Deacon Matthew 17 Months!

Well I missed 16 months….let’s just not talk about it.

Weight/Length- 25 pounds- not sure about height- he’s right around the 35/40 percentile. We like to think Obi-D-Kanobi (a new nickname) is pretty much perfect.

Eating- I might need to complain here. This boy would have milk and nothing else for every meal if we let him. He used to be so good about food, but we have definitely hit a road bump. He loves all fruit, PICKLES (obsessed), anything sweet, hotdogs, chicken, corn, carrots, and that’s pretty much it. We find half of his meal not touched or on the floor. For example- last night, he wanted pickles. We told him to eat the hotdog first. He put it in his mouth, and once Matt handed him the pickle- spit the hotdog out to then chow down the pickle. Yes, quite a little toot, but he’s hilarious. He loves to make the AHHHHH noise after every sip of water. He will watch Matt drink something in anticipation of making that noise.

Another thing, he would much rather eat a meal held than in a high chair. Sometimes, he will tell us he’s all done and grab whatever is on his plate, so that he can finish while being held. Second child syndrome? Why yes- we let him get away with a little bit more than we did Noah. We totally pick our battles.

Bedtime/Awake- Deacon sleeps from 8pm-7am- this can vary depending on the afternoon nap. His afternoon nap starts about 1 pm. It can last from 1-3 hours. The co-sleeping has stopped. Once he broke those darn molars, he’s really been good about sleeping through the night. He has 9 teeth. 2 top molars, four front teeth, 3 on bottom. He has the cutest smile ever. We call his front teeth- his chicklets. They are HUGE.

Diapers- 4’s

 Clothes- Deacon is in 12/18 months for shirts, 12/18 months for pants.

Dislikes- Mommy’s tax deadline is probably his least favorite thing right now. I have been working really long hours, so he’s having some attachment issues. If I’m home, he has to be held or touching me. Thankfully it’s OVER and this should all go back to normal. He doesn’t like loud noises. Lawnmowers and loud outside equipment bother him- usually he holds his ears. Deacon doesn’t like to be told no- we has selective hearing just like his big brother (and most men uh hum). Stranger anxiety has shown it's face around new men. While shopping with me, a man tried to talk to Deacon and he darted into my legs burying his face with tears streaming down his face. It was sad, but I know it's just a phase. 

Likes- Bob the Builder and Bob the Tomato from Veggie Tales. He will not watch TV, but he loves these two characters. He can say the word Bob and tries to sing along with both theme songs. Belly buttons- the obsession is still strong. It’s like he has to check to make sure it didn’t go anywhere. He loves to wrestle and has started to BITE. It’s not out of evil intentions. He did it one time and we laughed, so he now does it when he gets all riled up. Both Matt and Noah have walked away with some pretty good battle marks. I confess we have tried the “bite him back” trick. He gets mad about it, but it really hasn’t made any impact. Deacon Matthew loves to build and destroy- poor big brother. He loves any electrical outlet. The Deek is an expert at pulling off the child locks and putting them back on. If it’s quiet, we usually know what he’s into. This boy gives the BEST hugs; he is the most affectionate little buddy I’ve ever met. You will often find him running up to Matt, Noah, or me and just loving on us. Hugs between Noah and Deacon are my favorite thing to watch. We have even had strangers comment on how good they are with each other. I love the sibling bond- nothing more makes me all mushy and gushy inside.  

Favorite memories- Guys, I really forgot how much I love the 16-20^th month stage. This boy has new words every day. Deacon is a little sponge- mimicking and communicating with us. My favorite memories of the month are just watching his little brain work. When he’s trying to communicate and we get it, his face LIGHTS up. He loves his daddy more than anything. I took little brother on a date to the grocery store just him and I- every isle we walked down he was calling for his daddy. When we get home to an empty house, Deacon checks every room to make sure his dad is not around. I would call him a daddy’s boy 100% and their relationship just continues to really deepen. As an outsider, I love it. I’m proud of Matt for the father (single father mostly with this darn tax season) he is and is becoming. We just continue to learn the importance of family through the thick and thin. We have experienced a lot over the past couple months and I could not be more thankful for Jesus, our family and sweet community of friends.