Becoming All Boy

Charles is 12.5 months old now, and the past week or so I've really started to see his "boy" side come out.  The shift from baby to little boy has been both gradual and sudden, exciting and sad and hilarious and terrifying all at once.

Like when he's on the changing table and he just can't contain his rambunctious energy, kicking and wiggling and waving and jabbering all through the change.

Or when he reaches for the forbidden cabinet or shelf and peeks around at me with this little impish look in his eye.

And the mischievous way he hides behind furniture or curtains and giggles each time you "find" him.

Or when he can't sit still long enough to read more than a page or two of his board book, but heads off to climb and conquer some little mountain instead.

Also how much he is wanting to go where he wants to go, do what he wants to do, on his own.  He wanted to climb the stairs by himself earlier, and kept waving (and saying) bye-bye to me as I followed him, clearly wanting me to go away and leave him to it.  He is also insisting more and more on feeding himself, even when he's really hungry.  And he knows now when you're about to pick him up and carry him off, because he'll turn and crawl away as quickly as possible when you head towards him, laughing all the way.

The energy and independence he's displaying both delight and exhaust me in advance.  I'm going to have my hands full, but really, I wouldn't have it any other way!