23 Months

Just a few more weeks til I'm two! I've been a pretty happy kid lately, a bit stubborn and cranky when I don't get my way, but otherwise pretty predictable.

I spent most of the last month with a cold and runny nose that never seemed to stop. Darn day care! I also took my first visit to the ER for an unknown allergic reaction - I woke up from a nap with hives all over my body and my face swollen and red. Daddy rushed me to the ER where I was given Benadryl and then waited for a few hours while they monitored me. We still don't know what caused it but I'll be going to see the allergist soon.

Developments:
My vocabulary is expanding so quickly. I repeat everything I hear and usually only have to hear a word once and I'll remember what it refers to. Currently the most frequently-heard phrases include "Mommy carry you" (when I want Mommy to carry me, which is all the time); "my turn;" "me too;" and "funny!" (which I'll say whenever I find anything funny). I'm also pretty good at remembering to say "please" when I ask for something.

I've started to exert my independence a lot more and always insist on doing things myself, especially when it comes to getting in/out of the car, snapping the buckle on my seat belt, and climbing into my high chair. The tantrums have become a little less frequent, but when I do have one, it's usually over not getting to do something myself.

Interests:
Music class is still my favorite activity and I love singing and dancing along to songs and nursery rhymes. My favorite song is Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes - I'm always trying to sing it during dinnertime, during bathtime, and in the car.

And of course I'm always into whatever Kaitlyn is into. Lately there has been lots more grabbing and crying whenever we're together, especially during bathtime - even though there are multiple cups and toys to play with, I must always have the particular one that is in her hands. Somehow I always feel entitled to whatever she has. If we're both drinking milk, I always want to drink out of the exact cup that she has. Talk about difficult!

And since I can't get enough of climbing, here's another video of me climbing in and out of my crib - a favorite pastime!

21 & 22 Month Update

These months have flown by! We learned at Little Wonders that toddlers go through stages of equilibrium (period of stability and smooth, calm behavior) and disequilibrium (period of quick growth and new development; unsettled, uneven behavior). Looking back it all makes sense now. At twenty months I was throwing daily tantrums, biting, hitting, and just being volatile. Clearly I was in a state of disequilibrium. But the past few weeks I have been back to my happy, silly self, and we can all sigh with relief that I have passed that stage and am now back in equilibrium (for now - disequilibrium supposedly returns at 2 1/2 years).

Developments:
I talk and understand so much now. I know more words than we can count and will answer simple questions with a "yes" or "no." I can put words together to say something, usually it's "no something" or "Mommy all done." I love recognizing and pointing out animals, parts of the body, Sesame Street characters, and letters.

Not surprisingly I continue to be an avid climber. I figured out how to climb into my crib from the glider and back out again. It used to freak Mommy out, but now I've done it so often that she just acts as my spotter while watching me. 

Interests:

I've taken a huge interest in reading and am always making Mommy sit and read books to me. At bedtime I always try to squeeze in an extra book and get mad when it's time to turn off the light. Favorite books include: Good Night Gorilla; Where is Baby's Belly Button; Brown Bear Brown Bear What do you see?; Potty; and Yummy Yucky.

I've started to enjoy building things, whether it's with Legos, Megablox, or Magnatiles. I'll usually stack them as high as I could, then knock them down, and start all over again.

I also like drawing, with markers, not crayons, and on the walls and floor, not on paper.

And of course, there's iPad and TV. I'm able to sit through entire shows now with my full attention. Favorites include Elmo's World, Blue's Clues, and Paw Patrol. It's always nice when Kaitlyn watches with me. A few times Mommy has found us both in the coat closet, quietly watching a show on iPad (Kaitlyn likes watching in there because it's dark like at the movies).

Sleep:

Sleep has been good. I have so much energy throughout the day that I need my daily naps, and will nap between two to three hours in my crib. I sleep well at night, but lately I've been waking up around 5:30 in the morning and am ready to play. We've tried adjusting my bedtimes but that hasn't affected my wake-up times. Hopefully it's just a phase and I'll start waking up at normal hours. Until then, we'll continue the early morning iPad viewings.

