50 weeks

Here is what is going on with Noah this week according to ivillage.com;

Have you noticed your baby taking care of a doll or stuffed animal? If so, congratulate yourself! Babies learn nurturing behavior from their caregivers, so if your baby gently pats her stuffed dog on the back to reassure him after he falls to the floor, you can be sure she learned from you. Babies this age are excellent mimics, and they're also developing a sense of empathy. Ever notice the distressed look that crosses your baby's face when she hears another baby cry? That’s because she recognizes a cry as a plea for help. Now, she may even toddle over and attempt to comfort the other baby. Sweet, huh? After months of constant, steady weight gain, your little one may begin thinning out. Some of it is simple growth and development. Now that she’s getting older, you baby is taking on the shape of a toddler, not an infant. She’s developing her leg muscles; those pudgy baby thighs are a thing of the past! Some babies even lose a little weight around the 12-month mark. That's because almost-one-year-olds are so incredibly busy! They're constantly moving (do you know any sedentary toddlers?) and reluctant to sit and eat. Give your child plenty of chances to graze during the day—experts say up to six small, nutritious meals a day may be healthier than three large ones anyway—but don’t stress out if the scales show a slight dip this month. She’ll regain it soon enough. If your baby is still nursing, feel free to continue. Breastmilk remains an excellent source of nutrition6 for your baby. (And a good thing for moms as well. Did you know that extended breastfeeding decreases your risk of breast cancer?) When the time comes, drop just one breastfeeding at a time and give your baby and body plenty of time to adjust before dropping another feeding. Most physicians don’t recommend cow's milk until after the first year, but if you're this close, talk to your doctor, who may give you the green light to offer whole milk in a sippy cup.

Noah is definitely one chunky little guy right now.  I blame it all on breastmilk, because cheese and yogurt are about the only fat he eats, most of his food intake comes from fruits and vegetables (which wouldn't put the pounds on).  Over the course of the next month I'm going to be working on getting him from 4 nursings a day, down to 2.  I've been DREADING this, because although the books said not to, I took the easy way out and have easily nursed him to sleep for both naps, and at night.  Now will begin the task of putting him down for a nap without a nursing prior to it.  This will mean new freedom for me, in that I won't need to be present for a nursing before each nap, but I'm not looking forward to listening to him cry in his crib as he fights his way to sleep over the next few weeks.

From the minute Noah wakes up each morning, before we've even gotten him out of his crib, we can already hear him in there saying "walk" to himself.  We go for at least two walks a day, every day, but whenever he is inside he will continuously repeat "walk".  He says duck, and do (dog) now, and also knows to baa for sheep.  The cutest thing is that when he eats he goes "mmmmm, mmmmm".  He definitely says Noah, and walk more than any other word, but mom and dad are repeated frequently as well.

This kid is going to be a year old in two weeks!  Where did the time go?  What happened to that little baby who couldn't move around or talk?  As much as I miss the beginning stages, Noah is at such a fun age right now.  I love watching him learn, explore, and observe!