Dear William: First Words

Dear William

When you were younger nearly every week you accomplished something new, while your still accomplishing new and wonderful things they are further apart and it’s more personality traits that we are seeing on a weekly basis (come to think of it maybe it’s almost daily). I’ve never been one for keeping a journal so when I decided that I really wanted to keep one for you to look back on, I’ve been making more of effort, however including LP’s Journey it’s been over a 1½ now and considering past journals (in my teens) only ever lasted about a month I have to say I’m doing well. But saying this I’ve noticed more and more I’m just enjoying the moments and forgetting to document them. But just so you know, it’s not a reflection on how much I love you. In fact, if it’s possible I love you more as I’m not documenting everything and just living in the moment and enjoying it with you.

This month I was busy with 3 weeks of freelance work so it made the month fly by. While you slept I worked and when you were up you helped me do house work followed by having lots of fun playing. For a few months now you have loved to play with the vacuum cords and pipes. Now that your more mobile you love to follow the vacuum around and when I’ve put the vacuum down you take over and start pushing it around; it makes me smile every time. And it was the sweetest thing when out of no were you just started handing me the washing from the basket. You don’t really wait for me to take the 1st item before grabbing the next but it’s very sweet of you to help and it makes me chuckle as you hold your hand up say ta and do it all over again. While at the start of the month you didn’t want to let me out of your site, by the end of the month your happier to play by yourself for ½ hour or so before you want to be by my side helping or just watching what I’m doing.

For some time now when you were crying/whinging or making loud noises at inappropriate times or for no reason I would pat your mouth so you would make an Indian noise or should I say Native American noise. I would then do it to myself so you would see it as a game. At the start of this month you started to copy me, even moving my hand from your mouth to mine so we would take it in turns. You love this game and we often play Indian’s or we will catch you playing by yourself.

You have developed a rather cute and quite an amusing habit where you shake your little head from side to side, a little like your saying no but it’s more amorous and you have an open mouth with very cheeky eyes. The first time you did it was at playgroup and you had all of us in stitches. You have continued to do it throughout the month at different times throughout the day, quite often at meal time when your being cheeky but also when you’re having fun playing or showing off. Speaking about showing off; from day one you have been able to turn heads with your smile and bright shining blue eyes. These days you might grab people’s attention with your smile or eyes but it’s your happy personally that pulls them in and then your performance that makes them laugh. Not only have you mastered flirting you have also been caught kissing girls. You normally just kiss one (Bella-Rose) but you have also given Sarah-Iris a few as well. I would like to worn you know, while your young it’s cute but when you’re older I won’t allow it.

Giving Bella-Rose a BIG kiss

Your very good at pulling yourself up now on to almost everything, and everything that is in arms reach becomes a item to practise your throwing, which is becoming better by the day. One day you sent your Dad absolutely mad; unknowingly you picked up his wallet and threw it into your ball pit. When your Dad went to get it so he could go out, you sent him mad looking for it. Never the less when I now say things like you need put things where they belong or don’t leave things out just so they are convenient he doesn’t retort anymore.

Once you started pulling yourself up I started helping you learn how to walk with your lion (walk and ride toy). It didn’t take you long to take your first steps followed by you being able to pull yourself up onto it. I often see you cheat by just walking on your knees, which is amusing to watch. I often see you pushing things along on your knees with a great big smile on your face or you chatting to yourself. It’s such a joy to see you so happy. Within a week or so of using the lion to walk you started to furniture walk and with all the standing and walking you soon started having some tumbles and falls. Most have been nothing more than a bruise but we have had a scratch to the corner of your eye (so close and so lucky) and a bitten/grazed (with blood) inner lip. And as your still learning and experiencing the joys of your legs I’m sure there will be plenty more tumbles and falls (now and for the next 15 years or so). And just before the month is out you stood by yourself momentarily, so I’m now getting ready for the walking to begin (which I’m looking forward to, as much as people are saying enjoy the time while you’re not walking).

Walking at the Grandparents with a walk and ride

While you may not be saying Mum yet (or Dad, directed at Dad), we can defiantly say your language is developing. You love to talk on the phone; and when you’re being a bit of a grump I know that calling Dad will change your mood and you will bubble away at the phone, most of the times it’s very loud and it’s hard to get a word in edge wise. We are quite sure that you understand a number of words as you seem to indicate or say them at the correct time.
• Woof (when you see or hear a dog)
• Bird (you point or look towards the bird)
• Duck and maybe also quack (pointing to or me holding the bath ducks)
• Eddie and Tat (both directed at our cat)
• Bye with a wave (not every time we are saying goodbye but you’re getting better)

Your appetite increased this month. Early in the month you began to want morning and afternoon snacks which was closely followed by wanting more an breakfast. Also once I upped your Vita Brits from 2 to 3 you seemed to be a lot happier and less needy in the morning. Afternoons are still a little trying at times and even after a bowl full of grapes you still appear to be unsatisfied. Sometimes it’s just a matter of distraction while other times an early dinner is called for.

