One small step for mankind but one giant leap for Mateo!

In these past two weeks, Mateo has gone from doing small walking laps between the garbage can and the refrigerator to walking completely unassisted EVERYWHERE!! It was like the "walking switch" was turned on!! My sister thinks that he was inspired from watching the triathlon athletes last Sunday run through the finish line!!

We went to dinner last night with Tio Brandon and Tia Mumu and ALL of us walked back home. It was pretty funny to walk with Mati - he would wander all over the place, stop at shops and knock on the doors, walk into driveways, and even waved and blew kisses to a man sitting at a Starbucks. He walked three entire blocks without falling once, even when he made wild 360 degree turns!

He walks like a little duck, with one arm up in the air and the other one at chest level. He has started putting out his tongue out a bit and last night he was also walking with his eyes closed - definitely not a good combination!! He also started closing his eyes on the swings - maybe he likes to feel weightless or appreciates the speed better???? Still, his waddle just melts me as his little legs carry him all over.

This new found joy for walking has also made him more independent. He rarely wants us to hold his hand when his out and about strutting his stylish walk. He has also radically changed in his level of attachment to me. He no longer needs to be in the same room as I am all the time when we are in the house. He is comfortable being on his own, roaming around the house or playing in his room. And this is also true when we go on playdates. Although he still takes a couple of minutes to feel comfortable, he soon goes off on his own and finds things to do or other moms to play with!! He has taken a liking to one mom in particular: he holds her face and gives her kisses or caresses her face. He is still pretty much oblivious to the other children although he is starting to observe them more.

My whole family was up to celebrate Mateo's 15th monthary. He had a delicious raspberry mouse dark chocolate cake, which needless to say, he LOVED. He was very accepting of them this time around, no crying or calling out for Mama or Papa, which was a real joy!

So, at 15 months, this is what Mateo likes:

• Reading his books: he spends so much time during the day going through his books, flipping the pages, and actually reading them, or so I think because when he flips the pages he is talking.
• Cars, trucks, planes, anything with wheels, the moon, stars, Noukie, and balls
• Eating - he is now the official holder of the "Eating Machine" title. I taught him the sign for eating, milk and more and is basically using one or other all day long. His belly is certainly beginning to show the extra food.
• Knocking on doors, opening and closing doors and cabinets, especially his clothes cabinets. When he gets the opportunity, he takes all his little clothes out of the cabinet, flings them on the rug, and sometimes piles them all back in. Most of the time he leaves them for me to put back!!
• He can now reach all the doorknobs and try to turn them. Uh-oh. Our saving grace is that we have child proof door knobs on the bathroom and main door. But basically, I'm beginning to realize that with Mateo walking, a new era of surveillance has begun!
• Bathing: he now actually sits through bath time, filling containers with water and then emptying them, sometimes outside of the tub.
• Playing with water.

Lastly, his right molar has FINALLY come out! 7 more to go!!

My Valentine Day Date! A very handsome boy!!

Reading, reading and more reading