Twenty-Two / Twenty-Three Months

LIKES

-Talking all the time!  

-constantly asking “what’s _____ doing?” which she pronounces “do-ning.” 

-playing with and arranging her stuffed animals aka her friends  

-Sesame Street, especially Elmo and Rosita  

-Music Together, as always, especially “Hello Everybody So Glad to See You”  

-dance and music class and the teachers at Bula

 -Peter, as always! 

-inexplicably, the number “two five six.” 

-Llama Llama books and Mo Willems’s oevre  

-holding hands with mama and dada

-her grandparents and Aunt Jamie

-Talking about how Uncle Greg moved to California  

-learning Spanish

-her sparkly blue Doc Martens from Debbi  

-piling things and arranging them  

-she says her favorite things are “reading, books, Hello Everybody, Ram Sam Sam, eyes.” 

-blueberries, grapes, popsicles, hot dogs, SELTZER, cheddar bunnies, raisins, bento box lunches, black beans, macaroni and cheese

-insisting “I’m a peanut!!!” 

-singing Happy Birthday! She knows her birthday is March 5th and she’ll be two. 

DISLIKES  

-being patient

-not knowing where Pete is at all times

-that Daddy has to go to work and not play all day

-the unsettled nature of having our apartment packed up in bags 

Nineteen-Twenty-One Months

LIKES

-counting to thirteen (which she pronounces more like fourteen) 

-Sesame Street characters and their doll counterparts which she’s been accumulating one by one: Elmo, Abby Cadabby, Rosita, and Grover. We got her Rosita for Hanukkah after she must have had a vivid dream she already had her and searched everywhere for her. 

-all manner of holiday decorations   

-playing with Peter, Luke, and Loren

-fruit and nuts, which we are finally letting her eat

-reading, over and over! 

-bringing ALL the friends into her crib with her  

-Kids Music Together, more than ever  

-the Sonia de los Santos version of “Chocolate” 

-playing with her grandparents, aunts and uncles, and GG! 

-her new kitchen, tea set, coffee maker, and wooden friends  

-having family babysit

-naming her toys  

DISLIKES

-falling on her face and knocking her teeth loose, necessitating an immediate end to thumb-sucking, eating only tiny pieces of food, and wearing “robot hands” to sleep

-meeting Santa  

-playing outside in the cold  

-being told no

-not being allowed unlimited snacks  

Eighteen Months

Likes  

-counting to ten (except for 7) 

-Singing the alphabet (kind of) and applauding herself

-Old MacDonald and Twinkle Twinkle 

-climbing the cargo nets on the playground  

-Pete, Pete, Pete  

-Aunt Jamie, Mimi, and Poppy

-Gacky and Gacky  

-treats (“treat treat treat”) 

-snacks (“snack snack snack”) 

-“Opal’s clock”  

-finally being able to say “milk” 

-when Dada makes that sound by flicking his finger on his cheek  

-reading books by herself and being read to

-stairs  

-kids and teachers at school  

-school buses

-taxis  

-naming all the colors of the cars and flowers and everything else we see  

Dislikes  

-being told no  

-any food she doesn’t want at that moment  

-being reminded about personal space  

-daddy working from home and not playing  

-mommy being sick and not playing  

Seventeen Months

LIKES

-the beach: the sand, the ocean, the SEAGULLS

-counting to five

-singing the ABCs (she can chime in with a lot of it!) 

-climbing up and down stairs  

-her school bus toy and the “kids” who ride it

-popsicles  

-raisins, chicken (sometimes), beans, corn, PEACHES

-holding hands with Peter

-playing with all her grandparents  

-reading  

DISLIKES

-when someone sings a song that isn’t the song she wants to hear at the moment

-too long car rides

-wearing shoes other than her popsicle shoes  

Sixteen Months

LIKES

-keys

-the number 5

-drinking everyone’s drink but her own and eating everyone else’s snacks 

-going down the big slide at the park, especially on her belly 

-The Wheels on the Bus, “Ee I Ee I” (aka Old MacDonald), LITTLE BUNNY FOO FOO, Uncontrollable Urge by Devo

-black beans, beets, blueberries, string cheese, raisins, plums (aka “balls”), chickpeas (“kick-kees”) 

-drawing  

-bubbles

-other people’s toys at the park  

-her idol, Bea, who is three

-pointing out kids and babies  

-glasses  (“ackees”)

