In the past month I've noticed Dashiell become even more engaged in his surroundings. He notices so much and is always pointing things out to us with an emphatic "ba!". I see him building independence and getting frustrated when he can't have what he wants. He will also shake his head "no" when he doesn't want to eat food that we offer. This is my cue that Chris and I need to take some more time to create an environment of yes for him in our home. Essentially, the more we remove things that he can't have the more he can independently explore his surroundings and the less we have to say, "no."

Right now Dashiell is very focused on walking. He made great progress during our week in Austin and can now stand up on his own from sitting and take several steps independently. He still loves to push his walker wagon back and forth and back and forth across the house. He's even learned to steer it and turn it all the way around! When he's not pushing his walker wagon he wants to hold our hands so that he can walk.

Dash loves to play a game that he made up by standing behind us and holding our shoulders. We'll turn to one side or another to see him and he shrieks and then moves to the other shoulder. Sometimes he'll even crouch down to hide from us!

The other exciting thing that happened this month is that Dashiell started to sign! I have been signing "milk" to him when I am about to nurse him and also sign it to him while we nurse. A few weeks ago he signed "milk" back to me while we were nursing! It's soooo cute. Now he will sometimes sign "milk" when he wants to nurse or when he wants to drink of water at dinner. I'm also working on "food", "more", "all done" and "bird" since he loves looking at birds. When we watch birds outside sometimes he will point to a bird and then sign "milk" I think because the sign for "bird" is fairly similar. It is really exciting to watch him learn to communicate and I'll admit I'm hoping his first word is "bird".

It seems like every day Dashiell looks more like a little boy and less like a baby. I'm a little sad to leave the baby days behind but also so excited for everything that we'll explore and learn in his first year of toddlerhood.

Those rad Lettuce Turnip the Beet shirts are available from the Coup Etsy shop and DO come in adult sizes!