17 months

Baby boy,
Today you turned 17 months old. Like the other months, you have begun to pick up new things, but this month has for some reason been much more noticeable. For example, you have begun jumping. I mentally picture you doing a very similar move on a skateboard some day - if your father has anything to do with it. Just tonight you told me "no" for the first time. No to the question "Since you are throwing your food on the floor, are you done?". Why you defiant little...
On a very very positive note, you have begun to go to bed like an angel. No more rocking and singing and lulling you to sleep for 20 - 50 minutes a night. We have 3 rocking chairs, all with very sad sounding creaks in them after 17 months worth of rocking you incessantly... ok, I take that back, for the first 4 months, we bounced the shit out of you on the yoga ball to get you to go to sleep. I guess as a parent, I can crack this up to 1 of 2 things, not really reading the "healthy sleeping baby books" from cover to cover on how to get you to sleep well from the start, or 2, I really enjoyed rocking you. Yeah its both.
Very late last evening, your newest friend, Anders Vergenz Ewald was born to your Auntie Saralyn and Uncle Dave Ewald (non-relation aunt/uncle). If they weren't 2000 miles away, the 3 of us would be in a car, on a plane, in a train to see them this second. I know that you 2 will get along great. You have the most gentle soul about you when it comes to being around babies. You love to say "hi baby" to other babies. If we saw them now, I know you would say the same to little Anders.
I love you baby,
-mama