I don't know how two months slipped by without me sharing a short, maybe long post about my growing boy. Maybe, it was the holiday travel. Maybe, it was the ongoing sickness ravaging our house. Maybe, it was laziness. Whatever it was, here I am ready to share about my closer to 2 than 1 year old.
I have often heard that children tend to be advanced verbally or physically, but rarely both in their early toddler years. While B does very well with his fine motor skills and is a little slow with his gross motor skills, he takes up all the slack with his verbal skills. HOLY COW, he talks all the time :) and I love it. It is nice being able to ask him a question and have him answer. It is nice that he can point to something and tell us what he wants. I may have to hear it twelve times, but most of the time I will eventually understand. For example, the last two nights he has stood up in the tub and said, "Issy, Bssy, Bier" over and over. When I finally got it and began singing, "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" his whole world lit up.
He uses three words sentences on a regularly basis, which makes us LAUGH, usually because it takes us by surprise to hear what he has to say. He will say things like,
"Watch Thonas, please" or "Cookie mouth paci," which is his way of asking us to put his paci in Cookie Monster's mouth.
He loves trains and will say all of their names and ask us to sing. He'll say, "Go Percy." We sing, "Go Percy, Go Percy, Go, Go, Go Percy." Then, he moves onto Thomas......Kevin......Sir Topman Hat......Salty........Ironworks Bert......Henry.......James.........and now Toby. He knows all of their names and talks to them constantly.
Bennett has become much like a parrot and will repeat almost anything we say. It is quite hilarious.
He is really beginning to look like a little boy with a little of the baby fat disappearing all the time.
His hair has gotten much darker.
B's love of testing the boundaries is growing and growing, especially when cleaning up before bedtime. He will do exactly what you asked him not to, to see what happens. He is pretty well behaved for the most part, but on occasion he requests a reminder that mom and dad are serious about obedience. For example, a few days ago he picked up his rather large dinosaur and dropped it on the ground. I told him not to do it again or he would sit in time out. He bent over, picked it up, looked me straight in the eye, and dropped it. TIME OUT!!!!!
He has been eating with a spoon for some time, but now he almost always requests a fork. If we don't put one on his plate, he will definitely ask for it. Honestly, he eats very well with his utensils, so I am glad he asks for them. What cracks me up is he will pick up a piece of food with his fingers, place it on his fork, then eat it. We have finally stopped using the bib. Some days gladly, other days not so much.
He is able to point at several objects and name them independently. A few favorites are orange, apple, all of his trains, all of his animal magnets, and several animals he will see in various books.
He really enjoys music and will often request the song he wants us to sing, but rarely will sing himself. The most requested songs are:
- Itsy, Bitsy Spider (Issy, Bssy, Bier)
- Jesus Loves Me (Dis s ano--I know what is that, right? He tries to say, "This I know" for the song)
- The Thomas Theme Song and others (Thonas Song)
- Go ________, Go _________, Go, Go, Go ___________ (fill in the black with anything cheese, train names, mommy, elmo, etc.)
The one song that he will start on his own while attempting to complete the motions is Ring Around the Rosie. He hums the song (on and off) while twirling around in a circle, then he falls down at the end. Occasionally, he will come grab my hand to play the next time.
He has developed some fear of heights and does not like to be put on his daddy's shoulders. It is obvious that he gets scared. Nor does he like being held upside down by his daddy.
He can climb the steps, but will often grab for my hand. He descends steps with one hand hold, but still lacks the confidence in his gross motor skills to descend while holding a rail only.
B is doing better with taking off his shoes and socks, but he is still showing little interest in dressing/undressing himself. I keep saying I am going to spend more time encouraging him to do it, but I end up forgetting it in the morning and at night I just want to get him in the tub.
His imaginative play is really beginning to take root. I have seen him mimic several of the things I have done with him (ex. herding the cattle with his plastic farmers, march the animals across the floor, talk to his trains, etc.). Currently, I think he is thinking more about the way I have done it with him, but I am sure in a few months he will be coming up with all kinds of fun stories.
This little guy can really be the sweetest snuggler, but when he is tired.....WATCH OUT!!! Just like his momma, oh wait, I am not much of a snuggler, but I am much happier with sleep. He has a grin that will melt your heart and he loves to share it when he is proud of something he did or when he is having fun. He is still super ticklish and loves when his daddy tickles him. When his daddy gets home, he pretty much loves everything about daddy.
He can also turn on the fake cry like a water hose when he doesn't get his way. However, he gets his feelings hurt easily and will often cry when that happens.
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| I know doesn't that break your heart. That was about 2 seconds after the above shot of him in the tent. |
His LAUGH just keeps getting better. I get sad when I think about the day his deep belly LAUGH won't be captured under my tickling hand.
When he wants you to do something, he will grab your finger and pull you along.
He requests that we brush Percy, Thomas, bucktooth (another word which makes him crack up) Salty, Cookie Monster and Elmo's teeth before we brush his. These are all bath toy. It only takes about 30 seconds and WOW is it ever worth it to avoid the "brush your teeth" fight. I started pretending to brush their teeth when he started to fight it a month or so ago and it has worked great thus far.
He had actually lost two pounds last time we went to the doctor, but he has been sick on and off for two months which has been extremely tough on all of us. However, he is wearing 24 month-2T clothes which I think will be where he will stay for a while.
I am not sure I want to share his sleep schedule, but lately we have been lucky to get him in bed between 8:30-9 and he is up anywhere from 6 to 8 in the morning. Naps range from 45 minutes to 1.5 hours and begin around 1 p.m. His dad and I are more than ready for him to be well, as he has not woken up or gone to sleep happy more than a few times in the last two months. Today, he had a 2.5 hour nap, which is why I was able to write this. WOO HOO!!!
