Happy 14 month birthday, Carter!!!

 

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: kids are just sooooo much better once they hit the 1-year mark! I caveat that I’m just not (have ever been, will never be) a newborn baby lover. You know, the kind that sniffs a newborn with such pleasure and delights in all the glorious teeny-tinyness of it all, and awwwws at their sweet little faces as they sleep. Well, I do like all that, but I do not like the downsides. Which are massive. I’m talking about the sleepless nights, the sore nipples, and just the sheer exhaustion of it all. Coupled with a big fat dose of what-the-hell-am-I-supposed-to-be-doing.

But once they hit 1 year old, they’re just so different. They talk, they walk, and they’re just so interactive! I am definitely a toddler person, and not a baby person.

Hunter, evidently, is also a toddler person. He is WAY better with Carter now! We went through a rough period when Carter was younger, and Hunter mostly saw him as an annoyance. Well, he still does, but now he views Carter as a bonafide person, and a mate. Someone to play with. Oh the giggles and nuttiness these two get up to!

 

 

He loves his books and is so happy during bedtime story. And when he’s in his carseat, he must have a book with him to flip through. So different from Hunter, who far prefers holding onto a train or car!

 

We just started Carter at adult-accompanied play group. He attends twice a week, 1.5 hours per session. Hunter started this when he was older, and it’s interesting seeing the differences in their personalities – Hunter took a looooooong time to be comfortable, and would be very clingy (and still is from time to time). Carter, on the other hand, was very eager during his first class – nervous whenever I appeared to be abandoning him, but otherwise very brave and wandering around the room, taking everything in.

He still hasn’t figured out the concept of class/school yet – where you sit when you’re supposed to, clap hands when you’re asked to, etc etc. He’s a bit of a random path generator at the moment.. just wanting to check everything out in the room! But I figure he’s just sussing everything out and getting himself comfortable, so I just leave him be.

 

• EATING – Carter has TWO teeth. He doesn’t seem to like growing his teeth! But it doesn’t stop him – he eats everything off our plate, and at record speed. He takes such joy in eating, and eats so quickly. I love it 🙂 
  

 

 

And he had a popsicle for the first time!
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugJGiZ_4mzs

 

• SLEEPING – Both kids sleep in the same room, next to each other. They are tucked into bed at 7:30PM, and we do not go in until 7:30AM the next morning. They’ve figured out how to sleep together and sleep through the night together. So we just leave them be! This is SUPER-WIN for me, because I like my sleep and can’t tolerate having to wake up at night to “settle” kids or do whatever silly thing they want me to do! The benefit of having both kids in the same room is that they keep each other occupied chatting and giggling together in the morning when they wake up.. so often they will chill out in their beds til 8AM, when I finally go in to drag them out!

 

• PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT – He had this super-adorable drunk zombie walk when he first started walking. Now, it’s a bit more normal looking.. and I kinda miss my drunk zombie. He can walk up/down a step by himself, without holding onto anything (though only sometimes, not all the time). 
  He can clap his hands and blow a kiss when asked to. I won’t lie when I say I ask for (sloppy) kisses often.
  Swimming is still one of his fave activities, and he will happily throw himself around in the water, as well as go up and down the slide. Repeatedly. He’s a dare devil!

 

 

 

• SPEECH DEVELOPMENT – Now says “car”, as well as “Hunter” (which sounds like “ter ter”) and “Carter” (which sounds like “gah-dah”) whilst pointing to himself. Though, he’s suddenly taken a great interest in calling me “mama”. He said those words before, but then stopped almost entirely. But last week, he started it up again, in full force! Coupled with big huge puppy eyes and outstretched arms. My heart melts. (previously spoken words: dada, mama, there, star, row row).

 

The two brothers have a blast together. They can do chatter away, play silly games with each other, and generally interact. It’s made Hunter a lot more interested in Carter, and he often treats him like a best mate now.

In fact, now it’s Carter’s turn to try and bully Hunter (we all knew this was coming, HAHA!). He will not tolerate Hunter try to do anything to him that he deems unacceptable. He now will shout real loud at him in a scolding yell, and look at an adult with these accusing see-what-Hunter-did eyes, pointing away. If Hunter snatches anything? Heaven forbid. Carter will FIGHT BACK! I actually reckon this has made Hunter respect his little brother more, so it’s a good thing.

 

 

 

My little baby wombat absolutely LOVES me. And makes it obviously so 🙂 I actually think he is more ‘needy’ of me and looks for me more often than Hunter did at the same age. My heart goes all fluttery when Carter runs to me going “mamaaaa!”, wanting a cuddle. NOTHING in this world is as sweet, endearing and make-your-heart-turn-to-mush than your bub running to you with all this love in their eyes. I wish I could capture moments like these and imprint them in my memory forever.

 

 

 

Compare with Hunter at Month 13-14 here.

 

PREVIOUS PROGRESS:

• 1 month
• 2 months
• 3 months
• 4 months
• 5 months
• 6 months
• 7 months
• 8 months
• 9 months
• 10 months
• 11 months
• 12 months
• 13 months