Happy One Year and A Half Birthday!

Our little boy is a year and a half!! I can't believe eighteen months have gone by already! I am astounded that we have a little toddler now. I look at him and ask where is that tiny baby we brought home from the hospital! But he has grown up so fast, including the last month.

As I mentioned previously, Andrew says "hoo" for owls and is able to make "pfft" sound for rabbit while pointing his pointer fingers up around his head as for the ears on the bunny. Andrew is just learning "snap snap" for alligators and crocodiles and will say "sna sna." He is also learning that snakes "hiss" making like a "he" sound. Drew is also starting to say "zee" for zebras. Then, there have been a few times, when we are about to go to the zoo that he will repeat it after me by saying "zuu". Also, Andrew just started saying "dow" for down and "uu" for up. He will kind of say "hel" for helicopter. Sometimes, he will say "wa" and grab your finger--I am thinking he is telling us to walk with him. Andrew says "naa naa" for night night. I am very estatic when he says it after I say it and goes willingly to bed. Other times, when I say night night, he starts wagging his finger or fussing. Andrew has added the "ba" sound for bike and blocks in addition to his reportoire of ball, balloon, and book.  

For some reason, he can say "b" sounds for so many words, but Andrew has been saying "da" for bus. I kind of wonder if he is trying to say truck. I have been working on correcting him, but to no avail yet.  He will say "ba", but then will go immediately back to "da". 

He is getting much better at signing for thank you in terms of doing it when asked and not the actual sign. It still looks like he is blowing kisses, but I am okay with that. Andrew is doing very well about signing please--sometimes without us prompting him. He is improving on his combo signing and talking. Andrew is very good about signing more please and eat please.  I have been working on him stringing words together, but that is going slow at this point.

As for playing and toys, Andrew really loves the pool. He is doing great about getting water in his face--in the pool, tub, and shower. Sometimes, he doesn't want to go home! He is starting to enjoy the bouncer that the Armstrongs gave him. He likes to stack up blocks, but loves to knock them down even more. He still loves to play with his Thomas trains, but can sometimes fit the track pieces together after he takes them apart. Andrew's record thus far is being able to take eight cars up and over the hill on his train track without messing up. Something new this month is that we let Andrew have these special tub crayons during bathtime--and he loves it!! Drew also loves wiping the markings off the tub afterwards too.  He is still our little cleaner! Actually, he kind of makes a sign for coloring by using his pointer finger and moving it in a circle as if he was writing. 

Mommy also forgot to mention last month that the reason he says "na" for snacks is primarily for fruit snacks.  Andrew will eat at least one bag if not two bags a day. Sometimes, he says "na" and I will take him to the pantry.  I will purposefully show him other items like Goldfish crackers or his puffs to which Andrew will usually wag the finger. Then, I will show him the box or he will point to it.  The man knows what he likes.  And lately, I will put his fruit snacks in a bowl so Andrew now will say "bo" too! Also, something else that Andrew does is that he likes to drink the juice out of the mandarin orange cups as well as eat the oranges. I used to drink the juice so it wouldn't spill, so I guess Andrew just had to copy me. Drew has also learned the fun world of dips. He loves soy sauce, ketchup, ranch, and barbeque sauce. Thankfully, he will eat more when he has dip so we pretty much give him it whenever he wants. Additionally, Andrew has gotten pretty good at drinking out of a cup while holding it.  Sometimes, he still spills water (sometimes on purpose too), but he is learning to gauge the flow of the water coming down from the cup. Another thing about his eating is that he doesn't like his high chair anymore. Andrew prefers to stand on the chair (or booth if we are out in restaurants). He will start in his designated chair between Daddy and Mommy, but then will later switch chairs--sometimes multiple times. It's frustrating at times, but sometimes, it's really hard to keep him from wanting to do things like this. This kid wants to be such a big boy already!!

As for drinking, Andrew is still nursing a few times a day especially when it's nap time or bedtime. He also still wants to nurse if he wants to be soothed. I am happy I made it this long breastfeeding, but we have been starting to slowly ween him off. I wanted to just make it to a year and am grateful we did.  Then, I just kept doing it because it was convenient and cheaper than buying milk. But we will just keep gradually work on weening him--hopefully, it goes well. He also likes to drink Fierce Grape Gatorade just like Mommy and Daddy, but he doesn't care too much for Lemon Lime flavor. 

Something that that Andrew likes to do now is he loves to lay down on the floor in the living room after pulling the pillows/blankets/throws off the ottoman. Then, he will then ask me and/or James to lay down next to him. And Andrew has to pull all three blankets to the floor--one just isn't good enough. Usually, he pulls the quilt from Aunt Amanda first--he must know it is his blanket. 

Drew has gotten so much better at sleeping in his crib taking longer naps and has slept until 6 or so in the morning.  A couple of times when he has slept in the crib until 6am, he won't go back to sleep! Not fun.  Mommy would almost prefer him waking up once at night and sleeping until after 7am or so.  You guys know I am not a morning person!

That's all I can think of for now--I know I am forgetting stuff, but I will have to post them as I remember them or save them for next month. 

These are pictures taking tonight when Andrew was having his night night snack--his birthday cupcakes. He loves these things especially the sprinkles. Also, check out his new fade!! He looks even more like a little boy with a new haircut!

Happy Year and A Half Birthday, Andrew! We love more than you will ever know!