Eating:

I'm still picky with food and hate most fruits and vegetables. The only foods I eat consistently are scrambled eggs, noodles, hot dogs. I'm a completely messy eater and my favorite utensil is my hands. To add to the mess I've become obsessed with dips. I will use french fries as a vessel to eat ketchup and barbeque sauce, dipping them over and over.

We are also happy to report that I am 98% weaned! For awhile I was demanding the "booby" multiple times a day, including in public. Mommy decided she had enough and one day as I was nursing, she randomly cried out "Mommy owiee!" I was a bit confused but more concerned that I hurt her, and it worked! After that I would just ask "mommy owie?" and when she said yes, I just gave up. We're working on getting to 100%. She still carries me to her bed and nurses me in the mornings so she can buy some extra time in bed.

Family:
With the holidays and frequent visits to Poh-poh's house, I really enjoy spending time with Cao-cao. He is my favorite person ever and as soon as he walks through the door, I get so excited. I even let him put on my diaper and pajamas when I don't want Mommy to.

I grew a lot closer to Kaitlyn too, since we were spending every day together for two straight weeks. I totally adore her and am always following her around the house, watching her and trying to do the exact same thing she is doing. I get so excited when we pick her up from school. As soon as she comes out of the classroom I start laughing and we give each other big hugs, it's very sweet. I can't pronounce "Kaitlyn" yet so am always calling her "She-see." I made it up myself, but it sounds kinda like "sister." 

Likes: playing with anything water related, whether it's in the bath, the faucet, Brady's water dish, or puddles of dirty rain water

Dislikes: wearing shoes, socks, jackets, or sweaters, no matter how cold it is.

20 Month Update

I'm twenty months going on two years. The terrible twos have made their appearance and the tantrums are fierce!

Development:
I had a language explosion and have started saying so many new words. Sometimes I only have to hear a new word once and I can repeat it and know what it means. My latest words include: box, mess, draw, airplane, baby, open, eyes, mouth, teeth, cup, cracker, fish, yes, please, vest.

Although I've been able to communicate better, there are still times when I can't use my words and need to express myself physically, which unfortunately has led to hitting. This often happens when I'm fighting over a toy with Kaitlyn. One time I even resorted to biting. At Little Wonders I was fighting with another girl for a toy and ended up biting her so hard, I broke her skin. Mommy had no idea I had that in me!

I've become much more independent and insist on doing everything myself. Whenever going out, Mommy or Daddy used to carry me out the front door and to the car, but now I will wriggle out of their arms, and walk out the door, down the steps, and to the car all by myself. I get angry when they don't let me!

Kaitlyn never really threw tantrums so this is all new to Mommy and Daddy. I'm very persistent and can get so fixated on certain things, that I won't give up until I get it. This one time, I wanted to play with Mommy's lip balm so badly that I threw the hugest tantrum yet. I didn't know the word for lip balm, but I know to smack my lips together whenever it was applied, so I screamed and cried, stopping every now and then to smack my lips, then back to screaming/crying. For over half an hour. It was sad and funny at the same time.

I continue to climb everything as usual. Mommy bought a used learning tower thinking I would enjoy "helping" her in the kitchen while she cooks. Instead I see it as a new jungle gym and am always climbing it and swinging from the beams.

New interests:
Compared to last month, I'm much more interested in what's on the TV or iPad. I recently discovered Elmo and am hooked. I can watch whole episodes of Elmo's World on the iPad without moving. It's been a great distraction for diaper changes and getting into the car seat. Also great for early morning wakeups when Mommy can just put me on the couch, turn on Elmo and snooze right next to me.

Play-wise, I love throwing and bouncing balls of all kinds. I also love any kind of ride-on toy. Recent favorites have been the push-tricycle that I ride to the park, and trying to ride Kaitlyn's scooter.

Thanks to day care, I've taken a huge interest in the alphabet. We see and repeat the letters, then sing the alphabet song every morning after breakfast. I always get excited when I see signs or anything with writing on it and will shout out random letters as I point at them.

