We have a toddler!

I haven't updated in a while about Grant, his milestones, and things that he likes to do these days.  Our little boy is growing up right before our eyes.  He'll always be my baby but it's crazy to also say he is a toddler now!

He is now 20 months old and I swear that he gets cuter (at least in my eyes) every day.  It seems like there is constantly something new he is doing or learning that adds another dimension to his personality and unique quirks.  We love anticipating what he will do next and it just seems like things get more and more fun the more interactive he gets.  He is at such a fun age. 

Here are some of the highlights:

Talking/Communicating

• His vocabulary has been slowly growing the past 10 months.  Recently, he has really started picking up on more words.  dog (da), duck (du), ball (baw), baba, baby (gi-gi...no clue why, but that's how he says it!), car (caw), book, go, no, good job (gu-ja), Grant (gan), cow, pig (pi), hippo (po), O's (cheerios), panda (anda, or, da), cheese, and finally, today, he sad MAMA several times!  He has had trouble with the M sound until now, it suddenly has clicked!  It is so heartwarming to finally hear him say mama!
• He is VERY good at pointing to what he wants, and he will usually say "Ah ah ah" when he wants something.  He will go stand by the fridge if he wants milk.
• He shakes his head yes and no ("yes" headshake is new, about a week ago he started doing it when we asked him if he wanted ice cream!)
• He had learned several animal sounds.  He knows monkey (m-m-m), dog (he pants---hehe), cow (mmmmm), and elephant (he makes a really high pitched eeeeeeeeee sound).  He also likes to line them up.

• He will try to have a conversation with you (in his own words)
• Can point to several body parts (head, hair, eye, nose (he likes to stick his finger up his nose, LOL), mouth, ear, hand, foot, and belly button)
• Will give kisses (opens his mouth and leans forward on your cheek, too cute).
• Loves to laugh.  Will mimic laughing of others, even the TV, and he will laugh when people dance!

Moving/Running

• He practically runs everywhere, he is very fast!
• He is a pro at climbing up the stairs (but is too scared to go down)
• Learned how to climb out of the bathtub (James was surprised when he was getting ready one morning to see a naked baby running up to him!  haha)
• He LOVES to be chased.  He thinks it's so funny and could do it for hours.

Activities

• LOVES to wear shoes.  He will bring them to us when he sees them so we can put them on.
• Sometimes he tries to put on other people's shoes

• Likes to play with pots and pans.  He will get ALL of them out.

• Has learned to color within the past month.  He likes to take the crayons out of the box and then put them back in, over and over.  And makes cute little scribbles.
• He LOVES baby Einstein movies and knows how to turn on the iPad and TV (scary, lol)
• Still enjoys pulling all of the laundry out of the baskets and putting it on his head

• LOVES CARS!!!  He holds them, carries them around, pushes them everywhere, lines them up, makes a vroom sound when they "go," and even likes to hold one in his hand while he goes to sleep.

• Will sometimes hide under blankets
• Loves to close doors.  It's almost like an obsession.
• Loves to take baths.  He will run over to the bathtub and stand next to it and point inside to tell us he wants to take a bath.  Sometimes he will try to climb in!

• Loves to run around and play in water

• Likes to play with hangers
• Likes to throw things (including food)
• Likes to sit/stand ON TOP of things

Preferences/Quirks

• Throws tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants
• He has become a VERY finicky eater.  It is very difficult to get him to eat a variety of foods.  He absolutely loves french fries (and has learned to dip them in ketchup), ice cream, and pizza (just like his mommy!)
• When he gets tired, he will get destructive and try to grab everything he knows he's not supposed to
• Still won't go to sleep on his own, we have to put him in the crib and he cries himself to sleep.  It usually only takes a few minutes, and he mostly sleeps through the night.
• Wakes up grumpy, but is usually happy the rest of the time.
• Likes to put things on his head

Other Cuteness:

 

We love our little boy!