Twenty Months Old!

Today The Bean is twenty months old! 

This little guy is becoming evermore the toddler these days.  I have to say, it amazes me.

-Most days The Bean wakes up happy and chatters in his crib until we come in and get him.  There were a few mornings this month when the chattering began earlier than I would have liked, but with the nights lasting a little longer, I'm hoping to see more of a trend towards, say a 6:30am wake up.  One thing that I'm finding just lovely is that he'll now rest his head on my shoulder and give me a hug when I get him up from his crib.  So sweet. 

-More than just chattering, he really is talking.  Sometimes we have no idea what he is saying, but more and more we're able to pick out words and figure out bits and pieces of what he has to tell us.  He's begun to repeat words and short sentences.  He says "please" and "thank you" ("ga goo").  He started a thing where he was calling us both "Mommy!" but we're trying to get him back on track with distinguishing us as mommy and mama.  (Grandma and Grandpa both seem to be "Gan-pa" too, so it's not just us he generalizes for.) 

-We continue with a laid-back approach to potty learning.  After dinner we'll often ask if he wants to pee pee on the potty and when he says yes (most nights) he will try to go either on the toilet or on his little potty.  I'd say most nights that he tries he does a little pee.  We praise him like crazy and he seems pretty pleased with himself.  He hasn't pooped on the potty, but will tell us "poo poo" when his diaper is dirty so he definitely has some awareness.  His daycare provider is on board with this, but she says though he'll sit on the potty there, nothing has happened.  Maybe it's too distracting with the other kids around? 

-He also likes to asks us to turn on music by saying "I dance?" and to get out of his stroller by saying "I run."  He never ever seems to say "I walk" or "I sit". 

-He seems to have been really into his books this month.  Duck and Goose Find a Pumpkin has been a huge hit.  He loves saying "Nooo!" when asked if the pumpkin is where they are looking.  We have a book called Fingers and Toes that he's really been enjoying too.  He's getting quite good at naming body parts.  Each Peach, Pear, Plum and books about vehicles have also been popular. 

-A woman in our building drives a school bus, and watching her get it ready in the mornings has become a part of our routine, as it was back in June.  While out there he waves and blows kisses to all the people walking down the sidewalk on their way to the subway.  Our little charmer. 

-He seems to be happy playing independently with me or Jen nearby more than he has been before.  I can fold and put away his diapers while he has his train, or trucks, or picnic basket, etc. 

-Balls continue to be a very popular toy.  He is quite good at kicking (he can aim!  Better than me!!) and is working on throwing.  I think it'll be a while before he's able to catch though.  He LOVES it when we throw a ball high up in the air. 

-We've also started doing some drawing with him.  I had an empty notebook and we'll sometimes give it to him in his highchair with a couple of crayons or washable markers and he'll scribble a bit.  He's quite good at getting the lids on and off the markers independently. 

-In addition to all the words he's been saying, he continues to impress us with his understanding.  I can't think of too many specific examples right now.  Lots of "Please give this to mommy." or "Can you get your ___?"  Jen insists that he favours me and was asking him if Mama was his favourite the other day.  He said no.  So I asked if Mommy was his favourite.  No again.  So Jen asked if Mo was his favourite.  An emphatic "Yes!"  Go figure.  We just wish he would stop trying to kick her. 

-My absolute favourite moment this month was when I asked him if he loved Mommy and he nodded his head said "I luf" and then I asked him if he loved Mama and again he nodded and said "I luf."  My heart just melted. 

We "luf" you too little boy.