22 Months

Age: 22 Months

Favorite Activity: Lunch dates with Daddy! You love walking over to school each afternoon to eat lunch with Daddy. As soon as I open the door, you come racing over to hold my hand and start walking. You know what door leads to the dining hall and you get highly annoyed when we bypass that door to go meet Daddy first. You enjoy eating with the big boys and you especially love when they clap. Your entire face lights up and you clap too!

We often walk Daddy back to his classroom and then meander our way home. One day, we happened to be walking home when another teacher let his dog out (I think she's a Maltese). You thought she was just the neatest thing since sliced bread. She didn't hiss. She didn't hide. She chased you and you chased her. Happiness. I know, I know...you want a puppy, now.

Honorable Mentions:  Flower picking! We always stop along our walk to pick flowers. You carry that flower in your hand for the rest of our walk. You love yellow flowers. Dandelions are your favorite, but you also like the mums out in front of the school. Shhhh...we won't tell anyone you're the one picking them.

Least Favorite Activity: Teeth brushing. Don't get me wrong, you love chewing on your toothbrush, but if I try to get you to brush your teeth or I try to brush them, oh heaven help us! You didn't use to mind, so I'm hoping this is 2 year molar related. Please, oh please, let it be molar related.

Milestones: You will hold our hand when we're walking in public! Now, that doesn't mean that you won't try to ditch us if you see something really interesting, but for the most part, you've stopped the go limp, sit on the ground when we try to hold your hand. This has resulted in a lot more freedom from the stroller for you which makes you almost giddy.

New Activity: You're attempting to scare the bejeepers out of me. One morning, I was washing my hands in the kitchen when you suddenly got quiet in the living room. When I went to check on you, I found the following scene:

Stop climbing on things!

You also love washing your hands. As soon as you hear me go in the hall bathroom, you come racing down the hallway, grab your stool, put it at the counter, and start washing/playing. If we wash (with soap) and dry our hands, you're ok with leaving. If we skip a step, oh my.

 If I happen to open the fridge when you are nearby, you will come grab a fruit pouch out and hand it to me to open so you can have it.

Communication: It feels like you are gaining communication skills every day. Phases like, "here you go, Ma" pop out when I'm least expecting it.

Sleep: I'm convinced you are on the cusp of dropping your nap altogether. If you get up past 8 o'clock, I know nap time is pretty much shot. If you get up between 7 and 8, I have a 50/50 shot. This makes me very sad. First, because you really need a nap. Secondly, I need a few minutes during the day to do selfish things like sit down, eat, shower, and go to the potty. I'm working on quiet time bins for you to play with during quiet time (formerly nap time), but since you're so little it's challenging to find things you can do that are safe if you decide to eat them.

Best Moment: A few times, while cooking dinner, you will run over throw your arm around my legs and hug me. It melts my heart every time (THAT is the time to ask for a puppy, Buddy).

Worst Moment: Carrying you home after lunch one day while you had a screaming meltdown because I wouldn't let you walk home because you refused to hold my hand was not fun. You have to hold my hand. It's to keep you safe.

Eating: Grandma keeps asking me if we feed you. You are a bottomless pit! And you ate broccoli! Granted, only one floret, but you ate it!

Favorite Foods: You are an apple lover. This makes me so happy. Together, we will eat a lot of apples, baby.

Teeth: Four little white bumps on the bottom right side of your mouth! 

Oh, and this! One night during one of "free range" walks, you suddenly dropped Daddy's hand and started to run while holding my hand. You thought it was great fun to run away from Daddy, then stop and let him catch up before taking off again. It was almost like you were playing tag with him. It made us all laugh and it was also great exercise for Mama. Win-win!

20 Months

Age: 20 Months

Favorite Activity: Being a daredevil! You are constantly climbing on things. Luckily, you haven't decided to start jumping off things...yet. One day, you climbed up in Daddy's chair and decided to climb on the arm. Luckily, I was there as you toppled over the side toward the hardwood floors and impending doom and I was able to grab you, by the leg, before you hit the floor. You thought it was hysterical and were giggling the entire time. I was not as impressed.

