12 months and it got here in a hurry...

Do you see that little guy up there?  The cotton-top with the big blue eyes and piercing stare?  The one who only sneaks in a smile once in a while?  

That Little Guy.  He owns me.  

I mean, I am standing in the front yard, holding the boom box over my head, playing his favorite song kinda in love with Rhys.  

(Congratulations if you are one of the three people who get that reference.  We can totally be BFF's.)

As for stats, not much has changed.  Not gonna lie, I am/was a little concerned about his lack of growth lately but the pediatrician assures me it's normal.  He's all kinds of active, not all that interested in eating and slowly leaving the bottles in the dust.  That adds up to a flat growth pattern.  

For now.

Rhys is now 30.25 inches tall (65%), weighs 21 lbs (44%) and has a head circumference of 44 cm (5%)

I find it oddly interesting that Aubrey Kate was always soaring in the 95% for head circumference and he's just barely on the charts.  Anyway...

We're down to three bottles a day and once this last canister of formula is done, he'll be getting just milk.  Right now he's getting a whopping 2 oz of formula to 6 oz of milk.  I didn't do this mixing thing with AK.  Largely because no one told me to.  So the transition for Rhys from full formula to mostly milk has been relatively easy.  There were a few days at first when he was hungry.  He figured out he had to eat when we offered him food.  But it did take a little while. 

Food is another issue.  We're still eating baby foods.  He chews the table foods but then spits it back out.  So if he had some apple slices, what I'd have after he finished with them was apple bits.  He enjoys the chewing just not the whole swallowing thing.  So we took a step, or twenty, backwards and went back to spoon feeding.  If there are little food bits, like carrots or pasta, in the baby food, he spits that back out.

At least he's consistent.

Doctor said to try once a week.  If he spits it out this week, wait another week and try again.  

Let's hope he gets the hang of it before his 15 month appointment in October.

The one exception to this is Cheerios.  Those he loves and eats those no problem.  

Yes, we are aware of the oddity of that.  

His bottles are nap time and bedtime.  Unlike AK's doctor, Rhys' is fine with that for now.  AK's doctor was pretty ridged about giving up the bottles at exactly twelve months.  Rhys' said it was perfectly okay to stick with them until he's ready to move to the cup.  Right now, he'll drink out of the cup but not much.  It's way more fun to play with it.  

Personally, I thoroughly enjoy cleaning up the spilled milk three times a day.  

Sippy cups are not infallible.  

As for activity, yes.  To any and all.  If he can climb it, he will.  If he can open it, he will.  If he can pull stuff out of it, he will.  If he can chew it, he will.  

We did learn a valuable lesson this month.  

When I heard "thump, thump, thump" followed by screaming.

Yep.  He fell down the stairs.  

Not a single clue how far or in what manner because I was in the living room.  I heard him playing with the baby gate but that's not unusual.  He likes to give it the old college try regardless of it being closed.  This time though, it wasn't closed. 

It is highly likely I will be hearing that "thump, thump, thump" in my nightmares for years to come.

The good news was he was completely unfazed.

The bad news was he was completely unfazed.

Sure, there was crying and some snuggling but 46 seconds later, he was pushing himself out of my arms to play.  

Which he did.  As I stood there trying not to throw up.  Both because my son had just fallen down the stairs and because he appeared to care less.  

Oh, yes, dear Internet, we have a long childhood ahead of us.  A very long, emergency room filled childhood.  

And that, the falling down the stairs, was enough of a learning experience for this month.  

Let's hope there's a large gap between these types of experiences.  I'm too old for that kind of stress.

In addition to being totally fearless, he is snugly, determined and still serious.  The expected twelve month separation anxiety hit.  Hard.  Only he's more attached to Daddy.

Seriously.

Chris leaves his sight and the meltdown ensues.  He's actually happier when Chris is gone.  He holds on to me but in general, he prefers Chris.  

Mom asked if that hurt my feelings and honestly, nope.  I know the kid loves me and I am thrilled he so adores his daddy.  Aubrey Kate does too.  These little kiddos are pretty blessed to have such a wonderful, playful, loving father.  Plenty of children don't.  A number that's growing.  

Hopefully, Chris' love will help them understand God's love.  Isn't that the whole purpose of parenting?  To direct them towards Christ, His Kingdom, His purpose for their life?  And maybe throw in some life lessons like the importance of making your bed and washing behind your ears?  

Well, and of course, making sure they actually survive.  Many more trips down the stairs and I might need to be fired as his mother.  

Oh, Rhys.  I love you, Little Man!