Wear your hat to stay warm!

Family nap!

Daddy likes to come home from work and take a nap with Roman. He's always so cuddly when he first wakes up. In fact, he usually won't let me put him down for at least 20 minutes.

Reading on the pooper

Care for a spot of tea?

This was so funny; Roman was sitting on my lap and reached over and grabbed my tea bag off the plate, then grabbed my cup and started dipping the tea bag into the cup. I guess he's been paying attention to what I do!

Sharing with Daddy

15 Months!

The last few months Roman has really blossomed into a toddler. He sings and walks and makes jokes. He also screams very loudly in protest when you do something he doesn't like. But his tantrums are short-lived, usually about 3 seconds flat and he's onto something else.

Yes, this goes on from 7 am until 7 pm, non-stop! Potty training is still going great, but pooping has become more of a personal endeavor with his favorite place being under the dining room table; but, we're usually able to catch him in time and take him to his potty, and he doesn't protest.

Both Grandmas got to visit him this month; they learned that "I'm gonna get you" and "tickle-tickle" are his favorite games. He also likes being carried around and shown and told about everything he points to. He has stopped eating his books and loves being read to more than ever. He likes to turn the pages himself and read, "da, da, la mmm -da-da, mmm, hmmm, ahhh, ohh, ugh..." etc...

Cozy was able to go with him to his 15-month checkup. I think she enjoyed hearing to doctor say how impressed he was with Roman. He weighed in at just under 20 lbs. and almost 33 inches; he weighs a little less than average, but is all-around an extremely healthy little boy. The doc doesn't know any other babies that age who have never been sick, had pimples, excema, dry skin, gas or constipation. It is sometimes difficult to stray from the pack and not give all the usual stuff: rice cereal, jars of baby food, rice puffs or meat and cheese. But, he is as healthy as can be, so we feel pretty good about what he is eating; and he likes it too!

He loves eating different kinds of fruits and vegetables. For a while he decided he no longer liked his favorites, avocado and banana, but he likes them again now. Other favorites are "taco" meat made from almonds, strawberries, green smoothies, "chips" made from tomatoes, almond milk and granola and he really likes sweet potatoes and peas. We have also been making him quinoa/almond butter cookies that he LOVES, oh, and don't forget his very favorite, macaroons! He can't wait to get more teeth so he can try even more new and exciting things! Yesterday we found out he really likes dried oranges; they came in a gift basket from Grandma Cozy and he keeps begging for them; those and the tangerines Aunt Ginny sent seem to be his favorite this week. Sorry Aunt Nancy and Mom, he can have your home-made toffee popcorn and almond roca next year, (maybe). : )

He doesn't say a whole lot, mostly just mimics us, but he still says mama, dada, Jagger, banana, avocado, apple, no, and has starting saying nose and touching the cat's nose (which she does not appreciate, but tolerates). He uses a lot of signs though. He knows animal signs and noises for duck, bird, chicken, rooster, mouse, elephant, pig, cow, snake, spider, monkey, gorilla, tiger, and lion. He also signs mom, dad, more, finished, please, water, bath, ball and helicopter. He can show where his nose is and his head, ears, eyes, feet, toes, shoes, shirt, underwear and hat. And he gives a lot of hugs and kisses and started blowing kisses too. He makes the "mmmmm" sound when he hugs you, so sweet...

Click here for a slideshow of his recent activity, and I mean ACTIVITY!

Early present from Grandma Cozy

Roman had a wonderful visit with his Grandma Cozy. Although he had not seen her since June, he warmed up to her very quickly and was asking to sit on her lap within just a few hours. They had a great time playing and he wished she could have stayed longer. She did get to go to the doctor with him and enjoyed hearing the doc say how impressed he is with Roman. She also witnessed his first somersault and got to see him make all his favorite animal sounds. He also showed her the "hot" fire, many, many times...

She knew just what she wanted to get Roman, so off we went to the store to let him try out all the riding toys they had. It was clear which one he preferred, so she brought it home and wrapped it. He has been having so much fun with it. At first, he enjoyed being pushed on it and standing behind it pushing it, but now he has figured out how to scoot it all over the living room. This could not be a better house for that sort of thing!

1st somersault

We had never tried this before, but that day he was playing on the bed with me and Grandma Cozy and I flipped him over once or twice and then he just went and did it. He thought that was so much fun! Gene says it is fitting that he become a gymnast since I insist on making him wear those silly leggings. I realize they're not very manly, but it's cold and they're perfect for easy-access pottying.