Disposition:

I'm a momma's boy and always want to be near her if she's around. She's the first person I ask for in the mornings and I get upset if she's not the one giving me the bath or putting me down (I'll settle with Daddy but I always put up a fight first). Any time Mommy sits on the floor I'll use her as a chair to read books or watch tv. I get jealous when I see Kaitlyn sitting in her lap and will try to push Kaitlyn away or even hit her. I can be tough but I just want to be loved!

Likes: Bouncing (on beds, couches, anything), playgrounds

Dislikes: Diaper changes as always, getting out of the bath, getting into the carseat

19 Month Update

I'm nineteen months and as bouncy and energetic as ever! I continue to keep Mommy on her toes every waking moment. She wonders if I'll ever slow down. I hate to break it to her but she's probably got seventeen more years of this.

Development:
I continue to pick up new words right and left. My latest words include: open, up, trash, nap, cheese, apple (referring to any fruit), bite, poo poo. For some reason I still refer to my blankets - my favorite things in the world - as "meh." For anything else I don't know the name of, I'll point and repeat over and over "dis? dis?" until Mommy finally figures it out and says "ohhh, did you want this?"

I'm so used to Mommy making me smile for the camera. Sometimes I'll point to her camera on the fireplace mantle and start saying "cheese." I've gotten familiar with taking selfies, and know to say "cheese" when someone points their iPhone at me.

Activities:
We are loving the fall! We finally have a good weekly routine going now that Kaitlyn is in school. I attend day care three times a week, and have started some new classes. I'm taking Music Together, Little Wonders, and soccer class. Out of the three, my favorite is probably Music Together. Although we're free to roam about the classroom (and movement is actually encouraged), I always just plop myself on Mommy's lap and watch and listen. I can imitate some of the movements and love playing with the different instruments that the instructor hands out. I also take cleaning up very seriously and when the instructor collects all the toys and instruments at the end of each song, I always make sure to return everything to the bin.

I'm still getting used our class at Little Wonders. Compared to the baby class we took in the spring, the toddler class is about twice as large with twenty plus kids, and I get a little overwhelmed with all the people. Again, we have free roam of the entire classroom but I tend to stick close to Mommy. It's also a two hour class so I'm always tired and clingy by the end of it.

Finally, I started taking soccer classes on Saturday mornings as an activity with Daddy. The class is for 18-36 month olds, so I'm definitely on the lower end of the age range. While most of the kids are able to follow directions and kick the ball around, I just run around aimlessly, picking up the ball and kicking it once in awhile. I've got a lot to learn, but at least it's something to tire me out!

The one thing that's consistent with all of these is that there's always a stamp at the end of class. All I have to do is hear the word "stamp" and I'll go running toward the instructor with my hands out. I usually lift my shirt too because lots of kids like to get stamps on their tummies. It's nice to finally be old enough to appreciate all these activities!

Screen time:
Mommy has started to let me watch more TV in the hopes that I'll just sit and stay out of trouble for a little bit. However I don't show much interest in television shows, other than the beginning theme songs for Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Bubble Guppies, and some short segments of the Baby First channel. I think I'd rather just climb something. :-\ Sometimes I'll sit with Kaitlyn and watch whatever she's watching, but nothing holds my attention for long. I also like to see whatever Kaitlyn is watching on iPad, but then I usually end up trying to touch/swipe the screen which annoys her.

17 & 18 Month Update

I'm growing up so fast! It seems like yesterday I was just figuring out how to walk and now, I'm running at full force and climbing everything I can. I'm a little sponge that soaks up everything around me, repeating things I see and hear.

Stats:

At my 18 month checkup, I weighed 22 lbs (17th percentile) and measured 31.7 inches (26th percentile). And although my head looks huge compared to the rest of my body, it's only in the 5th percentile! 

Teeth:

My upper molars came in so I'm now up to ten teeth. My bottom molars and upper canines are starting to make an appearance as well - they're all coming in quickly and before long I'll have almost a full mouthful of teeth!