-duckies, doggies, skunks (“sunk”), “goose”

-grabbing on to people’s shirts to make them go where she wants (cute with parents, trouble with other toddlers)  

-reading, sometimes only one page of a hundred different books in quick succession  

DISLIKES

-being restrained or constrained in any way  

-not being allowed to eat snacks constantly at all times  

-skinned knees  

-waiting  

Fifteen Months

LIKES

-favorite things to notice and say: ball, baby, balloon, keys, kids, fork, spoon, car, bus, Mama, Dada, Opal (Bo-pal), up (bup), DUCKIE DUCKIE DUCKIE

-pictures of herself on the phone, asking to see them by pretending to talk on the phone  

-beets (beeps), blueberries, raisins

-saying some of her friends’ names: Bea, Jack, Cara, Pete

-trying to do anything Bea does 

-climbing up and going down the slide by herself  

-lemon sorbet and cherry ice, saying they’re yummy by rubbing her belly 

DISLIKES

-being told no

-lots of foods when she’s supposed to eat them

-the bath  

-going to bed  

-the car  

Fourteen Months

LIKES

-keys “keez”

-hats “dats” 

-putting things in the garbage, both when appropriate and when not (especially putting burst water balloons in the playground garbage)

-looking at pictures of herself, “Popal,” on everyone’s phones  

-dogs, as long as they aren’t too close, sticking her tongue out when their tongues are out 

-llamas, “lolololol” with the tongue  

-Kendrick Lamar’s “YAH.”

-socks “ocks”—pointing them out, calling things “ocks” that aren’t socks  

-glasses “aghses” 

-forks and spoons, which she does have words for but how to replicate them with letters? 

-pointing to things and asking what they are by saying, “is? is?” 

-eating entire mangoes  

-pointing to coffee and saying, “dot!” (Hot!) 

-playing in puddles and on the playground 

-asking for Mama (forlornly) and Dada (excitedly)

-using a straw  

-crackers “gack” 

-balls, balloons, bubbles  

-taking the right side of her diaper off as soon as it’s on 

-trying to snap her fingers

-pointing at babies and saying “bah-bay” 

-running away laughing when you try to put her jacket on or get her in the elevator  

-trying to help us out our shoes and socks on

-drinking from any adult vessel (glasses, Poland Spring bottle)

-being pulled around on a rug  

-the zoo! 

DISLIKES

-the man in the mask who redid our bathroom (terrified her into a near catatonic state for an hour) 

-the car 

-being told no  

-not seeing Mama immediately upon waking up

-the bath!!!  

-not being allowed to hold open bubble bottles  

-being expected to use a sippy cup rather than a grown up cup  

-not exactly a dislike but she lost patience for books :( 

Thirteen Months

LIKES

-Dada: saying his name, asking for him, pointing to the door looking for him, playing with him, making music with him, scratching his face, and more!

-playing in the park: slide, swings, running around, sitting on the blanket 

-mango! Eating them whole with relish and delight

-“b” words: baby, bye, ball

-balls. Desperately and possessively  

-animals and animal sounds  

-wearing hats when appropriate and inappropriate alike  

DISLIKES

-the car, now with puking  

-being told no

-eating her meals without making a fuss

-sharing with other babies

-being stuck inside  

Twelve Months

LIKES

-walking, while holding on to something or someone! 

-saying “boom!” when something falls.  

-tangerines, marinara sauce, caramelized onions, water

-shivering and saying “brrr” about cold things and waving her hand as if to cool down something “hot!”

-giving cuddles and kisses (more than she used to at least!)  

-saying “Da!” and pointing to herself when she talks about her Dad. 

-pointing at babies and then to herself, pointing at pictures of babies and then to herself, pointing at pictures of herself and then to herself. 

-making animals sounds: lions, sheep, cows, dogs, ducks, pigs, tigers

-cuddling Stella  

-balloons  

-the sound of her Dad putting on his roller deodorant—she dances! 

-the picture of herself on her Dad’s Apple watch

-reading, all the time, all the books! 

-SLEEPING! Through the night and two long naps!  

DISLIKES

-cars, with the addition now of vomiting in them  

-wearing hats, headbands or hair bows  

-many foods she might have liked the day before  

-being told “no!”  

Eleven Months

LIKES

-"Two Little Kitty Cats" from Kids Music Together. Over and over and over. 

