Don’t forget

Jenny, don’t forget these little toddler quirks, just days shy of reaching 17 months old:

• Toby, instead of saying, “Tickle, tickle, tickle!” says “Godee, godee, godee!”
• All three kiddos try to bite toes after tickling them – probably because we pretend to nom-nom-nom their chubby baby feet.
• They all give themselves away by setting their sights on something they shouldn’t do and saying, “No no!” on their way to make a naughty move. Distracting them with an agreeing, “No, sir/ma’am!” helps … sometimes.
• Eleanor’s favorite accessory is a backwards cap. She looks like a perfect little tomboy, and it KILLS me. She puts the hat on by herself and sometimes needs to add a second to complete her ensemble.
• Toby can perfectly, on-pitch, sing the “Oh oh oh,” part of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.” He sings it, starts dancing (bobbing up and down or swaying back and forth), and gets a huge grin on his face when someone continues singing his song for him. It’s totally his jam.
• Callista has become super interested in helping. She likes to hand out water bottles to her brother and sister, hand me their booster-seat trays, give out goldfish crackers to her siblings, put diapers away, clean water drips from the floor – she has a whole host of tasks she does with pure pride.
• They all love to sit and play Peekaboo Barn on my iPad and request it, saying, “Baaaahr!” The R sound is still really hard to pick out, but I’m fluent in Tripletese.
• I tell them what I’m doing as I buckle them into their car seats. My favorite part is when they repeat, “Tie-tie-tie!” when I say “Tight, tight, tight!” as I tighten the final strap.
• They run to Rob for hugs and kisses the second he walks in the door at night. It’s nothing short of adorable.
• Callista blows kisses, and Eleanor says, “Bye!” when we leave their room after putting the in bed for the night.
• Toby loves to lie flat in the bathtub. It seems he really likes to hear goings-on with his ears under water.
• They all freak their freak when they know it’s time for a bath after dinner. “BAAAAAAAAA!” is the triple-toned scream we get, along with claps and arm waving. I strip them of their clothes and diaper at their chairs and send them, one-by-one, to their bathroom (just down the hall off our kitchen), where Rob is waiting to plop them in the tub together. Seeing those naked tushies run for the bath is just too stinking cute for words.
• They love to go on outings. “Go, go, go!” they chant, once they see I’m packing the diaper bag and getting things in order. They run to grab socks and wait to get their shoes on, then they hover near the door chanting and waiting for their turn out to the car.

This age is fantastic. I love the new things they figure out and mimic each day. L-O-V-E love it.