18 MoNThS BaBy!

Except, he's not a baby anymore! :( When this happened... I do not know. Trav and I like to peek on him before we go to bed, and without fail, every week we have to comment, "When did he get so big?!" I remember him being a tiny newborn and thinking he'd never grow out of his 0-3 month clothes. He didn't even fit INTO them to start with!

These past couple weeks with him haven't transformed into a piece of cake, but they have been better. Maybe those teeth came in, or maybe I'm just learning to manage him better, or maybe he's watching more TV... I don't know. But what a difference it makes! He seems to understand what I'm saying and I'm getting more adept at reading him. He doesn't say much, but he does say momma, dadda, ball (working on football and basketball... he has them on his jammies and he loves to point to them and attempt saying them), uh oh, wooof wooof wooof (doggie noises).... and once he said Eggo. Seriously. Every once in a while, we'll ask him to say a harder word and it really comes out sounding just like it on the first try, then never again. More often than not it goes like this:

Mom or Dad: "Say (insert one syllable word)"

Collin: (mustering all his strength and breath) "Baaaah!"

Mom or Dad: "Say (insert two syllable word)"

Collin: (again... deep, meaningful breath) "Baah baah!" 

It makes us laugh. We appreciate the genuine effort.

At his 18 month appointment his stats were:

Weight: 23lbs 3oz- 28%

Height: 30 1/2 inches- 15%

 Head Circum. 19inches - 89%

So proportionate :)

Some pictures that illustrate Collin at 18 months....

He loves shoes. He's always finding our shoes or his own and trying to put them on, or bringing them to us and putting them in our face.  

 Just a boy and his beads... :)

Despite the way this has started, this kid is in fact, all BoY. He loves balls, rocks, throwing both, and cars. He's now noticed airplanes and always points to the sky and ooohs and ahhhs as they fly by. However, we do own a pink toy that he just couldn't leave behind at a garage sale. It's one of the pull toys where the balls pop up in the dome thing as you drag it on the floor. Trav was annoyed when he saw it, but I don't see what the big deal is. He likes to try on my necklaces and is intrigued with my headbands or bows. It's all in good balance. :)

 Checking out the belly.

Some think that Collin is a good eater, but I think he's picky. For a while he wouldn't eat hardly anything, so I started feeding him whenever he'd eat, which led to a snacking/grazing habit. This week I've finally started being stricter about mealtimes and its helped quite a bit. I took this picture after he'd had a really big meal and so his belly stuck out. Right after he got out of his high chair, he suddenly noticed this obtrusive thing sticking out, and stopped, lifted his shirt, and started poking at it. So funny.

He's a typical kid, loving mac and cheese, hot dogs, and pizza. He also likes bananas, mandarin oranges, and grapes. He'll have nothing to do with sandwiches. He'll do anything for a gogurt.

 Learning to use utensils! It's an adventure!

 He wants to be wherever we are around the house (outside the house, he couldn't care less where we are- he's on the run!) He follows me from room to room and wants to be held. Last Saturday he wanted to be with his daddy.

 Still getting the hang of coloring. When I'm at my computer, he wants to be in my lap, scribbling with his pick of pencils or markers..... always taking a chunk out of an eraser before I can stop him. The belly thing is new too. He likes to switch to his belly in the bath tub and slurp up the water. That reminds me, when he's thirsty, he'll come to us and just make a slurping noise. Very effective.

 He gets his fair share of bumps and bruises. Yesterday he bonked his head and up popped a pretty good goose egg. They always seem to be on his head near the hair line.

 Harry Potter in training!

He likes books, but I can't actually read the book or he gets bored. I have to keep up a pretty steady pace of turning the pages, only pointing out objects and saying one or two word phrases.

 Watching TV with Dad! He may enjoy TV more than the average kid. He's usually addicted to a movie for a couple weeks, then moves on to a new one. A month ago it was this 3-D Peter Cottontail movie with pretty rockin' music and lately its been this really weird one called Baby Huey's Easter Adventure. It is super weird.... including a giant baby duck that interacts with real humans. It was given to us.



A few other things:

*He's suddenly hit a shy streak. He used to beam at strangers and do anything for attention, but lately if anyone says something to him, he ducks his head and burrows into whatever body part of mine he can get close to.

* He loves to dance. He can find a beat in a cell phone tune or commercial jingle. When I hear a good song on the radio in the car and start dancing, I'll look back and tell him to dance and the next time I look back, he's obediently got his hands raised motionless in the air, staring at me. (I usually dance with my hands up in the air)

* He HATES getting soaped up in the tub. He cries like he's being beaten. He doesn't mind getting undressed, but don't dare try to put a shirt on over his head.... that will get you more shrieking.

* He gives the best hugs and kisses. It's my favorite thing in the world.

This boy keeps me busy but I love watching him grow up and learn new things. He's my little buddy. It's so fun to watch his personality in action. What would we do without our sweet Towaga?!