Emil: 14 Months

Oh, we are in so much trouble. This one is the most fearless kid I have ever met. Oh, Emil. Slow down, little dude!

Oh, and bear with me on these posts about Emil and what he does and does not do. Truth be told, this blog is currently serving as his baby book. He still doesn’t have one, and at this point, I figure what’s the point? But I do love looking back on his first year and marveling at how quickly things change.

Emil’s physical prowess is seriously impressive. I take no credit for anything my kids do–this included. He is supremely confident on his feet; leaning into a constant run from place to place. He is fast. He can climb. He will slide down the slide all by himself with no one around and is completely unperturbed if he ends up face-first in the dirt. And just this week he has started to jump with both feet off the floor (which I’m pretty sure Oliver just learned how to do at 2 1/2 years old, and, in Oliver’s defense, is totally developmentally age-appropriate). Yep, we may just have another jumper.

Last week on a warm day, Emil was wandering around barefoot and stumbled upon a patch of clover flowers in our back yard. He grabbed a bee in one hand, then stepped on another. He shrieked, but then almost immediately stopped crying to watch me pull out the two stingers. Then he was squirming to be put down so he could run back outside. Slightly worrisome, that one.

Emil has basically two words, and neither of them indicate needing anything or anyone. No, he does not say Mama or Papa or milk or juice. He says dog and ball. These are two of his favorite things, and he will talk about them constantly. Wherever there is a dog in view or within earshot, Emil will point, say excitedly, “DOG!” and then imitate a dog barking. It is pure comic relief, the little baby woofs he does.

Despite my best efforts, Emil will have nothing to do with reading books. That would require sitting still on someone’s lap, and the only time he allows for sitting still is when he nurses (and even then it’s a stretch for him to be still– we are entering the acrobatic nursing stage, apparently).

He eats everything, but I’d have to say his favorite foods are scrambled eggs, any kind of roasted vegetable, kale with lots of lemon juice, and bananas. He refuses to use a sippy cup, instead opting for (I mean screaming for) a plastic cup with a straw like Oliver and Milo. And when he’s through with that, he simply throws said cup over his shoulder and hits the gym. So to speak.

And through all this? He is the most delightful little person. Extremely social, friendly, and easy to laugh. He waves hello to every stranger, dances and stomps on the floor out of excitement when we have visitors, claps for his brothers when they do something cool. Oh, and speaking of brothers, Emil thinks Milo and Oliver are the coolest, as evidenced by his high-pitched screams as he attempts to imitate their rambunctious laughter when they chase each other round and round every evening before bed. These three were definitely meant to be.