Developments:

It's no surprise that I'm a very active toddler that loves to run, climb, and dance. I can run really fast and am even starting to jump. I continue to climb everything - my favorites are climbing up the couch and then onto the sofa table behind it and then actually standing on the table, and also climbing onto Kaitlyn's bed and playing with all the things on her nightstand. I love listening to music and dancing along. Watching the Shake it Off video is still one of my favorites, but I'll dance to anything that has a good beat.

Lately I've been imitating everyone around me, especially at home. I'm obsessed with washing my hands, and insist on using my toy vacuum whenever Mommy is using the real one. I also love to Swiffer the floors, throw things in the trash, and give Brady treats. 

I still babble like a baby most of the time but have over a dozen words in my vocabulary. Currently the words I use the most are: mine, no, 'nack (as in snacky cup), muh (milk), cup, shoes, Bray-bee (Brady), Poh-poh, Cao-cao, apple (to refer to all fruit) and booby (more on that below). I've been trying to say Kaitlyn's name but am nowhere close - it usually ends up sounding like "jay-jee." I know most of my body parts and will point to them when asked.

I also switched to forward facing in the car seat! It's so much more exciting now, I can see Kaitlyn sitting next to me and look out the window if I want to. We went on a long drive recently and I discovered the video screen that pops down from the ceiling and plays cartoons. I just watched in amazement. So that's what I've been missing out on all this time!

Playtime:

I still need to work on my ability to play independently. Although I have a ton of toys, the only things I'm interested in are whatever Kaitlyn is playing with. It wouldn't be so bad if we could just play together, but most of the time she's busy with her markers, scissors, and glue sticks - all of which are off limits to me. I've been caught many times with markers in my hands, ink all over my hands, mouth, table and chairs. Mommy gave me some crayons and paper to play with, but they just weren't as fun, and I ended up trying them out on the wall and chairs.

Daycare:

The biggest news is that I started an in-home daycare in August. After a long summer of juggling two kids, Mommy decided that she needed a break, and that I needed more socialization. I started going two days a week, and it didn't take me long to adjust. We play outside (my favorite thing to do) most of the day, and I always come home so dirty! I used to drag my security blanket around everywhere and it would be so filthy by the end of the day, now I have to "check it in" in the mornings and only get it for naps. When Mommy comes to pick me up, I'll take one look at her and without any acknowledgment or greeting, I'll run toward the cubbies and point to the top where my blanket is. Aside from the blanket issue, I seem to be having lots of fun at day care and have made lots of friends. Everyday as I'm leaving I wave happily to everyone while saying "bye bye!"

Eating:
I continue to be a picky eater and now even reject foods I used to like, for example, fruit. Noodles, especially udon noodles, have become a new favorite. I've become pretty independent and now insist on having my bowl right in front of me and feeding myself. While I try to use utensils, I usually end up shoving food into my mouth with my hands. Sometimes I'll take fistfuls of food and just throw it onto the floor. Needless to say mealtimes have become a very frustrating process!

Mommy has been trying to wean me with little success. If she's not around, I'm fine, but otherwise I still insist on nursing every morning, before naps/bedtime (if she's the one putting me down), and when I get home from day care. Sometimes I will finish a whole cup of milk and still want to nurse, so it seems to be more of a comfort issue. She made the mistake of teaching me the wrong word so I'm always tugging at her shirt repeating "booby, booby!" whenever I want it.

First Haircut!

A few weeks ago I got my first official haircut in a salon. Daddy had been giving me haircuts but I just don't sit still enough for him anymore. Everything was going well until the lady brought the clippers to my ears. Then I freaked out a little. Luckily she worked quickly and was done soon enough.

Before

Likes: reading books with sound effects, dance parties, snacking

Dislikes: haircuts, getting things taken out of my hands

15 & 16 Month Update

It's been awhile since my last update, and lots has happened! Summer is in full swing and Kaitlyn and I have been keeping Mommy busy!

Stats:

At my 15 month appointment I weighed 20 lbs, 5 oz and measured 30 inches. I'm definitely on the smaller side for my age, just like Kaitlyn was.

