Happy 18 Months

(More pictures at the bottom.)

I can't believe it. My baby is 1 1/2. I guess it is time to stop giving his age by months. I think I say this at ever milestone, but he is just growing up so fast. He has a huge personality (at home or familiar places, he is shy in public) and is loads of fun to be around. Now that we have naps back under control and he is back in the crib, we have been having a barrel of laughs every day. He finds himself highly entertaining which I find highly entertaining as well. As soon as we got the sleeping under control again his behavior has been fantastic. Here is a list of some things I have jotted down recently about him.

• If he spills his drink he gets the kitchen towel himself to clean it up.
• He will intentionally spill his drink just to get the towel.
  
• He loves tissues. He steals them when I'm not looking and blows his nose.
  
• He carries all things with a handle in the bend of his elbow (he spends too much time with mommy who likes to carry cute bags!).
  
• He doesn't like to stay dirty. He will try to flick or wipe things off his hands and feet if it gets there. At the same time he loves playing in the dirt and the water.
  
• He loves to wear socks and shoes. He will bring us a pair of socks and shoes (usually a matching pair) and ask to have them put on. He tried to do it himself, but doesn't get close yet.
• He is beginning to try to take off his clothes on his own. Thankfully, he waits until prompted.
• He likes to help with EVERYTHING! He helps unload the dishwasher, (un)fold the laundry, unload the groceries from the bags, bring ingredients from the frig or pantry to the counter, etc. He gets one at a time and says "more" until we are done.
• If he doesn't want to try to say a word he gives us the same sound every time. It is not a real word so I wont attempt to spell it, but it always sounds the same.
• He has started to makes sounds for things, his cars go vroom, etc.
• He likes us to come with him sometimes. He grabs a fist full of our clothes mostly but sometimes he will settle for our finger.
  
• He can hear anything! He comes running when he hears me pull back the shower curtain even though the door is closed. He looks for Ryan when he hears the key in the lock. He definitely didn't get that from his father - ha!
• As you saw in the video, he is learning to kick.
  
• He is not shy if someone offers him food. Our ladies Bible Study has 6 women and 4 little ones and he goes from mom to mom to get the snack that they have brought for their child, always signing please or saying "more." Drives me crazy :)
• He is very good at following directions. I can point to something across the room and he will follow my finger and go get it. He most always does as he has been asked.
  
• He is about 50/50 at holding my hand in public. If he doesn't want to hold my hand he lays himself out flat in the middle of the aisle. Not cool! At least he generally doesn't scream, so we don't draw attention to ourselves. He will get up when I use my mommy voice and tell him to do so and then he resigns to losing the freedom to walk and is carried or put in the cart.
  

Words - He has really added a lot of words.

• uh oh - He says this for every single little thing. The doorbell rings and he says uh oh. He throws sometime and says uh oh. We hear it all day long.
  
• up - When he wants to be held he is persistent.
• dat (that) - Another one we hear all day long. He wants a name for everything.
  
• more - He wants more of anything and everything. He uses "more" instead of "again" if he wants to repeat something fun. He also says it is he actually wants more of something.
  
• oh - "Ben, we need to put that away now." "OH!" "Ben, did you see that school bus drive by?" "OH!" Everything is "oh!" and he says it like he is hearing something new and gets it for the first time.
  
• ah nun (all done) - I haven't heard this one recently, but he has said it a few times. He has only said it when he wasn't supposed to be doing something and I called his name and he responded with "ah nun." Yes son, you are all done misbehaving!
  
• no - He tells on himself! He doesn't tell me no, but I know when he is doing something wrong because he starts saying "no no no" and then continues on with the unacceptable behavior. It is helpful when I am not looking - I know to come find out what mischief he has gotten himself into.
• bye bye - Very cute and sweet. He will wave first and then wait until the person isn't looking and then say "bye bye."
• nite nite - He changes his tone when he says this into such a little baby voice. Melts our hearts.
• good - Sometimes if you ask him how he is doing he will respond with "good" and nod his head.
• out - he loves going outside, especially to play in the backyard. He will say "out" about 2.7 millions times and bring our shoes to us insisting we go. If we say "out" he goes to his room to get his shoes.
  
• dog - He finds dogs everywhere. He saw a dog on a lady's shirt in a store and loudly repeated the word and pointed. He also sees dogs that I don't see. I think he just likes saying the word sometimes.
  
• hi - He reserves this one for when he is really feeling generous about giving a greeting.
• hot - This is his most recent addition. He will say "hot" about his morning oatmeal and then blow on it through his nose. Rarely he will blow through his mouth, but he has definitely mastered blowing with his nose - gross.

Lots of little kids to play with.

We went to a 1 year old bday party. He had Cheetos and watermellon for dinner and loved it. It was his first time to have a Cheeto and he was addicted at first bite. I tried to get an orange finger picture, but didn't have any luck.

He sits in a booster seat at the table now!
I asked him to smile for me.

A recent family trip to the park.

The park was surprisingly empty, so he had to make friends with the statue kids.