Everyday holds the possibility of a miracle...: 15 Months Old

Dear Nathaniel,

15 months of Nate!

You are my big boy now - fifteen months old!! Each day I love you more and more than the day before, which doesn't even seem possible! You are the light of your Mommy and Daddy's lives and we just adore spending time with you! Here's the last month in review for you, little boy...

You, at the orchid nursery at Duke Gardens on Father's Day

This month marked the end of the school year for Mommy, and so you and Mommy hopped on a plane a flew cross country with Daddy to spend some time in Oregon. You were a rockstar on your first flight, and had such a great time exploring Oregon with Mommy and Daddy. We also celebrated Father's Day, and Mommy spent her first few nights away from you at the beginning of the month. It was a big month for all of us!

Hiking on Mommy's back in Oregon!

You have a lot of nicknames that Mommy and Daddy use for you these days. Natertot, NayNay, Nate the Great, Squiz, Squizbo, Nate the Destroyer, Budda, and Buddadoo are just a few. People always ask you if we call you Nate or Nathaniel. We split your "real" name pretty much equally, but honestly, I think you end up being called by a nickname more often than not! Oops!

You love your new toy on the fridge!

You are wearing mostly 18 month clothing, but can still squeeze into some 12 month outfits. Your swimsuit is funny - you wear 12 month swim trucks and an 18 month swim shirt. Good thing both of your grandmas happened to buy you the same swim set - in two difference sizes! Last week, you had a fever for a few days and Mommy had to take you to the pediatrician. You weighed in a little above 24 pounds. We'll get the rest of your stats at you 15 month appointment tomorrow.

You can finally fit in this cool shirt you were given when you were born!

You've been a great eater lately! You are really into trying new things and that is great! Mommy and Daddy took you out for hibachi and you were so excited to eat everything Mommy offered you from her chopsticks. Your new favorite is applesauce pouches. You love, love, love them and will reach for them in the checkout line at Target if you see them. You slurp them down in no time at all! You are also still nursing when you wake up and before bed, but if Mommy is out for the evening, you have no trouble going down without nursing. Mommy expects that you will be weaned from nursing by the end of the summer.

Yummy!

Thinking you're a big boy and drinking from a cup with a straw

You've been sleeping really well lately and Mommy and Daddy are so thankful for that! Keep it up, kiddo! Sometimes you take two shorter naps during the day, and other times you take one longer one right after lunch. You almost always nap in the car - even if we're just going around the corner to run errands! Hopefully you will sleep well in the car in a few weeks on our trip to the Midwest!

Butt in the air is the way to sleep!

Nate, you love to climb on things. It really is amazing and frightening. You are pretty much running all over the house now and we have to keep an extra close eye on you. We're still working on teaching you to come down the stairs on your belly. You also have a fascination with doors. You love opening and closing doors that you come across. Mommy is very careful to make sure none of the doors that you close on her will lock! You love to play with your Duplo blocks as well as any other blocks that you or Mommy or Daddy can stack (and subsequently destroy!).

Nate the Destroyer

You love to play outside and wander around. You have no fear and will just take off walking towards something if you are interested! You seem to want to climb up the slide instead of riding down it (although you love to do that too!). You are a total water baby and love to hang out in the pool. You especially love to walk under the "mushroom" fountain at our pool. Like Mommy said, no fear!

Exploring on your own

Just before turning to try to walk up the slide!

You had two upper molars and lower lateral incisor come in this month. Your poor little gums bled when the incisor was cutting - it made Mommy so sad! Your amber teething necklace still seems to help quite a bit; we don't often give you any teething tablets unless you seem really miserable.

Yay teeth!

You also added to your vocabulary this month. When Mommy came back from Chicago at the beginning of the month, you said, "Hi, Mama!". That was the first time we heard you say, "Hi", and that has become a staple of your vocabulary. You love to say, "Hi" to someone when they first walk into the room, or when you play peek-a-boo with them! Sometimes you say, "Hi" when we come around the car to get you out of your car seat! You also have started to say "Please", though it sounds a bit like "bease" or "peese". It is incredibly cute when you say it, and you seem to think that as long as you say, "please", it means you get whatever you were asking for... you are slowly learning that this is not the case! "Uh Oh" is another new one, and "Mama" turns to "Mommy" and "Dada" turns to "Daddy" every once in a while. You also say "Nana" when you see a banana. What a smart and sweet boy!

Silly, silly boy

There are so many amazing things that you do, and I know I must be leaving things out. You are an awesome kiddo and enrich Mommy and Daddy's lives each and every day. Keep on growing and being you, Nate - we love you!