You have also decided you love playing in your room and your crib. I don't know where/how you got the idea because I have been very strict about never letting you play in your crib so that you know the crib is a place to sleep, not play. While in your room, you have discovered that baby in the mirror. He is adorable and I catch you making faces and interacting with him quite often now. It's hilarious to watch you watch him making the same movements and facial expressions as you.

Honorable Mentions:  You love playing outside. Often, you drag your bubble mower around as we move around the yard. You are an excellent helper when we pick black raspberries. Well, I pick raspberries, you steal them from my container. You also love to visit the piggies out back. My favorite part of the day is our morning walks. Some days you chatter a mile a minute as we walk and other days you just ride and take in the sights.

You also LOVE coloring. You will color for a long time given the opportunity. I'm still very controlling over your access to the crayons, but so far you are doing an excellent job keeping the crayons on the paper.

Least Favorite Activity: Coming inside or stopping something before you are darn good and ready.

Milestones: Baby's first ice cream cone! Baby's first mosquito bites. :( Raspberry picking!

New Activity: You love going outside at our new house...but you're cautious. The walk through the grass back to visit the neighbor's pigs is the only time you willingly hold my hand. You're not quite sure what to think of all the grass and uneven terrain.

You also love playing in your turtle pool. Daddy and I are working on getting your sandbox up here, but it may take us a little while.

Communication: You are getting more verbal every day. It's funny when you repeat things we've been saying out of the blue. For example, one day you passed gas. Before I could say anything, you looked at me and said, "I toot." Then you ran off giggling. Sigh. The fart jokes are already beginning.

You also understand that sometimes my questions require an answer so you will shout, "OTAY, MA!" It is just about the cutest thing ever.

Sleep: You have decided your new bedtime is 10 o'clock. Oh, no, sir. You still go to bed at 8 because I don't want this new bedtime catching on.

Best Moment: Getting to spend my days with you is wonderful. I'm so thankful we have this time together. 

Worst Moment: You got the worst diaper rash/yeast infection this month. It was horrible seeing you in pain. We made it through with lots of diaper rash cream, baking soda baths, and free birding at home. Let's never do that again, mmmk?

Eating: You still don't care for beef. However, you will eat a hamburger IF we let you take bites like a big boy. Sigh. Stop growing up so fast!

Evidently, we share Golden Grahams now...you're lucky you're cute.

Favorite Foods: You love Cheerios. We've gone through a box and a half of Cheerios this month. Yikes, buddy!

Teeth: We have good teeth days and bad teeth days. Hopefully, those 2 year molars pop through soon!

Oh, and this! You and Grandpa are definitely partners in crime. The two of you love causing trouble. When it comes time to get in a car to go visit, all we have to ask is, " Do you want to go see 'Pa?" Then you race us to the door.

19 Months

Age: 19 months **Red chair picture coming...once it's unpacked**

Favorite Activity: Watching the gravel trucks driving down the road at Grandma and Grandpa's house. You would have spent the whole day watching them if you were able.

 You also love to swing. You have your very own swing at our house, Granny and Grabdad's house, and Grandma & Grandpa's house. 

Honorable Mentions:  You are an excellent helper. You love helping Grandma or I push Grandpa's wheelchair. You've only pinched your fingers once, which made me super sad, but you recovered quickly and finished helping push the chair.

Least Favorite Activity: We had to introduce time out this month. At Grandma & Granpa's house you were fascinated with the fan. Fans are a no. A non-negotiable no. We tried our old methods of saying no and redirecting, but you kept going back. I tried swatting your hand. It was not my proudest parenting moment. I hated it...and you just giggled at me. So now, when you touch the fan, I stop whatever I'm doing and sit down in a chair with you on my lap for 1 minute. Oh how you hate it. You loathe being confined. Having to be still for a whole minute is like torture for you. Once you've served your time, I tell you why you had to sit and send you on your way.

It is funny, however, when you start yelling for Grandpa to save you. " Pa! PA!" you shout. Ohhhh, little man, Grandpa can't save you now.

