13(months) Going on 30

Once again, I am apologizing for not updating more often! We have met a lot of milestones since I have last updated. The biggest is that Rykken has been walking since early August. I say walking, but really I mean trotting, and he loves to also test his skills by walking backwards, he thinks he is super funny. He also says a few words, his first "official" word being "ball", from there he has started saying, "book", "bath", "uh oh", "mom" (yes mom, not mama...sad I know), "whoa", "bye bye", and "more". He also is doing simple sign language consistently. He signs eat, more(and says more when he signs it), and please. My favorite milestone this month, he takes direction like a pro! He is starting to help clean up his toys, he will bring me toys when I ask for them, or come to me when I ask him to "come here", he recognizes the word no and usually obeys...(or hesitates) when I tell him no. He blows kisses, waves bye, gives high fives (thanks Bri), points when he wants something. I mean really...its incredible how much he has just grown up the past couple of months and how much he is absorbing. He is officially only on table food and he no longer takes a bottle. He is a fanatic about cows milk, which has made the weaning process so much easier. He hasn't had formula for a couple of weeks now and the transition was painless. He has become a little more attached to his pacifier to fill the void of losing his bottle, but all in all, I don't feel like he has even missed it. Our next feat that I have started working with him on is eating his food off of a plate or out of a bowl without tossing it overboard, he has been doing well so far, using a spoon comes next and that my friends will be interesting. Rykken has also developed an intense interest in books lately and actually has a book that he carries everywhere. We take it to the store, we take it outside, we take it to bed, and we read it probably 20 times a day. (Most kids get attached to stuffed animals or blankets, not mine, a hard bent up, card board Winnie the Pooh book will do). But not only do we read his Pooh book 20 times a day, we also read EVERY book he finds in his toy chest every night. He just brings them and brings them and says "book, book" waving it like wild man. I've become an expert at paraphrasing and hiding books from him. Does that make me a bad mother, nah....I don't think only reading 3 or 4 books to him over and over a night instead of 7 or 8 is going to hinder his speech or learning development. Even his daycare teachers have mentioned his sudden attraction to his new found love of literature. I'm not complaining though, I'm glad he loves books! As much as he has so many people pulling for him to be their star athlete, I think he may take after his momma and could possibly be a studious book worm instead of the quaterback. And that my friends...would make my life.