Changes - 17th Month

Rafael is about to turn 17 months next week and lately we have noticed some changes in him that are worth taking note of. Aside from his obvious physical growth, his taste in toys have changed. He has also started getting more interested in books and has never been more expressive about things that he want. He also always wants to get involved when you're trying to do some chore as if wanting to help.

Because he's taller and stronger, he can reach more objects now and can actually climb up the dining chair and bench on his own. During meals, he wants to hold his own spoon and eat by himself though we all know what a mess that makes. Once, he almost gave himself a bath with drinking water from the container sitting atop the kitchen counter.

He's shown more interest now in toys and DVD shows that he didn't used to pay attention to. The Thomas and Friends DVD is part of his daily staple the moment he wakes up. When the soundtrack starts playing, he starts nodding his head to the beat of the sound.


He loves Spiderman more than ever. Gra'ma often sticks his spidey toy any place she could think of and he likes to search for it. Whenever he finds it, his facial expression is like that of someone finding a treasure. Last week, his Mommy bought him a Spiderman knapsack to complete his Spiderman get-up of Spiderman shorts, shirt and the spidey shades from Tita Benjie. I am tempted now to resurrect my spiderman boxers to match his outfit=)


When he wants something, he'll make sure you know what it is. When he wants milk for example, he grabs your hand and pulls you toward the refrigerator. He also understands simple instructions already. Like whenever he watches Thomas and Friends, he normally wants to go really close to the TV but when we tell him to watch from a distance, he usually complies. Granted that he could only sit still for a few seconds, we're more than happy to see signs that he's starting to learn what we're teaching him.

We often see him flipping through the pages in his books lately. Though it's still hard to get his attention when your read to him, we're glad he's shown interest in them.

On a not-so-happy note, now that he understands more things, he cries like an abandoned child when either one of us leaves so it's lately been a constant struggle for us when we have to leave for work. It is sad but something we have to deal with on a daily basis. Although he's always in good hands with his Gra'ma. On the flipside however, the joy on his face when he sees us come home is totally priceless!

Whenever we have to do something around the house, whatever it is, he always wants to get involved. Folding laundry, organizing things, cleaning. Though he does everything opposite now (he unfolds the laundry, makes a mess and literally scatters his fruit loops around the house like they were seeds that he's planting), it is fun to see him innocently "helping" us with our chores.

He had his haircut last week...