Milestones: You are an expert in climbing up into our chairs and the couch. You even bamboozled Grandma in order to sneak upstairs at her house. You've mastered going up stairs, you have not mastered going down. You are also able to answer questions and follow directions when asked. It's very exciting to Daddy and I when you understand. Even if you don't obey, you understand!

New Activity: Grandma taught you to blow kisses. Now, when it's time for bed, you blow kisses and say "night!" to anyone in the vicinity.

Since you've broken your leg, I involuntarily gasp every time you take a tumble especially on the hardwood floors. Now, when you fall, you pop up and exclaim, "Otay!" before you go toddling off to continue your adventure. I greatly appreciate the reassurance.

Words: "Night, I'm sorry, " just to name a few. However, it's less about words right now and more about sentences and phrases. You also know that a cow says "moo," a horse says "neigh," and a kitty says "meow." You also point out noses, eyes, ears, chins, and mouths on other people. On you, it's a bit more challenging.

Signs: You're using "please" and "more" consistently during meals. 

Sleep:  Sometimes you fight nap time and bedtime. You're just having so. much. fun. Generally we put you to bed around 8 and you're asleep by 9-9:30. Putting you to bed later just prolongs your actual sleep time so we keep your bedtime consistent. I did enjoy our slumber parties while we were at a grandma & Grandpa's and Daddy was packing up the house.

Best Moment: For Memorial Day weekend, Daddy and I went to see my surgeon and then we took you to Myrtle Beach for a couple days. Last year when we went to the beach you were a little over 8 months old. You liked playing in the sand, but you hated the ocean. Hated it. You touch the water, the water does not touch you!

This year, you immediately loved it. We walked into our condo and you raced over to the sliding glass door and exclaimed, "Woooooow! Woooooooow!" over and over again. That moment alone was worth the cost of the trip. You playing on the beach and jumping waves with Daddy and I was just the icing on the cake.

Worst Moment: Nothing horrible or traumatic stands out in my mind. You have been delightful this month.

Favorite Foods: You love your fruits and vegetables. This month it seems like cucumbers are your favorite. Though, you stole Daddy's apple from his plate at Pabera one evening and proceeded to eat at least half of it. All by yourself! 

Now you enjoy eating whole apples all by yourself. I don't leave you unattended with it, but you have a wonderful time while you're eating it.

Eating: You can eat just about anything. You don't eat everything, but you can. If I slip something you don't like onto your high chair tray, you politely hand it back to me or impolitely chuck it on the floor. Manners are a work in progress!

We went for frozen yogurt this month and you love eating your own frozen yogurt with your own spoon. You're getting so big! You are starting to insist on feeding yourself more, which is messy. However, you're getting better!

Teeth: I can see white on the bottom right. I'm pretty sure your 2 year molars are trying to come though.

Oh and this! You make these little "mmmm" noises the entire time you eat. It's hilarious. The more you enjoy what you're eating the louder you "mmm."

18 Months

Age: 18 Months

Look, Ma!  No cast!

Height: 34.5 inches

Weight: 26 pounds, 11 ounces

Favorite Activity: You love your toy trucks. We went to visit at a friend's house and you spent the evening playing with his trucks. Dinner? Meh, not interested. New baby? Whatever, Mother. No...I would like to sit in my new friend's room and play with his toys.

Shh, Mama...I'm concentrating on my trucks.

Honorable Mentions:  You have a new love of coloring. I found you some chunky washable crayons and a sketch pad at Target and you will sit and color for as long as we'll let you. I see some quality coloring time coming this summer.

Tickling with Daddy...look at that crazy hair.  (Yours, not Daddy's)

Least Favorite Activity: Holding our hands in public. Ohhhhh, how you loathe holding our hands. You rip your hand out of ours and toddle off. If we insist on holding your hand, you go limp. Then it becomes a effort to keep you from whacking your head on the floor. Not cool, man. Not. Cool.

Milestones: You are putting together sentences and phrases at lightning speed. "I go!" And "Hi, Daaaaa!" are two of my favorites.

New Activity: New phrases and definitely understanding what we're telling/asking you. Oh, and you've started climbing up into our laps and clearly demanding, "Elmo!" Sigh. Needless to say, you love your nightly Sesame Street episode.

