15 months and 39 months

I'm terribly behind on this months update--and was tempted to skip it but that math lover in me was dying over having a gap in their little growing up history.  So Braden is 15 months which makes Finley... 39 months? I've come this far, I might as well keep updating for both of them. :)



Here are Braden's stats from his 15 month appointment.

Height: 31.75" 70%
Weight: 22 lbs* 20% (he was screaming and wiggling--I can't imagine this is right.)
Head: 18.75 in 65%

So he's definitely bigger than Finley was--and a little taller than average!  I think the weight is likely off--Braden is suffering from some extreme separation anxiety and as soon as I set him on the scale he was pretty sure I was going to abandon him.  He also REFUSES to walk alone--barely holding on to one finger is fine, but he won't take more than a step without us. Except once when we were on some very hot asphalt and he overcame his fear in order to not burn his hands and knees... any day now.

We're down to just nursing in the mornings and I think are finally down to one nap.  Boy likes his sleep.  He LOVES Lightning McQueen (I always think it's funny when parents say their babies love something, but I'm pretty sure he does.) He carries the little Lightning car around with him everywhere and SCREAMS when Finley has it.  He has a Cars book that he forces us to read over and over by shoving it in our hands.  Here's a video of one of his cute tricks--finishing one of the lines from our favorite "UP."



He loves to climb on the table and doesn't understand why it's not ok to be up there.  His vocabulary is getting better, although he's pretty stingy with saying "mama" and called me "daddy" for a week.  I think just to irk me. It's so fun to see him have more and more preferences--and it's clear that his preference is to be with us.  He finally made it through nursery for the entire church service--that hadn't happened in months.



Finley is so fun.  This month he figure out how to pedal a trike, is getting excellent at doing somersaults and gets braver and braver about jumping off stuff.  The Olympics is good for him.  He is a little rougher with Braden than I'd like to see--he REALLY doesn't like Braden messing with his stuff.  He often says, "Braden loves to break my toys."  Cutie.  He's still in his crib but I think we'll be converting it to a toddler bed pretty soon.  I'm not ready to give up the freedom that having him trapped in a bed gives me... but I think if he's wearing his special shoes at night at least he won't be getting up super early.  And naptime is kind of a disaster--he just really likes to be loud during naps and half the time ends up in the pack and play in the office.  A few sweet Finley stories...

When I was disassembling the stroller on the Jetway, Braden started crawling towards an open door.  Finley FREAKED out and was more panicky than I've ever seen him--he was terrified about Braden crawling away!  He grabbed Braden and held on to him so that he wouldn't move.  Normally, the only time I ever see him touch Braden is to smack/sit on/push him, so this was a move in the right direction.

We were out to dinner and Finley began to tell me a story about "Ice Age", a movie he had watched party of earlier in the day.  As he talked, he kept getting more and more upset--trying so hard to hold back his tears.  He was telling me about part of the movie where the baby elephant was looking for his dad.  He was so upset by it--and it was the first time I've ever seen him show empathy for something else.  It was precious.

He also is starting to say the funny things preschoolers say... telling me "I'm worried Braden is going to fall down the stairs." or "I wonder what that mail man is doing!" It's so funny to hear him use grown up phrases.  He also has some of that preschoolers stubborness--don't cut his food the wrong way or pick him up until he's ready.  He has an exact way for everything.



Look at these buddies.  I'm pretty sure Braden is going to catch up with Finley soon--if he ever learns to walk.