Emmitt {14 months}

This little guy is growing up so quickly!

He is full of energy and has been named the Master of Disaster.  He makes us smile and laugh, and all in the same moment can cause us to want to pull our hair out!  He can clean out a cabinet or clear the table before you can get across the room, he drives his big brother crazy as he attempts to take anything and everything he can away from him.  I often tell him that it's a good thing he's soooo cute!

He wears the shoes of the child who is a "handful"... maybe two handfuls would be more fitting.  :)

Nonetheless, he is our favorite little brother in the whole wide world!  It is so strange how much you forget about each stage from your previous child(ren).  I suppose as they grow from stage to stage you become so engrossed in the current stage that it is easy to forget the ones proceeding. 

And all so often I've heard people say (typically those with grown adult children), "you better enjoy them, you're going to miss it when they grow up."  I must admit people... I will not miss Emmitt's current stage.  And unlike most, I can hardly wait for him to walk.  Things will be easier.  We will be able to play outside, go to the park, the library, the kitchen cabinets and dishwasher will no longer be directly in his line of sight... I really do hope he walks soon.

I love those pictures... they represent his personality so well.

A few details from this 14 month stage that I don't want to forget...

His eyes are a beautiful blue.

He isn't yet walking, but is almost there.

 

He walks very well when his hands are held, specifically for his daddy.

He has the appetite of a teenage boy.

Dr. Thomas told us that his metabolism is very high as he is only in the 45th percentile in weight and that we need to feed him until he is full. She indicated that this pattern will probably continue throughout his life.  For example, last week he ate 15 grapes, 2 slices of cheese, and half of a banana for SNACK. 

-Here is an example from another day that I decided to document with a picture-

Can you believe that?  We should probably go ahead and start saving for our grocery bills, planning for ten years from now. :)

Some of his favorite foods are grapes, bananas, apples, peaches, pears, green beans, corn, fish sticks, pulled pork, pizza, quesadilla, hamburgers, steak, sausage balls, cheese... (specifically, Mickey Mouse cheese), macaroni & cheese, ham, fruit snacks (I know... not so good for him), goldfish, pretzels, blueberry muffins, Nutrigrain bars, waffles/pancakes, powdered/glazed donuts, yogurt and applesause, ice cream, and every now and then he will eat chicken and hotdogs.

On the flip side, he is just now drinking whole milk.  This has been very stressful to me.  He is also still taking it in a bottle at bedtime.  At one, Lawson came off of both formula and his bottle without skipping a beat... not Emmitt.  I have been mixing his bottle with 1 oz. of formula to 5-6 ozs. of whole milk.  Crazy.  Just yesterday, I decided to give it to him straight milk and he took it!  So happy.  I have also been adding a splash of chocolate milk to his cup during the day and that's going well, too.  Whatever it takes to get those nutrients in him.  I am hopeful this is also a "stage".

Just like his brother, he prefers his daddy over me.

Out of his day, a bath, a walk around the block, (eating), and sitting high on the couch or bed makes him so happy!

He is very ticklish, and his laugh is infectious.

He loves his boppy and his went.  (pacifier and blanket)

He can open every door in this house... handful!!!

Using his hand at his ear, he will pretend to talk on the phone.

He is a good sleeper at night, and takes about a 2 hour nap in the afternoons.

He is much better in the vehicle now that he is facing forward.

He is quite the social butterfly, waving at everyone whom will pay him any attention.

He is unusually strong, according to Dr. Thomas.  It is all we can do to hold him down.  (eye drops and ear drops are quite the challenge)

He will mimick us when we laugh, cough, or sneeze. :)

He says, "da da", "hey dat", "ma ma ma", "bop" (pacifier), "ba" (like a sheep for his bath), "bah" for bite, and "up" when he wants out of his high chair or his car seat.  The "b" sound is the most prominent although I am almost certain he said "fish" the other day.  He loves Sport, by the way!

And as to baby signs, he signs "more" for anything and everything to do with eating. :)  He's got that down pat!!  If we are at the grocery, he signs "more" the entire time we are shopping, usually accompanied with tears, and I have eaten my words done what most good mothers would do and opened a snack on many occasions just to keep him quiet.  You do what you gotta do, right?!

When he is told, "no", he points his finger at you.

And lastly, he is often called Emmers, esp by his mama.  :)

I think that is all for now.

We love you Emmitt Bragg and are so happy God gave you to us! 

We can't wait to learn more about you as you grow up.

You are a blessing, indeed!