Your knee is very comfortable, Mama.

Words: I'm going to have to change this one to sentences because, buddy, you are spitting them out right and left. One that makes me giggle is when you make your pooping noise (yes, it's very distinctive), you've now started peeking out from wherever you are and saying, "Bye!" Bye is Wombat code for "I'm done with you, you can go now." Let me just take a moment to assure you that you are fooling no one with this new distraction.

Signs: You are using "help" more now. I think you've realized Daddy and I will bail you out when you start signing help.

Sleep: We think your 2 year molars are coming in so you've had some rough nights. Otherwise, you chatter for a little while before eventually falling asleep.

Best Moment: Cast off day! Watching you run out of the orthopaedic surgeon's office at full speed made my day! I tried taking a picture, but surprise, surprise it was blurry.

Worst Moment: On Daddy's last Saturday of work, I ran to the bathroom. While I was gone, you climbed up on the bin between the chair and the couch. You then climbed into the chair to sit. You were so proud of yourself. As I cleared the gate to come spot you, you decided to slide out of the chair the way you slide off the coffee table...except, you decided to go head first. Once more than half of your body was out of the seat, you went down to the ground fast and bonked your head. Scared the heck out of me AND you. Not cool, buddy. Not cool.

Sorry, Mama...seat's taken.

Favorite Foods: All things pork. You'd follow anyone home if they offered you a slice of ham.

Eating: Listen here, Mr. Picky Pants. I don't want to resort to hiding veggies in your food...but I will. I'm hoping to get you to be more of an adventurous eater when I'm home all the time with you. I'm doubtful, but hopeful. 

Teeth: See sleep. Those 2 year molars must be killer. You're a drooly, snotty mess. Poor baby.

Who me?  Drool?

Oh and this! Mama has been forbidden from cutting your hair. We took you last weekend to get your hair cut one more time before we move and you did great until the last 5 minutes. She quickly finished your bangs and we were on our way. When we got home I noticed that she had missed some pieces in the front. So during your bath, I "trimmed" the long hairs.

Or not. I did a bad. You now have a one inch wide section of hair that is half an inch shorter than the rest. I know it's hair and it will grow, but it makes me kick myself every time I see it. I'm sorry, buddy. Mama's Barber Shop is officially closed.

Naughty, naughty Mama

17 Months

Age: 17 Months

It's nice how your cast matches the chair...we totally planned it, right, buddy?

Height: 31 inches

Weight: 12 kg (26.5 pounds) 

Favorite Activity: You are obsessed with wheels and tires of any kind. We went to school one evening to wear you out...er, play on the playground and you wanted to go see and touch every tire on every car in the parking lot. If something has wheels, you immediately go over and inspect them. Wheels have you fascinated, buddy!

Daddy mowed the lawn one evening. You loved standing at the window waving to him, banging on the window, and shouting "Da!"

Honorable Mentions:  You are a building machine!  You are going to be an engineer just like Daddy and your Uncle.

Sorry, buddy...the camera flash was going crazy.

Least Favorite Activity: You are not a fan of Daddy giving Mama a hug or a kiss. If you catch us, you will screech at your Daddy, rush over, and push him away from me.  Don't worry, buddy! There are enough hugs and kisses to go around! We think you just want Mama hugs/kisses, but it's still pretty funny to watch. Usually, once you've gotten Daddy out of the way, you lift your arms up so you can get hugs and kisses. (I secretly like that you are a Mama's boy...at least for now.)

Milestones: Baby's First ER visit which turned into Baby's First Splint which turned into Baby's First Cast. 

I had just changed into my pajamas and was in the guest room packing my one box for the night. You were walking across the living room and slid on one of your blocks. You fell, which you have done 1,000 times before. You cried as Daddy picked you up and comforted you. I came into the living room and you reached for me (nothing new). We went and changed your diaper and decided not to put your shorts back on. When we finished, we went back into the living room and read books. You cried the whole time. That is NOT like you. Finally, you calmed down some so I put you down so you could go play. That's when we noticed you weren't putting any weight on your right leg. In fact, you refused to put any weight on it. I looked at Daddy, Daddy looked at me, and off we went to the emergency room. We were so worried we forgot to put pants back on you. Sorry, buddy.

