1.5

Well, Kiddo of mine, you are officially 18 months old. You had your 18 month appointment today, and boy have you been busy. You weighed in at 27 lbs 15 oz and 33.75 inches tall. 84% for height, 72% for weight, and your big ole brain (head, actually) at 90%. We celebrated half-birthday-eve yesterday with a trip to the zoo with Jenny and Kelly. We took in the kids concert, then walked around and saw the animals and played in the "tree house". Today we spent the day at playgroup at Erin's pool with your friends, then a much deserved nap, your Dr's appointment, and then a great hour of swimming at the pool at our gym with your Dad and I. I feel like I will always and forever remember just how sweet, just how funny and just how stinkin loveable you are right now.........but when I need to look back at this blog from a year ago to remember how you were "then" I know that years from now all of the details of this wonderful funny little critter you are now will be so so blurry to me. Here are some of the little nuances that make you the kid that you are at 18 months.

*You are always happy. Honestly, I don't know where you got your cheerful, easygoing persona from. You shake stuff off. You don't sulk. You don't hold a grudge, or throw tantrums, or hit/grab/bite/push. When other kids might take your toys or hit you you neither run to me crying, or push them back.....you just sort of give them a look like "Dude, whats that about?". I love it.
*You eat like a champ. You eat the strangest foods with a gusto. Tilapia, king crab, scallops, sauerkraut, endamame, okra, WHATEVER it is I put in front of you you enjoy. The only exceptions to that rule are blackberries and raspberries (which is a shame, as we have a plethora of delicious ones growing on Buddy's farm right next door.)
*You are enthralled with others being "night night". When you see that Jules is asleep in her car seat you make sure to tell me (several times, at your maximum decibel level!) "Night night! Night night!" While pointing to her. If you see someone sleeping at the pool, or at the beach, you have to make sure that everyone (EVERYONE!) around knows and appreciates the fact that someone in our vicinity is "night night".
*Speaking of sleeping you do it so well little guy. You still take two naps a day. All told, you sleep for about 3.5-4 hours a day, then sleep from 7 or 7.3o until 7 am. You go to bed with a kiss and a joyful countenance. You never fight us or need any sort of rocking/routine/endless cuddling to go to sleep. When you are tired, you want to go to bed, and its great, and easy. Lately, when I say your prayers with you, you say amen along with me.
*Talking. All of a sudden you are a little parrot. You love to talk. Your sweet little raspy baby voice just melts my heart. You probably have about 30 or so words that you say regularly. My favorites are Becca and Buckle (which sound like Bec-Eck and Uck-Uck......although my attempts to phonetically spell what you say fall woefully short. You sound like a native German speaker swallowing their tongue. I don't know how else to describe it, but its darn cute).
*You love your sister without one iota of jealousy or malice. You kiss her. You baby talk her. You smile and laugh and play with her when she is in her exersaucer. When we are walking around in the double stroller I frequently look down to see you holding her hand. Sometimes seeing that brings tears to my eyes. I was so worried about how you would react to a sibling sharing your attention when you were still so young, and you have far and away exceeded my wildest hopes for how you would adjust.
*You think that "shhhh" has something to do with your nose. Instead of putting your finger in front of your lips and saying "shhhhh" you press on your nose with your finger and say "shhhhh". It makes me laugh every time.
* You love to have dance parties in the car when I am driving and a good song comes on. I only wonder what the other drivers think when they see me dancing along with you.
*You dive into the water. You love the "beach" part of the pool at our gym. You run into the water and then belly flop in, laughing all the way. You blow bubbles. You lay on your stomach with your hands on the bottom in the shallow water and kick your feet. You are brave.
*You only say "no" right before you are about to so something you know you ought not do. You say "no" then climb on the coffee table to host a dance party. You say "no" right before you throw food. Maybe its willful disobedience, but it seems more like a disclaimer. Almost as though you are saying "I know this is wrong but my little toddler self simply MUST do it anyway".
*You kiss like a European. Somehow you don't seem complete unless you kiss both cheeks.
* You nod "yes" with your entire body, not just your head. I love your enthusiasm.
* Nothing is funnier to you than being chased.
*You get so excited every time I open the freezer as you know I will give you an ice cube. The fact that you then share that ice cube with the dog used to bother me.....now its just part of your joy of ice and I have given up fighting it.
* You love love love books. You especially love your Richard Scary book at the moment. If I have to say "that's a pickle truck" another hundred times I may gouge my eyes out with boredom, but you love it.
* You love to build with blocks. You are really good at it. When you are especially proud of yourself you stand back and laugh with glee while pointing at your newest creation.
* You have found a way to make "Dat" mean three different things. "Dat?" "Dat!!!!" and "Dat Dat Dat Dat!!!!" all have distinctly different meanings.
* You love us. You love your grandparents. You love strangers. All in all, you love.
* You are so the mayor, Luke. You love to say "hi" and Bye Bye to most every person, animal, or inanimate object that you see. You are an infinitely like able kid.

Enough raving. I know I am biased. But I'm his Mom. It goes with the territory.

I cant believe that as of tomorrow morning, Luke will be closer to two than to one. It just flies by.

Kiddo, thank you so much for blessing your Dad and I with a joyful 18 months. We love you.