Monster!

Liam has been what I can only refer to as these days, a monster. Just when I think the child can't be more active or in to more things, he decides it is time to show me a new trick. Most of our days together are spent half dressed because he is not the biggest fan of sitting still for more than 2 seconds. I've always looked at pictures of kids running around in their diapers and wondered why their parents couldn't get clothes on them! Well I am so sorry I second guessed you all. Putting clothes on a 13 month old is quite the challenge. It usually leaves me sweaty, out of breath and my hair disheveled. (Liam has also discovered how fun it is to pull my hair and slap my face during changing time.)

In the past few days, Liam has showed me that he now can crawl up onto chairs, couches, tables etc. Once on top of those, he usually wants to stand and not "sit on his bottom" making it that much more dangerous. He has also taken his fast paced walk to a full dead on sprint. Putting obstacles in his way no longer deters him as he knocks them over with ease and continues on his way. He wants nothing to do with you feeding him as he wants to hold the spoon and container on his own which results in Turner getting more table scraps then I would like. He opens every drawer or cabinet, wants to go in every closet door and continually pushes his limits. I feel like he has grown like a weed because he can now walk up to the table or kitchen counter reach up and grab something sitting on the edge. He no longer goes to sleep with ease. The 7:00 pm bedtime has gone to the wayside and is now more like 7:30. Okay let's be honest, after he cries in his crib and is consoled a few times, it is more like 7:45/8:00 before he falls asleep.

And although he has been a monster lately, he has also been soaking up everything like a sponge. Even though it is impossible to get him to sit still for a moment to teach him where his nose is or how to clap, it is the things that we don't actually "teach" him that I see him picking up everyday. For example, yesterday he walked right into the kitchen, reached up to the counter and grabbed my keys. He then proceeded to the front door, holding one key out and pointing it towards the handle/lock. Yup, he was trying to open the door with my keys.
 He has also been so vocal lately. While I don't think he really knows any words yet, he is constantly talking with an array of das and bas and numerous grunts.

Needless to say, we have been exhausted. We are also battling the stomach bug in our household, so running around after him has not been our number 1 favorite thing to go. We were all able to pull ourselves together yesterday though and enjoy a lot of outdoor time.
Next weekend Keith is going on a guys golf weekend, so it will just be Mommy and Liam. We hope the nasty weather all happens during the week so we can have some more outdoor time this weekend.

Here are a few pictures of the monster for your viewing pleasure.

This is how we roll these days, half dressed, trying to escape, sucking on our nose cleaning out thing (it was cleaned out, dont get too grossed out. :) )

Lounging in his chair, eating snacks on his own.

Pulled himself up in this chair all on his own just to lounge for a second.

Our St. Patrick's Day attire.Again half dressed and into everything. There was a moment he was sitting in that drum but I couldn't get the camera out in time.