18 Months Old!

Ezekiel - You are 18 months old! The changes since I wrote about you at 15 months are many. Here goes:

- You still sign "please" and have begun to do a modified version of "all done" which is extremely helpful! You wave "bye-bye". You say dada, mama, hi, and off (referring to fans, lights, etc.). You many animal noises -- "baa" for sheep, "arf" for dog, growling for a bear, "haw-hee" for donkey,  "doodle-doo" for rooster, and the funniest (at least to me) is when I ask you what sound the cow makes, "baa?" - it always sounds like you're questioning yourself. :)

- We moved to Colorado on June 1st. You handled the move well in my opinion. The trip itself out here was long and weary, but you have done a great job adjusting to your new surroundings, once again.

"Don't forget me!" 

- You remain a terrific eater! Nary turning a thing down, except tomatoes. Although to your favor, you always ask to try them, but you end up making a face and not eating the bite you took.

- You started walking on May 5th! Once you decided it was time, you didn't look back. Crawling was over and now you're practically running!

At Viestenz-Smith Mountain Park

- I bought your first package of size 4 diapers yesterday, the 3s are just starting to be too snug. You're wearing mostly 12-18 mo. and 18 mo. clothes. You weigh about 25 lbs. and are about 32 in. tall! **Updated 7/29/13 - We went to the doctor for your 18 mo. check-up today. They weighed you in at 25 lbs. and 8 oz. (45th percentile) and measured you as over 34 in. (I think they might have said 34 3/4 in.?!) which is the 95th percentile. You are growing like a weed!**

- You got your first "real" hair cut on Father's Day. We decided you were getting too warm with all those curls. We let you listen to the buzz cutters for awhile and you did just fine. Then we turned on "The Little Mermaid" and Mommy held you while Daddy did the cutting. You did a great job! We were proud of you.

Before  

Oh the beautiful curls. I do hope they come back! 

After - What a little boy! 

- You have 7 teeth now! These help you so much and make you look more like a little boy, for sure. You can bite grapes in half -- woo hoo! And just yesterday I think I saw your first molar starting to peek through!

- At meal time we say, "Let's pray" and you hold out your hand so we can hold hands and pray before we eat.

- Temper tantrums? Yep, you've started them! Mainly when we bring you inside. You have begun to respond when Daddy does a countdown, and usually shape up pretty quick after you've collapsed on the ground in sadness, disappointment, and anger. You love, love, love playing outdoors! You sweep with your little orange broom, find rocks, dig in the dirt, and really just enjoy being out there. You always go after the pinwheels and like to examine our garden. You particularly love to play in water -- with the little sprinkler toy Grandma Pam got you or with the hose or even when you find puddles of water on top of buckets and your sandbox. And you have a farmer's tan. Too cute!

- You are a great helper! When Mommy is making food, I can ask you to set things on the table or put things in the trash and 9 out of 10 times, you do it! You like to vacuum and sweep, although we're going to have to work on the sweeping as you like to use our big broom which is really too big for you to sweep with. And just a couple of days ago, I asked you to bring me my water bottle and you did! I foresee this as a great trait when the new baby comes!

You're going to be a super, big brother! 

 There are probably more things that have changed, but three months is a long time to remember all the new things you've accomplished! Mommy and Daddy love you very much! You are a sweet, tenderhearted boy and we hope that never changes.

To life... full of learning how to raise a child!