. Miles got down on all fours to be on Izey's level, which both thought was hilarious. Then they ate their weight in snacks as we waited AN HOUR AND A HALF to be called in.

They continued to entertain each other in the little exam room, making what could have been a lunch time nightmare into a pretty pleasant experience, despite Zach's and my growing impatience. (I think we're going to find another doctor since this is not the first time we've had to wait over an hour.)

So, here's what you've all been waiting for, our still-giant baby's one year stats. Please keep in mind that he is one year and THREE WEEKS old...not that that helps excuse these numbers much.
Height: 31.5 inches....92%
Weight: 28 lbs 14oz...99%
So he's big. NOT as big, however, as his daddy was at his age! Zach hit 30 pounds by one year!

Other than the fact that he's a chubba lubba, our doctor also told us that "scientifically speaking," Isaac is a "beautiful child." Now we know that we are not just biased. :)

To be honest, I had really been dreading Isaac turning one. I am very much a "baby person" and was not looking forward to the toddler phase. Not long ago, I said to a friend who has older children that I wasn't looking forward to toddlerhood. Her response? "I wish I could tell you not to be afraid."

But Izey is still Izey and we still think he's pretty fabulous. He is definitely becoming more willful, but just as people told me he would, he's also doing some fun new things every day.

His walking skills are growing. Jake the Manny actually got him to walk all the way down the hallway--from kitchen to stairs! He is beginning to really know what he is doing and be proud of himself when he makes it to his destination. He also has started walking the short distances between furniture on his own, especially when he's motivated to visit Kedzie on the ottoman.

As far as words go, it's debatable. I think he says "This" or "That" when he points to things, as in "What's this?" or "Look at that!" It sounds like "Dis" or "Dat." He also says "mama" and "dada" but I'm not sure if he's using those syllables discriminately. He often makes a "tss" sound when he looks at or points to lights, too--sounds like the end of the word "lights." And he is very interested in lights. He has to point to all of them in the room and whenever we say "lights" he looks up at it. I'll write more about his communication skills in another post.

He's following lots of commands now. He'll give you something if you hold out your hand and ask for it (but he wants it right back!) and he'll find something if you ask him where it is--like "Where is your truck?" If you say "Bang! Bang!" he'll bang his hands on whatever is in front of him, and if you say "Bounce," he will!

My favorite characteristic of Spike right now is that he is a little snuggle buggle. Before or after a nap, I hold him next to his crib and he puts his head on my shoulder and tucks his arms down between our bodies. Whenever I come home and he's been with a babysitter, he gives me sweet kisses. When he mets new people, he smiles and then buries his face in my shoulder. Often if he's playing while I'm reading on the floor, he'll drop what he's doing, climb up in my lap, give me a snuggle and a kiss, and then resume his play. Just wanted to let me know he loves me!

The update on our toddler-baby is becoming hugamondo, so I'm going to start a short series of "What Spike is Like" so that I can post about some of these things in more detail. Here are some previews of upcoming topics:

Perhaps my favorite new development is that Izey just started bringing us books that he wants us to read to him. I hope someday to capture this on film, because he looks so stinkin' cute when he does it. I'll tell the full story in another post.

He loves to wrestle or chase anyone he can engage in these games, especially his daddy. This definitely merits its own post with video.

There will also be more to come on our experiences so far with weaning him--he's now down to nursing only in the morning and before bed.

So that's our little big guy! Here's little demonstration of his bouncing skills--