20 Month Update

 

(I couldn't make up my mind as to which picture was my favorite...so you get two!)

Age: 20 months

Stats:  I think right around 28 pounds (though my biceps might disagree). I don' think he's grown much taller.  And, we did end up turning the car seat (in Mommy's car) around...he seems to like it!  I'm proud of us for lasting this long.

(snoozing in car seat on the way to Dayton for Christmas Eve!)

Clothes: Mostly 24 months clothes and some 2T shirts.
Size 4 diapers. Size 5.5 to 6 shoe.  At this point too, we are wearing so much extra accessories because of the cold weather.  Thankfully, Max loves to wear his hat (he even puts it on himself), will willingly put on mittens, and loves the coat from Grandpa Jim and Grandma Sugar! yay!

(eating one of his favorite breakfasts - strawberries, cinnamon toast, and yogurt)

Favorite Foods: continues to eat lots of carbs (bagels, toast, waffles), scrambled eggs, bacon, DONUTS (which is really like its own food group), guacamole, chips (which he asks for constantly), clementines, strawberries, blueberries, pears, loves pineapple, chicken nuggets (asks for nuggets in the drive through), fries, lunchmeat, mac and cheese, and ice cream

(peppermint ice cream....yum!)

Favorite Words:  MOMMY, DADDY (usually said with much urgency), grandpa (sounds like gam-pa), mums (for mims), grandpa Jim (sounds like gam-pa dim), thank you, hat, diaper, shirt, pants (we talk a lot about articles of clothing when changing his diaper), ti-ti (for Auntie Stacy), letters, song, singing, walking, uh-huh, nummy (yummy), donut, I want, toys, present, bed, blankie, Pepe (the name of his penguin stuffed animal), lights, "more lights", Jessi (his daycare lady), "Jessi's house" and of course PACI

*I would say he is quite the conversationalist – learning new words almost every day.

*He is also quite into mimicking what you say – and seeing your reaction – so mommy has had to clean up her mouth (see below story).
*probably the phrase we heard most this month was "i want to dump it" - and then he promptly dumps whatever toys, books, food etc. he was eyeing. So frustrating and funny all at the same time.

(some chilly weather walking at St.Leonard's nature trail)

Favorite Activities: brushing teeth, helping make the bed in the morning (his job is the fluffing the pillows), looking out the window (and telling you whether it’s raining, windy, or snowing), putting on his own hat, driving his Daniel Tiger trolley down the hall way, wanting to shoot the balls out of the pigs nose down the hallway, hooking the magnetic trains together (then putting all the pieces in his elephant back pack), asking for his blankie in the car, anything with stickers, and building blocks and stacking

(trying to figure out the latch board)

Least Favorite Activity: getting his diaper changed (unless it’s his idea), being without his beloved paci, when you raise your voice at him (like bursts into tears), and getting too much water dumped over his head at bath time

Favorite Things: Daniel Tiger (the TV show and all his toys pertaining to it), Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (I think we might have Grandpa Jim to blame for that), Pepe the penguin (a gift from Vincent), puzzles (especially the latch board), trains, buses, “cooking” in his new kitchen and especially the spoons and pouring mommy “coffee”, his recycling truck, and toy cars

(thank you for this delicious coffee Max)

Signature Moves: constantly saying “I want to eat”, telling you “I pooped” and 9 times out of 10 he has, not wanting to sit down in the bath tub, looking for his paci in the diaper bag, giving hugs and high fives, grabbing your face and bringing it nose to nose with his and going “mugga mugga” (a total Daniel Tiger Move), “fake sleeping” and then going “wake up!”, pointing at pictures and telling everyone’s name, seeing any letter and saying “ABC”, demanding “song, me!” in the car – which means he wants to listen to his CD from Grandpa Jim and Grandma Sugar because all the songs have his name in them, wants to be a helper – especially with recycling different items, LOVES to look for Christmas lights in the neighborhood, and continues to be super needy in the morning (he is not good at early rising but continues to do so anyway).

(modeling his elephant backpack full of trains and cars!)

Mom’s Proudest Moment:  Certainly not when he mimicked me by saying “Jesus, Rob!” when daddy turned a little too soon with the car…and definitely not again when I said “Oh sh*t” the other night in his room and he said it probably ten more times because I kept laughing (a huge no no I know J  I AM proud of how polite he is becoming – saying thank you most of the time.

(dressed in our New Year's finest!)

 

Dad’s Proudest Moment:  all of Christmas.  Max did great in church, opening presents, hanging out until past his bedtime, being patient while others opened their presents, interacting with family members we don't see very often and even saying thank you!

(investigating new books with Daddy!)

Other Milestones:

So much TALKING this month – legitimate conversations are happening!

Getting good with puzzles

Being very brave with sensory materials (like snow)

Getting better at being patient when we aren’t ready to sit down at dinner

Recognizing and being able to verbalize different snippets of songs

Great picture recognition when it comes to family members

Some pretend play with the kitchen and trying to feed his stuffed animals

Brushing teeth regularly and washing hands too!

Tries to take off pants

Knows when he poops and tells you

Can wipe up his own food spills

Picks up a ball and can throw it (though we are encouraging rolling)

Dear Max,
another month has come and gone and I continually marvel at the little person you are becoming. I constantly think to myself, 'this is the best age!". Until tomorrow, when I'm sure to think that 20 months and 1 day will be the best age. You walk, and talk, and play, and talk some more!  You are just so awesome. The three of us - we are just the best little family. Please keep growing at your perfect pace and daddy and I will try to keep up.
xoxo