17 months

Here we go, the monthly update on our growing boy, who turned 17 months yesterday. It's fun to reflect back on what can change in a month, or at least is a noticeable change.

Like with Zach, I wanted Charlie to have a lovey. And I didn't want it to end up being some ginormous stuffed animal that I'd have to tote everywhere, and that would be difficult to wash. So once again I stuck a small blanket-type animal in Charlie's crib from the time he was just a little guy, hoping he'd become attached to it. And while he's been snuggling it in his bed for a while, we've now reached the stage of true attachment - he wants to bring it everywhere! What's different from Zach's experience is that I immediately bought two of the "frog-bungadee," so I wouldn't have a desperate search for a back-up. And since we interchange them regularly and forget to put one away, Charlie now loves BOTH of his froggies, and seems to prefer to have carry both of them around. Not exactly what I had in mind, but at least he's still satisfied with one!

Charlie talks non-stop. It seems inconceivable we could have two boys who love to talk, but it looks like we're headed in that direction. Don't get me wrong, while the "words" coming out of Charlie's mouth have all sorts of vowel and consonant sounds, and he uses lots of inflection in his "sentences" - he is not speaking any language we know!

Even before we got pregnant with Charlie, I worried that we'd have a hard time if our second child wasn't as quick to speak as Zach was. And now I know - I had nothing to worry about. Charlie does not speak even close to as many words as Zach did at this age... and it doesn't both us in the slightest. It's kind of amazing - you realize so quickly that your kids are different in so many ways, and that's more than half the fun! Charlie is Charlie, and we love everything about him, including all the ways he manages to convey what he wants without using words we can find in the dictionary. And I'm very aware there's a huge range of "normal" when it comes to talking, so I know we don't have to worry. He'll talk when he's ready, and we'll all be ready to listen. :)

Now that Zach is in preschool three mornings per week, Charlie and I have more time together than we've ever had (last year he was still taking morning naps). It's been nice to take him to a park and be able to focus on him without feeling like I'm ignoring Zach (cause as I mentioned before, you have to watch this guy closely when he's on playground equipment!), or just hang out at home reading books and playing together. He's a good little companion!

Charlie has always seemed to prefer Zach's toys to any "baby" toy we have. But I've really been noticing lately how he's really starting to play with things in the way they are intended - zooming cars (or a remote control) across the carpet or a track, lining up and making the animals interact with each other, pushing the trains on the wooden track. He's always been great at playing by himself, but lately I've really gotten a kick out of watching what he'll come up with next.

I know I've said it before, but this is such a fun age. It's so easy to see how Charlie's personality remains the same - he's still our happy-go-lucky, goofy boy - as he continues to grow and expand his world.

^Just had to include that last picture, since it shows his crazy always-standing-up hair!!