17 months...

17-month highlights:

• Henry loves cows. I can't emphasize this enough.
• Henry has pooped in the toilet twice! He never asks to go, but I try to put him on it at least a few times/day and always before bedtime. He's quite fascinated with all things toilet related, so we'll see where this takes us.
• Henry loves to unroll toilet paper for himself and then throw it directly in the toilet.
  
• Henry doesn't really walk anywhere anymore...he runs!
• Kisses for mom are only allowed at bedtime, says Henry.
• Henry loves to throw anything he can get his hands on.
  
• He likes to take my hair bands and put them around his wrist and neck.
  
• We still have a smoothie loving boy on our hands.
• Other than smoothies, Henry's current favorite foods are: yogurt, granola, GRAPES (luckily, Grandpa Royce grows them), turkey, bread, raisins, pears, and dessert.
• Henry now says the word "hot" ("ot"). He burned his fingers on my straightener a few weeks ago, and picked that word up shortly thereafter. He says "ot" when I open the oven, plug in the straightener, pour a mug of hot tea, or when he touches something outside that is warm to the touch. He's quite good at determining what is and isn't hot.
• We've had a string of very difficult nursery days. The past 3 visits to the nursery have been marked by many tears...as in tears throughout the ENTIRE visit! I've shed a few tears myself over this new phenomenon.
• Henry loves to walk around the house while John is at work and bring me various items that belong to daddy. The other day he brought me John's shoes, his latest basketball book from the library, and his shirt. He's also hypersensitive to the opening of the front door. Anytime it opens he assumes that daddy's home. Definitely depressing to realize that instead of daddy at the door it's only mommy checking the mail.
• Henry is still napping fairly well, although there are days when I can't get him to sleep...on those days I throw him in the stroller and walk him until I have success.
• Henry is loved by not only his parents and extended family, but by his church family as well. It's fun to see how much joy a little one can bring to so many people.
• Henry's curly hair is always a topic of conversation.
• John and I are beginning to contemplate discipline. What is appropriate for a 17-month old? What is essential to the discipline process? What are our goals? etc.
• Henry seems to have quite a sensitive streak (John was the same way in his early years). Those who watch him in the nursery often tell me that when other kids take his toys he often gets sad and sometimes cries, but he rarely fights back or stops them from taking things.
  
• Henry is a joy and we thank the Lord for him every day.