Our baby boy turned 18 months old today and Mama is a little sad. He went from a dumpling baby that just rolled around on the floor to a walking, climbing, noisy monster of a toddler.

Here are some highlights from this past month:

• Gross Motor: He’s climbing the sofa daily and has started walking rather quickly back and forth in the house. I think he’s on the verge of running. Scary. He also does this funny squat thing that looks like he’s trying to jump but he’s not even close to coming off the ground.
• Fine Motor: Not much has happened in this area but he has shown a greater interest in Duplos. He can put some pieces together but still needs some work. He likes playing with markers but doesn’t really care for scribbling yet. Must be a boy thing.
• Speech: He has a few new words including “up” and “no” (his favorite). He also tries to yell at Alexa (our Amazon device) but it sounds more like “ah-ga”. Pretty funny. He nods yes and no more consistently now and still relies on signing eat, more, all done, and please. His receptive language seems to be pretty robust now and seems to understand things like “sit down”, “wash hands”, “clean up”, “take shoes off”.  He also says “cheese” when he seems me taking a photo of him. Unfortunately, his cheese-smile looks like Chandler Bing from the show “Friends”.
• Self-care: He’s still a fan of utensils and has gotten pretty good with using a fork and spoon (when he wants to). He also tries drinking from an open cup whenever he gets the chance. One of Mama’s favorite tricks is how he puts his shoes away when we get home. He also throws his own diaper away in the trash. He will also wipe his hands and face if we give him a napkin or wipe.
• He also learned how to give hugs and kisses. It’s so sweet.
• Eating/drinking: He has a list of foods that he consistently doesn’t like including tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers. Still loves meat, tofu, and beans. Pasta and noodles are also a good staple for him. It’s also cute watching him eat a sandwich. He does a pretty good job eating them without it completely falling apart. He’s also a big fan of water. He drinks so much!!
• Personality: Boy oh boy does this guy have a strong personality. He has quite a temper but he’s also very friendly. When he’s mad, he throws whatever he has in his hand. He is also pretty stubborn and says “NO!” with a good scowl on his face when he really doesn’t want something. At the same time, he will come over and give you a random hug or kiss just minutes after a tantrum. He still loves his hippo/pacifier and will desperately call out “boo-boo, boo-boo” when he’s sad or tired. He also has a fondness for his muslin blankets. He’s also a daredevil and clown at the same time. It definitely keeps Mama on her toes all day long.
• Habits: He sleeps well during the day and goes to bed well each night. Unfortunately, he still wakes 1-2 times each night but usually gets back to sleep on his own. He still LOVES taking a bath and now helps Mama apply lotion afterward. He still hates having his teeth brushed but we have to do it.

Happy 18 months and Happy Half-Birthday, Peanut!!  Love you!!

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