5 Ways to Soothe and Calm a One Year Old

I have a very relaxed 12 month old, but just like all people, sometimes he needs help to calm down. He's starting to develop a very active imagination, so if he turns the page in one of his books to the page with the goat with big horns, you better believe a meltdown is on it's way. (Baby loves goats in real life, but this picture makes the goat look devilish!) As of this morning, the red rhinoceros in Dr. Seuss's ABC is also becoming scary.
For moments like these, I have an arsenal of 5 ways that almost always soothe and calm my special guy:
1. Breastfeed:Even through his tears, Baby laughs and smiles when he knows he's about to become a "freshmaker" as we call it. (I know I'm brainwashed by Mentos commercials!) This method is usually my go to method to help Baby recover from a little bump or bruise earned in his explorations.
2. Pet the kitties:Baby ALWAYS smiles and says EWWWWW with excitement when he pets our two kitties. He is fascinated by them, and they can always make him feel better. Our gray cat, Kaia, is truly his very best friend.

3. Play with the baby in the mirror:The baby in the mirror always brings a big smile to Baby's face. They make faces at each other, give high fives, and dance together. Baby learned to wave hello by first waving at himself for months. He would only wave at his reflection or at pictures of himself around the house. Now he waves at anyone - and anything - pleasing to him, including flowers, trees, and animals.
4. Going outside:Baby will stop crying immediately as soon as we step out the door. Whether it's to visit the plants and trees in our yard, to play in the grass or dirt, or to go for a long walk, I can always count on the beauty of nature to soothe my sweet boy and make him very happy.
5. Reading:We spend about two hours each day reading, no exaggeration. My guy is obsessed with books. We keep his favorite books in his crib because when he wakes up from naps, he will happily sit and read (flip through each page of his book). Sadly, I actually have to hide some of his favorite books under the couch cushions at times because he will become very sad if he finds them and I can't read them to him over and over again. As long as we're not reading about a devilish goat or a red rhino, Baby is as calm and pleased as could be.

What can you count on to always soothe your little one?