Connor's Progress

Several of you have asked, "What is Connor doing these days?" A lot - we are so busy keeping up with him that we havent time to keep up his blog. Here is a little backlog for you.

at Thirteen Months (September 25)
What he's doing now: walking! laughing, throwing balls, catching, enjoying books and playing in the bath. Loves checking out whatever his parents are doing, whether it's cooking, writing, playing a game, or studying Japanese. Likes being outside, playing in his room, investigating closets, drawers, trash cans, TV sets, and radios. Still drinks from a bottle and is comforted by infant (0-3 months) pacifiers. Sometimes bites, pinches, or hits, esp. when he feels he's not getting proper attention and/or is tired. As of the last couple of weeks, runs at the sign of an impending diaper change. Still only four teeth: two top and two bottom. Wispy blond hair, brown eyes, long eyelashes. Wakes 7-8; bedtime 7:45-8:30 pm. Still two naps daily - morning/afternoon. Eats nearly anything; special fondness for bread. He loves rice. He eats vegetables. Now that he can, would rather walk than ride. All around a great kid and a joy in our lives.

at Fourteen Months (October 25)
You’ve seen the pictures, you’ve watched the videos…but you may be wondering what Connor is doing on a daily basis, when he’s not sightseeing, entertaining the locals, working in the garden, riding bikes, etc. Connor doesn’t say anything especially coherent, but he shows clear signs of understanding our speech. I never took any child development courses, so I find it totally amazing what a 14 month-old can comprehend. (Little pitchers have big ears.) Connor, do you want to go outside? Do you want milk? Do you want to take a bath? Where are your shoes? He gets all of these based on just verbal cues (no pointing or gestures). He also understands that dirty dishes go to the sink and trash goes into the garbage can and will take them there. FINALLY Connor is pulling some of his weight around here.
He has two new teeth, one on top and one on bottom. Connor remains obsessed with circular objects. He likes flashing lights and things that make noise, like our doorbell! It makes a nice ding-dong sound when he pushes the button, then he can come inside to watch the flashing red light on the intercom phone. Awesome!

Next week he will be ... Fifteen months! (November 25)
From his videos you see that he is very active. He is showing distinct signs of being a climber. Many of you have also observed that he may have a future in percussion. He's a song and dance man, and he'll ham it up for the camera or an audience. He is NOT shy. While he is interested in other children, I've noticed lately that he is more attentive to adults when presented with the option, and I surmise this is because adults are more responsive to him. He expects all grown-ups to fawn over him and is very charming (a trait inherited from his dad). All the old ladies around here love him. He has made a few friends who come over to play from time to time.
He is still quite fond of eating and weighs almost 13 kg (28 lbs!!! no wonder my back hurts!)- he's very healthy. He seems to have grown taller but not stouter, so his proportions are shaping up.
Connor is beginning to mimic our speech with some accuracy and demonstrates understanding. In this vein he is very helpful. He wants to put things how he knows they belong - he wants power cords put out of reach, he wants the shower door closed, and often he returns the many items he pulls from cabinets and drawers during his explorations. I hope this trend continues!
Still enjoys books. He recently became so enamored with a library copy of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" that it had to be hidden in order to be preserved. Board books are more his speed. The musical Winnie-the-Pooh book famously featured in a video, also has pop-up illustrations and has become Connor's first attempt at origami (i.e. the pop-ups are now folded and creased along many different lines).
I think he may have a couple more teeth coming in. He's extremely ticklish. Unfortunately he seems to be phasing out of the two-nap system. It's become quite cold here in the past few weeks and as Japanese homes arent blessed with central heating (why?????) at night Connor now sleeps with us. So he's also phasing into Japanese-style futon sleeping.
The cooler temps have necessitated a warmer wardrobe for Connor, and we were so lucky that two different moms passed some gently worn clothing his way that is all perfect for him. That is what you'll see him wearing.
One neat thing he can do ... recognize "cat" on the ABC chart in his room. "Cat?" his dad will inquire. Connor will run into his room and point to the cat, then clap for himself. Its so cute. (by Elizabeth)