Ethan turned 17 months with panache last week. He's such an entertaining kid. He's so curious about everything. He loves puzzles and can find where the pieces go, although he doesn't usually put them in the correct orientation. He won't continue the puzzle, though, until his assistant spins the piece so it drops into position. I suspect he's doing it on purpose.
He is happiest when he is outdoors. The cold doesn't bother him at all. This week the temps have been in the 70s, which his caregivers greatly appreciate during our frequent jaunts outside. Today he let me know that the t-shirt and jeans he was wearing were too cumbersome, so I took them off and he happily wandered the streets in his diaper (cloth, so he still looked moderately dapper).
His vocabulary is gradually growing. He's added 'bye' recently, though it usually sounds like 'die', which hasn't caused too many uncomfortable situations yet. He mostly sticks to his old favorites, uh-oh, wow, and yeah, which get him through most situations. Oh, he still doesn't say 'no' but he shakes his head with an adorable 'unh-uh'.
He is a master sidewalk chalk artist and has now discovered the joy of crayons. Most of his creations consist of many dashes across the page, which I find utterly beautiful.
He's a great hugger. For a few weeks as soon as you asked he would run up for a hug. Now his hugs are more often given to his stuffed animals, but he will still offer hugs to mom and dad sporadically. He's also given me kisses several times. That's just about the best feeling in the world.
His favorite things right now: balls, sidewalk chalk, water, stacking things, puzzles.
He continues to be fiercely independent. He only takes your hand if he needs assistance climbing onto a curb. He can't yet dress himself but he wants to. When he's standing in his 'learning tower' in the kitchen and I lean on the edge, he will often push my arm away to let me know I'm getting in his space.
Not a fan of Santa this year, like every other 1-year-old.