Our little elf helps to trim the tree

Roman had such a good time digging through all of the Christmas boxes. He was very gentle with everything and surprisingly, has not had any trouble not touching the tree. He does like sniffing it though, and sometimes he will gently touch an ornament and then look at us, shake his head no and say, "ah-ah." So far, he has not taken any of them down, I guess he is just content with looking; Cozy told me Gene was perfect as a baby, I guess I am finding out what that was like. : )

Also, every morning when we come downstairs he goes over to the plugs for the tree lights. At first he tried to plug them in but we asked him not to, so now he just goes over and sits on the step and waits for you to plug in the lights. I guess he really likes those tree lights. He doesn't remember it, but he really liked them last year too, sitting on our laps and staring at them, only 3 months old. And don't worry Nancy, Gene has told him the names of all the Star Trek and Star Wars spaceships.

Picking out a Christmas tree with Grandma Cozy

Not sure why, but all 3 pets decided to go sit with Grandma Cozy by the fire. She must have had liver in her pocket....

The Potty Chronicles

I don't want to forget a single detail of Roman's life, especially his exciting potty-training adventures! So, here is a summary of the last six months:

Although we officially started late with what they call Infant Potty Training*, or Elimination Communication, for the first 8 months we would make a psss noise when Roman peed, say the word potty and make the ASL sign for bathroom. We noticed he liked to pee when his diaper came off or when we blew on his willy wonka, so we would often use the cues then. If I was to do it over, I would definitely start around 3 or 4 months. In the beginning, I thought it was very difficult and was sure I wasn't doing it right, but now I look back and think the whole thing has been so much fun, and such a learning experience, for both of us.

*It is interesting to note that in most cultures babies start potty learning between 0-6 months and are typically potty trained between 12-18 months. It used to be like that in this country too.

Around 8 months, I started sitting him on the potty first thing in the morning and within two weeks, he was going every morning and holding it longer at night. I noticed that in the middle of the night, sometimes after nursing he would be restless and if I took him to pee he would then drift quietly back to sleep. As long as I took him to the potty once or twice between 7 pm and 8 am, he usually kept a dry diaper all night long.

We also started trying to catch him pooping, which was pretty obvious, and get him to finish his business on the potty. He quickly learned to crawl over to me when I asked, "Are you pooping?" He realized that pooping in the potty felt much nicer than in the diaper. By ten months, mornings were going so well that I decided to start putting him on the potty after naps and sometimes after he ate.

It was around 11 months when we starting taking the little blue potty with us in the car. He was starting to get it and would give out a high-pitched scream when he needed to go, or if he did pee, he would come and tell you right away (by crawling over and climbing up your leg and whining).

By one year, things seemed to be going great! He was getting pretty predictable, actively trying to tell us, sometimes, and experimenting with using his potty sign language. Here's a picture of his T-Rex using the potty; this seemed to be good encouragement for getting him to like sitting on his potty.

Around 13 months, after that darn tooth came in, we seemed to be back on track, but it was kind of hit or miss, perfect days alternating with days with 2-3 misses. He mainly lets me know by his high-pitched scream or by grabbing his crotch. Also, it's weird how he's almost completely trustworthy when we're out and about, traveling or at someone's house; last week we spent a week at my mom's house and he barely had two misses the whole week!

Then 14 months rolled around and I guess he decided enough was enough, because the last week has been amazing!

Last Sunday: While playing in the living room, walked over to potty, sat and peed (with diaper on).

Monday: While playing (in the nude) walked over to potty, sat and peed twice today. Also, trying very hard to make potty sign.

Tuesday/Wednesday: Peed in diaper and on floor several times. Ughhh.....

Thursday: Decided that he likes being held over the big potty instead of sitting on his little potty. No accidents for several days. After getting out of the shower, walked over to big potty, lifted the lid and peed all over the floor; good try!

Saturday/Sunday: Consistently giving the ASL sign for potty every time. Enjoys being held over big potty, but will sit on little potty, sometimes independently and without prompting.

Monday: Today, we are working on peeing like a big boy. When he needs to pee, he will let us know by signing, or he will just walk into the bathroom. We help him get his pants down and he pees standing up into his little potty. I am surprised we are this close to being potty-trained and I am SO excited for the day he pulls down his own pants! I just ordered him some new pairs of tiny underwear from an EC site, so we'll see.....

Below is a video of his first time standing up peeing in the potty and him using his ASL sign.

Fire, hot!

Gene has been making fires these last few days, and so we told Roman that it was hot. He knows the word hot and the sign hot because this is what I say if he reaches for my hot tea. I let him dip his finger in once so he would know what hot felt like and he hasn't touched it since.

All day long he walks by the fire and raises his hand (like the sign) and says, "ha, ha" which means hot and he never gets any closer.

So, last night we were reading Good Night Moon and he suddenly started pointing to the fireplace in the book. He wouldn't let me turn the page, he just kept pointing to the fire and saying, "ha, ha." I was really impressed that he could notice that the tiny fireplace in the book was the same as our fireplace. I think that was pretty smart! And, I'm not easy to impress. : )

It's going to get loud, 1, 2, 3!

My pile's bigger than yours Dad!

Roman ate too much!