Happy 13 months, Klaasen!
I didn't miss your birthday (even though you really haven't blown out a candle, yet) and I promise I love you just as much as I do Maida and Skogen (even though they got big one-year-old birthdays and you didn't). Life has just been rather crazy lately and we had to have your birthday on the run. The highlight of your actual birthday was eating at a really yummy homemade ice cream parlor with our best friends and then watching you eat cake, that Maida helped make for you, at a picnic for Daddy's work. You got to pick out your own present at the thrift store, too, which I think is pretty awesome, also. You chose a wagon that plays music and lights up when you pull it. You still love it a month later. It is your favorite toy.
At 13 months, you still weigh 28 pounds. You started walking right at 11 months and just recently learned to run - you are always trying to keep up with your brother and sister. You can say, "mama, "dada," "dis" (for "what's this?", "mo" (for more), "baba" (for bottle), "ba" (for ball and bath), "pa" (for paci or potty), "Bumpa" (for Bumpa - what all the grandchildren call my dad) "bye bye," "hi, "nigh nigh" (for good night), and "mmm-mmmmmm" (for no). You can sign, "more," "milk," "all done," "more milk," "night night," and "love you". You know what a dog, cow, fish, lizard, cat, car, and tractor says. You finally started sleeping through the night and usually go to bed at 8:30. You wake up between 7:00 and 8:30, depending if you can hear Daddy getting ready for work or not. You take one nap a day sometime between 11:30 and 2:00, depending ln the day. You refuse to sit in a shopping cart and because you can get out of the seatbelt, I usually end up carrying you the whole time (soooo glad that we finally got the Moby unpacked!). You hum with and do almost all of the hand motions to "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and "Party Cake". You love Bible class. You are a Daddy's boy. You love to give kisses and blow kisses. One of your favorite things to do is bring me shoes to put on you. You love cars and trains. You love to climb and be high. You are a tough kid, but if you decide that you really got hurt, you wail so loud the neighbors can hear and it's hard to calm you down. You love to eat. You out eat Maida and Skogen at every meal. You love to be outside. You love to go for walks and swing. You like to tip the cup up when drinking out of a straw and get wet every time. I'm wondering how many times it will take before you learn not to tip it up. You know where your eyes, nose, button, and peepee are. You say, "pa," sometimes when I'm changing your diaper and point to your private region. When you poop, you sometimes bring me a diaper and when I ask you if you pooped, you always pat your bottom. You stand up in your highchair at every meal. You always pull dogs' tails. You love to play in the toilet. You love baths. You love slip'n'slides, swimming pools, and anything with water. You love to hum. You suck on your paci often and I just ordered you two new new ones from Germany because you are picky with your pacies! You still only have four teeth, but you just had an ear infection, so I'm guessing you are getting more teeth. They seem to come together for you. You have dark brown curly hair and brown eyes. You love to smile and laugh. You are such a snugger and randomly through out the day will come over to me and want to put your head on my shoulder for a few minutes. You have thick feet and it's hard to find shoes that fit. You still have most of your baby rolls and we love them!
Over all you are a great mix of Maida and Skogen and we can't wait to watch you grow more. I'm treasuring each minute we spend together. I still won't admit that you are a toddler. You're still my baby!
I love you, Duke.
Mommy