-"Mr. Rabbit" from Kids Music Together. She does rabbit ears with her fingers, although she can only figure out how to raise one. 

-Cruising around holding onto furniture

-Eating fruit of all kinds, many vegetables, and often nothing else

-Crawling over to her shoes and holding them up to her feet when she feels like going out

-Batting her eyelashes

-Trying to get inside the fridge every time it opens

-Reading her books over and over and over. Desperate to read her books at all times! 

-Making cow, dog, and sheep sounds.

-Pointing out when a drink is hot by waving her hand to cool it down and saying "hot!"

-Pointing at herself. If she sees a picture of herself, she'll point to herself, but also sometimes she points at herself when looking at a picture of someone else, or when asked where mama is, etc. 

DISLIKES

-Going to sleep.

-Foods she loved the day or week before.

-Being patient.

-Being cooped up inside because of being sick or because of the weather.

-The nose bulb or Nose Frida.

Ten Months

LIKES

-Two Little Kitty Cats from music class; she asks for it over and over using the choreography from class: rubbing a hand up and down her arm like a cat

-reading books, over and over and over. She points out the angry purple crayon in her crayon book by shaking her finger and taps her head to ask for The Snowy Day (“the snow fell down—plop!—on his head”)

-pulling up to standing on any and everything

-playing tug-of-war, making exaggerated grunts of effort  

-using baby ASL to ask for lights to be turned on or to point out lights, especially our neon sign from our wedding

-finally, swimming!  

-baby rusk crackers, strawberries, spinach, momos  

-“touching Daddy’s scratchy face” 

-following us from room to room  

-rubber duckies in all forms  

-squinting and batting her eyelashes  

-tossing her food on the floor  

-putting things inside of other things  

-sitting in the perfect spot to triangulate seeing Daddy and Mommy at the same time when they’re in different rooms  

DISLIKES

This part is harder and harder! 

-being confined too long

-sleeping well at night (until the last few days of the month when we had to try cry it out again!) 

-being left alone  

-not being read to immediately once she decides she wants to read a book  

Nine Months

LIKES 

-dancing! At the very slightest hint of music, she shakes it! 

-reading. She will go to any lengths to get us to read to her, and when we finish a book, she wants to read it all over again. She empties her bookshelf many times daily and even reads to herself sometimes. 

-drinking water, from a glass or her sippy cup.  

-tossing food on the floor. Before she tries it, she tosses it. 

-the adoring attention of all her family over the holidays. When we got home she kept looking around for her audience.  

-meeting her great-Grandma at Christmas  

-making a super exaggerated amazed face, when opening gifts, when seeing something cool, just to do it!  

-plunging her hand into people’s mouths  

-gnocchi and polenta, cranberry sauce, blueberries and strawberries, chewy cheesey breads, dumplings of all kinds!  

-clenching food in her fist, then squeezing, and eating it when it shoots out the top!  

-pointing at and chatting about art (really!!!) 

-pointing in general! 

-answering any question with an emphatic “yessshshsh!” 

DISLIKES

-sharing. She smacks kids to take her toys! Gotta work on that!  

-spoons. Absolutely will not abide. 

-teething. The poor baby has four teeth coming in on top and is in so much pain. 

-sleeping through the night. Naps got better but the traveling and teething this month really messed up nighttime sleep.  

-knocks on the head. All the pulling up on furniture has resulted in a lot of bumps and tears. 

-the car of course, but our new car seat really improved things!!!  

Eight Months

LIKES

-sitting up on her own finally—every time she does it, she’s so proud! 

-crawling, finally! 

-crawling or rolling into her parents’ laps

-grown up food—she does a dance when she really likes something

-dancing to music, real or in her head, and playing her drum

-those plastic cups still! 

-countdowns

-mirrors  

-peek-a-boo pulling a cloth off Daddy’s face or, self-initiated, with the shower curtain

-hissing—maybe it feels good with her new bottom teeth!  

-handing grown ups books to read her  

-waving and clapping

-greeting strangers on the street

-holding her hand out to people she loves

-putting her hand in our mouths

DISLIKES

-being alone, even for a second

-being put into her crib 

-naps

-eating with a spoon! She used to love it but now it’s hands only! 

-relinquishing her toys—she started throwing tantrums!  

-staying still!!!  