Four hours later...

Splint from hip to heel

The next day, we took you to an orthopaedic doctor (and a parent at Mama's work) and you came home with this:

Saddest, cutest cast ever...

They call it a "toddler break" which means they can't see a break on the x-rays, but since your bones are so tiny and flexible it could be broken and they won't know until it starts to heal. Therefore, they treat it like a break. We go back to the doctor in 2 weeks to have more x-rays done and see how your leg is looking. Hopefully, they'll take your cast off and not put another one back on.

I'm somewhat worried about how this will affect your walking development...but judging by how you're getting around with your cast, you should bounce back quickly.

New Activity: You have started grabbing our hands (or shirts) and pulling us where you want us to go. Where you want us to go is generally to the kitchen so you can eat or play. You love the kitchen. I swear, I'm going to sell all your toys and just let you play with the water bottles and pots in the kitchen.

Your shirt says, "Sorry ladies, Mommy says No Dating!"

Words: ham, done, pull, door, kitty, cheese, sad, nose, "Hi kitty!" "Oh dear!"  "Oh my!" "Hot dog!" maybe an I love you...your speech is getting clearer every day. Or maybe we're just getting fluent in Wombat!

Signs: Somehow, you have morphed "more" and "eat" into one sign. You sign "eat" while saying "more." It's hilarious but since we know you, we know what you mean and let it slide.

Yum, Mama!  Where has this rhubarb grape compote been all my life?! 

Sleep: The following conversation sums up your sleep fairly often this month:

Daddy: "So, he had a little dance party this morning at 4. You we're pretty out of it so I didn't bother you."

Me: "I was awake..."

Daddy: "You were!? You weren't moving much so I figured you were asleep."

Me: "I was afraid if I moved too much, you'd make me get up!"

Hehehe.... Less 4am dance parties, ok buddy?

Best Moment: One evening, we were sitting in the chair reading books, when all of a sudden you reached your hand toward my face. Generally, that is when you try to put your fingers in my mouth or yank my glasses off. But this time, you reached over, gently tapped my nose, and said, "Nose!" You can't find your nose, but you are an expert at finding mine and Daddy's.

So this thing dips the eggs in the dye, huh Mama?  Interesting...

Worst Moment: We have hit full on temper tantrums. Whoa, buddy. You have your Mama's temper. Luckily, you rarely show your temper unless we have you in a situation where you are having fun and then we have to either 1. Make you stop having fun before you're ready (the playground, playing at the soccer game and we wouldn't let you go steal the soccer balls the teams were using to warm up) or 2. Make you leave before you're good and ready. Daddy and I work hard together to not give in and we're hoping this will pass quickly.

"Hi kitty!"

Favorite Foods: Anything! I swear you act like we're starving you. You must have a hollow leg. You are a big fan of the organic fruit/veggie pouches that I found at the grocery store. Anything in a pouch you like these days! Pouch fruit and ham. Heaven knows you love ham.

Eating: Your favorite sign is eat. All you want to do is eat. I hope it's a growth spurt because I'm almost nostalgic for your picky toddler eating days!

"Look kitty, Easter grass!"

Teeth: Maybe we're done until 2 year molars? I hope, I hope.

Oh and this!

Can we just talk for a second about how incredibly smart you are!? I'm constantly surprised by what you are doing, what you can do, and what you know. While watching an episode of Super Why, Red was sounding out the word "stairs." When she got to the "T," you immediately replied "T!" When she asked what letter that was.

You continue to love letters. I found a board book I purchased way back when I was in college that has letters and sliding panels. Well, that book made me just about the coolest Mama ever. Mother of the Year...right here. Right now, you know 14 letters pretty consistently and 4 are still kind of shaky. Pretty impressive for 17 months old! (At least I think so!)

At the orthopaedic office, your doctor was fascinated by the fact that we were teaching you to sign.  "Is he hard of hearing?" He asked. Nope! We're just giving you one more way to communicate with us.  We think you're pretty cool...but it's always fun when you impress other people, too.