Development:

I've turned into such a climber. No matter where I am, I always have to be at the highest point possible, even if it just means standing on top of a book on the floor. I've even figured out how to push the toddler chairs around so I can use them as a step to get higher. If Mommy turns her back on me for one minute, she'll usually find me in the middle of climbing or standing on top of something. What she should really do is pull me off before I fall, but instead she takes pictures.

I haven't added many new words to my vocabulary, but it's obvious I know them when I hear them. I can understand and follow simple commands, such as: throw that in the trash, put the shoes in the closet, give Brady a treat, sit down, wash hands, brush teeth, go find your blanket, give Brady a kiss. However, I don't seem to understand (or I know to ignore) commands like "get off that," "come here," or "sit still!"

I'm also getting good with animal sounds. When prompted, I can make the sounds of a sheep, cow, dog, horse, cat, elephant, and duck.

Activities:
I LOVE playing outside, whether it's at a playground or in our backyard. At home, whenever Mommy asks if I want to go outside, I'll run to get my shoes, then run to the backyard door and wait for her to open it. My favorite things to do in the backyard are taking rides in the wagon, throwing around Brady's toys, trying to pick the strawberries, and playing with the water tables.

Kaitlyn had summer school for four weeks, and everyday after class we would hang out with a bunch of her classmates and their younger siblings at the school's playground. It was like a big play date everyday. I started recognizing all of her friends, their siblings, and their parents and would greet everyone with a wave and a "hi!" We all kinda miss that it's over now.

I've also been attending weekly classes at Junior Gym. I like running around playing with all the balls and equipment, and especially bubble time. But I have yet to get used to the parachute. I cry every time I'm placed on it.

Eating:

I've started to get pickier with food. Either I will eat everything I am given or I will just play with my food and drop it on the floor. It doesn't help that I've started trying to use my utensils, so even more food gets dropped on the floor in the process. Current favorites include scrambled eggs (everyday for breakfast), broccoli, rice with any kind of sauce or gravy, and fish. I almost never turn down snacks like Kix, goldfish crackers, rice crackers, and applesauce pouches. But I don't seem as interested in fruit as I used to be, and don't seem to care much for cheese or pizza (shocker!). 

I drink about a cup of milk at each sitting, but will only drink it out of those Take n' Toss straw cups since that's what Kaitlyn uses. There are so many leakproof straw cups that I could be using to drink more efficiently, but I refuse to use any of them since I only want what my sister has.

Teeth:

I have 8.5 teeth - four on top and four on the bottom, plus half of a molar that's starting to cut through. That should explain why I was so fussy/cranky a few weeks ago.

Sleep:
We've had our ups and downs with sleep but right now we're in a pretty good place. I go to bed around 7:30-8pm each night and wake up around 6-6:30am. There are still occasional night wakings, but not as often as before. I figured out that if I stand up and throw my blanket over the crib, someone will come in and rescue me. Lately that someone has been Daddy, since Mommy is weak and got into a habit of nursing me back to sleep. We've finally managed to eliminate almost all nighttime feedings except for the 5am feedings, which usually buy another hour or two of sleep.

We were trying to consolidate to one nap, but with Kaitlyn's summer school ending at 11:45am every day it was a little difficult. It was either let me take an early nap and wake me up in the middle of it to go pick Kaitlyn up, or try to keep me awake until we got home at 1pm. Now that summer school is over I usually start my nap about four hours from when I last woke up, so anywhere between 10-11am.

Disposition:
I'm a fun, happy boy that loves to climb, explore, and play outside. I absolutely adore my big sister and am always trying to play with the same things that she is playing. I don't seem to be very shy and am always waving and saying hi to people in public.

I've given Mommy and Daddy a preview of what my tantrums will look like. They usually happen when I see something I want to eat and it's not given to me, or when I'm holding onto something that Mommy has to pry out of my hands. I will shut my little eyes and roll around on the floor screaming and crying. I've also mastered the arms-straight-up, arching-back position when Mommy tries to pick me up. We can tell that once these tantrums become full-blown, they will be ugly.