17 Months

Helping Daddy join the clean plate club.

Dawson and his GG. And he loves his GG.

Obsession.

Superbowl Champs. Goooo Pack!

Second obsession: the movie Cars.

Modeling his duck towel Na-Na made for Valentine's Day.

Out for a winter walk.

Watching Cars (again) with his buddy Jackson.

At 17 months, Dawson...

- Is able to express his preferences. One day I went to get him up from his nap and he said "Cars, Mommy. Please?" "Snack?". So we did just that. :) He is also able to tell us what he would like to have for a meal or snack, etc. Such a huge milestone for us. It's so special that he has the words to communicate, but also the knowledge of when to use them.

- Has two huge obsessions. Trains and the movie Cars. And I am talking addiction type obsession...but in a healthy way of course! :) My Uncle Paul was kind enough to lend us my cousin Grants Brio train set from when he was a little man. Delighted doesn't even cover how D feels about it. He literally runs to the train set first thing in the morning or after a nap. I'm talking B-line to the train set. Honestly, I bet we play with the train set 4 hours a day...and he has some killer sound effects to go with the train. No joke. Thanks Paul! :)

- And Cars, the movie. It is requested multiple times a day. "Queen? Cars? Please Mommy?" Trying saying no to a cute kid, signing please and asking oh so nicely. He knows how to work the system! Grandma Alice gave him a Lightning McQueen car for Valentine's day, one of those color changing cars. Well he carries it around all day, his hot little hands are enough to change the colors. I can say that we don't watch it every day, but a lot of days. This movie keeps his attention span for the entire hour and 45 minutes. And for anything to keep a 17 month old's entertained for the amount of time is saying something. And the best part, he'll snuggle with you the entire time...

- Is definitely becoming more of a lover. He'll walk over and plant a kiss on you or ask to be held and he'll lay his head down in the nook of your neck/shoulder. Or if you're sitting on the couch or a chair, he'll walk over and lay his head in your lap (this is a hint I've discovered for a back rub). This lovey trait of his that is being development is most definitely a favorite.

- Manners are also actually quite good. He appropriately signs/says "Please" and says "Welcome" at the right time. However we can't get the "Thank you" down yet. He says "Welcome instead of "Thank You". In fact he is so used to saying "Welcome" that when he gives us a kiss we would always say "Oh thank you Dawson!" that he doesn't even wait for that, just spits out "Welcome". It's cute.

- Started putting a few words together to form sentences. Just in the last few days. He'll say: "What doing?", "Getting Me!" (for when we chase him around), "More _____", "Love you", etc. What a small thing that makes such a huge difference.


- Has four molars...and others just about through.

- Remembers people's names and will ask for them. Especially his buddies Jack(son), Veda and Averi. Well and Sammy (my parent's dog). It' been fun over the last month to see how much he enjoys playing with other kiddos. It's still a lot of playing along side each other, but there is more and more interaction each time. He loves to have Jackson chase him. He'll laugh at almost everything Veda says or does. Averi and Dawson don't interact quite as much since they both are younger, but they do give each other hugs and she is most definitely requested to be seen.