Caroline: 16 Months

For possibly the first time ever, I feel like Caroline ISN’T getting too old too fast. She’s been doing all the BIG milestones – walking and climbing and communicating well – since she was 10 months old (braggy mom blogger is braggy!) and the little ones don’t change much about our day to day lives. It helps that she’s still approximately the same size and weight as she was 4 months ago too, so it’s easy to pretend she’s still a baby. It also helps that we still call her “the baby” – the other day I was trying to teach Evan our full names and he keeps insisting her’s is “Baby Sister Davis”.

It’s totally cool though, because 16 months is a good age to stall out. She thinks she is a big kid but isn’t actually a big kid. She can tell me when she needs something but she can’t sass me (I don’t know how I am going to survive sass from TWO children). She sleeps through the night AND takes a nice long nap. Although there are other ages I realy like (eight months is a huge one, and honestly 3 isn’t so bad most of the time) this is our sweet spot. The perfect balance of independence and neediness that makes me feel important but not trapped in a constant cycle of baby demands.

It doesn’t hurt that she’s so adorable. At the store the other day she wandered over to a group of teenage boys with sideways baseball caps and wallet chains (basically kids that make me scowl and think “PULL UP YOUR PANTS, JERKS”) I had been trying to avoid and within seconds they were all crouched down to her level talking in baby voices. It was AMAZING. I suppose it would be possible to ignore her when she walks right up and tries to be your friend, but if you can you’re probably dead inside.

She is still wearing mostly 12 month clothes (although I am buying 18 month stuff now) but wears a size 4 shoe (which is big for someone so tiny). She loves wearing a different pair of shoes every day, which is possible thanks to a zillion hand-me-downs. She also wants to wear hats all the time, which is Very Exciting for me, since I love babies in hats but never fought a battle for them with Evan. Bring on the adorable sun bonnets!

Likes include hats (HATS!!), tickles, gymnastics, jumping, shoes, being naked, her brother, phones, yarn, hugs, talking, chocolate, cereal, juice, her baby doll, water, sand, messes, swinging, going fast, danger, sleeping, books, Daddy, being upside down and The Fresh Beat Band.

Dislikes include her seat belts, posing for photos, being hungry and being told no.

I love them together

Hold up, bro. I got this.

LOOK at those lashes!

 

16 Month Milestones (from BabyCenter, as usual)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Turns the pages of a book – Yes, and is much gentler with books than Evan was at this age.
Has temper tantrums when frustrated – AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. I mean yes.
Becomes attached to a soft toy or other object – Her baby. She LOVES that hideous thing. LOVES. IT.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Discovers the joy of climbing
Stacks three blocks – YES. I saw her do it today. BOOM.
Uses spoon or fork – “Tries” is a better word than “uses” but sometimes some of the food does end up in her mouth.
Learns the correct way to use common objects (e.g., the telephone) – Loves to “talk” on the phone, throw things away, help with the dishes and feed other people.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Takes off one piece of clothing by himself – Caroline can get herself entire naked in less than 30 seconds.
Gets finicky about food – She has preferences but still eats almost anything.
Switches from two naps to one – Wait, I was still supposed to getting 2 naps out of her? Crap! She’s been on a one nap schedule since she was about 9 months (because of our Stroller Strides schedule).

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12 Responses to “Caroline: 16 Months”

  1. Erin says:

    Happy Monthday Caroline!!!! The is so adorable!!! I used her as my subject for portraits in class today and she was a big hit. My professor is a red head too so she gushed and gushed about how beautiful her hair was :) I think I’m gonna get a really good grade. Thanks for lending me your adorable child.

  2. Erin says:

    that was supposed to say “this” not “the”. I wish you could edit your comments so that you don’t look stupid. Is Sara Brady reading this?

  3. Tara says:

    She is beautiful! My second is 15 months and I agree about the age. I love that she can play on her own and sleeps all night but is still enough of a baby to snuggle and cuddle with.

  4. molly says:

    I maintain that she is the most.adorable.little.girl.evah. I would totally swoon if I saw her in a store.

  5. Suz says:

    She & that COAT are too cute!!

  6. barbra says:

    Super cute!!! I agree for the most part about the age, although mine doesn’t communicate very much so we have a lot more fits. I think my favorite so far has been 7-8months.

    How is being finicky about food a skill? If that’s true, my kid has been finicky since food was introduced at six months. That makes him a super genius, right?

  7. Amy says:

    She is too cute and obviously a genius, but the red hair does make her a little more on the evil genius side. Probably.

  8. Anna says:

    throws tantrums? gets picky with food? these are milestones?????
    and I luuuvv her eyelashes and haircolor, and the photo of her brother pushing her in the car!!

  9. Finn says:

    These were my fave moments in the last four years… 17months to about 23-26 months. There was a sweet spot around 40 months…. but man, approaching four has turned my sweet toddler into a girl who is 4 going on 16… the Sass or as we call it ‘the cheeky’ or ‘to be cheeky’ is awful!

  10. Jordan Marie says:

    loving on this post!!
    so gorgeous and love her baby doll!!

    <3xojo

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