Afternoon tea with friends (favourite snack - grapes)

The front top teeth have been getting closer and closer but we are still waiting. And while you’re still wanting breast milk I’m happy for them to stay at bay for a little longer. Just wish your little bottom would stop blistering every other day. The list of new foods is getting shorter by the month, Really must try you with peanuts but as you don’t really like to eat bread that much I haven’t bothered. New foods included;
• Dew Melon
• Hot Cross Bun
• Unsweated Easter Chocolate

Yes this was the chocolate

Below are some things we got up to this month.
• 45 weeks – Walking with the Lion.
• 46 weeks – Furniture Walking.
• 46.5 weeks – Saying Woof and Eddie
• 47 weeks – Due to you enjoying music we began Mini Maestros.

• 48 weeks – Saying bye and waving
• 48.5 weeks – Saying duck/quack.

Nandaly Streaker

Playing ball with Eddie

Having fun at Bella-Rose's dress-up birthday party

Happy 11mth Birthday Little Curser
Oh my ...... your almost 1.
Everyone says it; but where did the time go and were you really that small.

Dear William

Every month there is a new milestone that stands out above the rest, this month it was your first and second tooth. Unlike some of your other milestones this one was one that I have been waiting for ................. let’s just say a few months or more. The signs were there 2 weeks prior to the first tooth cutting. You went from only eating foods that were laced with apple or apple juice or mixed with yogurt to refusing everything but VitaBrits. You also added lots of screaming in your sleep with one night screaming so much that we both got up in the middle of the night to give you lots of attention and hugs. The week that the tooth finally cut through was also the same week that my little Mr Independent hung off me like a little monkey (you even had a baboon like bum). Okay you weren’t that bad, but you were defiantly clingy and didn’t like me walking out of your sight and wanted to be at arm’s reach from me. When your 2nd tooth cut everything was far less traumatic, your bottom started going red 1-2 days before and you only wanted VitaBrits for one or two meals (other than breakfast).

This month your Dad celebrated his 40th Birthday. As I busily made perpetrations for the big day I discovered, that while you may have looked like my father and grandfather when you were a newborn you are fast turning into a spitting image of your father. Photos revel that as a baby not only do you share your dad’s facial features you also sure your dad’s stocky build. On the day of the party you had so much fun, being passed around and even when you were clearly very tired you still had a great big smile on your face (6hrs without sleep and having to wake you from two day sleeps; what a star).

We had some issues this year with the house being flooded so this month we have had the plumbers over to fix pipes and to improve drainage. You were very interested in what they were up to, not letting them out of your sight and were very content in watching them for ½hour or more.

While there has been no more real development in your language, you do seem to direct your ‘tat’ to the cat. Your baby bubble brings smiles to our faces and has a melting effect on your Dad’s heart when you’re in your cot bubbling away to your dog (your bubble consists mainly of dadadadada). It has also become louder to say the least, which your Dad says you get from me as I’m far from quiet (which I think is a good thing). When I speak to your Dad or Grandparents on the phone I will always put them on load speaker for them to hear you, but most of the time you just stare at the phone; but by the end of the month you started to grunt at the phone which makes your Gran (Dad’s Mum laugh). And by the end of the month you clap your hands when I start to sing Bar Bar Black Sheep (the only song that gets this reaction).

You have started to wave this month, most times it’s not at the correct times but neither the less it’s very cute. You have two waves, one with the whole hand/arm and the other by closing your fingers/hand. By the end of the month you seam favour the finger/hand wave. Your high fiving is back and most times you will do it on queue. And while all of this is cute I have to say the most exciting motor skill development is that you started to pull yourself up onto your feet this month. It started in your cot, the 2nd time that I came into get you out you had pulled yourself up but too far from the cot rails and had ended up in a ‘r’ shape with the top of your head resting on the rails. You were anything but happy but it looked so funny. With the added strength you’re your legs you are getting better and better at walking while I hang onto your hands or underarms. One particular day you had a little more spring in your step as we walked down the hall chasing the cat. There were so much spring that you found enough energy to walk back up the hall when he tried to get away from you.

Once the first tooth cut through your appetite increased and no longer did I have to lace your food with apple or juice. Not only did this make meal time easier for me but I also stopped worrying about you only eating sweet foods. With your teeth coming through you began to be much happier eating foods that weren’t mash, which has also been a concern of mine. Even so I still have to process your food, especially your meats. This month your new foods included
• Vegemite Sandwich
• Whole Grapes
• Oranges (you did try once before only a little, your know eating a whole orange per sitting)
• Toddler Fruit bars
• Rice biscuits
• Toddler Muesli bars
• Prima – not a food but your able to drink through the straw

Below are some things we got up to this month.
• 9mths – started to smile and laugh when you fart at meal time after I say ‘William, not at the dinner table’
• 40.5 weeks – Up half the night; turns out it was due to your first tooth being on its way.
• 41 weeks – Giggling when your being cheeky and crawling away (normally down the hall)
• 41.5 weeks – Pulled up to yourself up to your feet
• 42 weeks – Became clingy, drunk your first prima, cut your 1st tooth.
• 43 weeks – First 13.5 hours sleep over night (the beginning of 12hrs of sleep each night).
• 43.5 weeks – Waving.
• 44 weeks – First Clap (happened as I was changing your nappy; very cute). Cut your 2nd tooth