Seven Months

LIKES

-her orange plastic fish friend, always clutched in her hand

-waving  

-cheering

-clapping

-music class and story time 

-babbling and saying “mamamama” and “dadadada” and “babababa”  

-hanging out with friends in the park  

-drinking water from a glass

-shaking shakers 

-eating from a spoon and with her fingers: yogurt with fruit, sweet potato, banana, spiced pumpkin purée, broccoli, peas, especially pears  

-siting in a high chair and eating grown up food in restaurants

-dancing to music with mom and dad  

-mirrors  

DISLIKES

-the car

-napping for more than 35 min

-being left alone for more than one second  

-green beans  

-cold rainy days where we can’t go outside  

-barking dogs  

-having to put on a diaper after bath time  

-not being able to crawl yet when she really wants to move!  

-getting put down to go to sleep, still! The worst thing ever. Besides cars.  

Six Months

LIKES

-log rolling to get where she wants to go

-sitting up (although she can’t get there herself yet) 

-35 minute naps

-her plastic cups

-sweet potato, banana, peas, carrots, peanut butter! 

-saying “babababa” and “dadadada” 

-the swing  

-waving hello

-mirrors and the cute baby she sees in them  

-reaching out to touch the faces of those she loves  

-facing out in her carrier

-Kids Music Together

-Aubergine and sometimes sitting in a high chair  

-sharing coffee cups and water glasses

DISLIKES

-long naps

-waking up at a reasonable hour

-waiting  

-green beans

-car rides  

Five Months

Likes

-blowing raspberries and spit bubbles

-drooling  

-riding facing forward in her carrier

-tasting fruit like peaches, pears, and watermelon and eating sweet potato from a spoon

-trying to drink Mommy's coffee

-being tickled on her belly

-her plastic stacking cups

-Pat the Bunny

-finger puppet books and puppets in general

-rolling onto her belly (but not being on her belly once she gets there!) 

-playing the tambourine and the rattle (but not too much or it scares her!)  

-being well-rested a few times  

-the Nick Cave and James Turrell shows at Mass MoCA

Dislikes  

-THE CAR

-the stroller  

-napping for long enough (but she's getting better)

-did we mention the car?  

Four Months

LIKES

-her fingers  

-her toes

-squealing and purring  

-tasting foods like broccoli, carrots, nectarines, hummus, and sweet potato  

-her bottle? She hated it and then suddenly grabbed it and stuck it in her mouth a few days before her five month birthday. 

-being close to her mom and dad

-Sophie the Giraffe

-singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider  

-story time at the library  

-fake coughing for laughs  

-reading books, especially Eric Carlie's cannon

DISLIKES

-the "extinction method" of sleep training

-napping indoors

-napping in general

-her bottle until she loved it? 

-the elephant and hippo she previously adored on her Fisher Price bouncy seat because she can't get them into her mouth  

-being away from mom and dad  

-the car

-the stroller

-the subway  

Three Months

LIKES 

-the elephant from her bouncy seat

-baby paper

-her moose toy

-the owls in her gym  

-squealing

-drooling. So much drooling. 

-putting things in her mouth!  

-trying to stand  

-napping in her Ergo

-sucking her thumb

-having her diaper changed outside  

-dancing with her dad

-This Must Be the Place, Talking Heads

-The Clapping Song, Shirley Ellis

-Thirteen, Big Star

-singing along  

DISLIKES  

-car rides  

-her bassinet  

-waiting. For anything. 

-getting a hair in her eye  

Two Months

LIKES

-playing in her jungle chair first thing in the morning

-spinning the parts of her wooden baby gym she can reach  

-sometimes taking super long naps in her swing  

-The Zombies "She's Not There" 

-napping on long walks in her Ergo

-kicking around on her sheepskin  

-smiling and cooing  

-One Today by Richard Blanco, Radiant Child by Javaka Steptoe

DISLIKES

-sleeping alone  

-not getting what she wants immediately   

-napping

-not napping  

-relaxing in someone's arms

Newborn-One Month

LIKES

-sleeping on Daddy's chest

-sleeping on Grandpa H's chest  

-sleeping

-dancing with Daddy

-The Four Seasons, Bob Dylan, Stevie Wonder...

-clenched fists  

-diaper changes  

-bouncing vigorously on the birthing ball

DISLIKES

-being put down, ever

-bath time  

-traffic