21 Months
Is 21 months a thing? I did 3 months updates for the rest of this year, so I guess I’ll continue it here, but don’t expect a 27 month update… maybe I’ll do every 6 months after the 2 year mark?
Nick Names: Bubba, Sweetness
Height: 33 inches (Estimated)
Weight: 25 pounds (Estimated)
Teeth: 11? (It’s getting harder to check!)
Words: 30+ (list below)
Favorite Things: turkeys, elephants, trucks, baby shark/row row/wheels on the bus, art projects of any kind, the color orange, his iron pills, baby brother, being tickled, the cat
It’s so hard to write these updates, because I either don’t notice how much he’s changing since I see him every day, or he changes so quickly I can’t keep up with updates. For example this may be the last updated on what words E is saying, since he’s finally hit the point where he can (if he wants) repeat a word or work on a word until he can say it. We can go a week with no new words, or we can get 3 in a day. So as of when I’m writing this, here’s what he can say (and this will change by tomorrow):
Words he uses all the time: Hi, bye-bye, uh oh, oh no, wow, mo (more), beep, crash, choo-choo, ee-oh-ee-oh, no, yah, ball, help, bubbles, hot, cold, apple, turkey, cracker, up, sit, mama, da (dad), baby, na-nana (banana), maow, Me-ah (Maia), baa-baa (sheep), nyah-nyah (it means all done, and we have no idea why), moo, row-row (when requesting row row your boat), shovel, sparky, uhck (means any of the following: truck, duck, socks, shark, book)
Words we’ve heard him say occasionally: Pop, bus, milk, water, elephant (once!), whasis (what’s this), Thisis, breakfast, trash
Things he signs (whether made up or real): More, hungry, milk, I’m confused/Where did something go, elephant, help, follow me/I want that (it’s the sign for milk, but he’ll use it for this too), bird/tweet tweet, all done
When I think of E, I think of a happy, busy, funny kid. Sure there are occasional tantrums, but as of now they’re quick and easily resolved. (* fingers crossed * knock on wood *). For the most part we try to talk through whatever feelings we’re observing, and then we pick him up and move to something new. Distraction is still the easiest way to end the crying. But for the most part he’s pretty happy. So much, that I forgot there was a period when he wasn’t. I forgot about witching hours. I forgot about tears for no reason (that we were aware of anyway). I found some old videos the other day and was blown away. It seems like he’s always smiling and laughing.
He also always has a plan. Some big plan that we might not understand, but he does. Sometimes it involves moving furniture, or getting certain books, or cleaning the floor. We’re usually told to sit somewhere specific and given a task, while he continues on with whatever he’s doing. If we happen to be in a different room from where he wants us, he’ll come over to us and make his “come here” hand motion until we follow him. He wants us always sitting by watching whatever he’s doing. He’s always moving, always exploring. Which is maybe why we’re still getting such good sleep and naps out of him. Even if he’s not sleeping, he’s quietly sitting in his crib, recharging. It works well for all of us, so we’re sticking with it for now.
E loves getting a laugh. He’ll do whatever he can to make those around him laugh, and then he’ll do it over and over. He gets so much joy from making someone else happy. He’ll also bring us our slippers, bring the baby a pacifier or a blanket. It amazes me how much he’s thinking of other people and wants to do something for them. It makes my heart happy.
He’s also enthusiastic about everything. I live for hearing his little “YAY!”s when something makes him happy. From a diaper change being over, to a snack that he likes, to being able to go outside. It doesn’t make much to make him happy, and the list of things he loves is ever growing. Just showing him a picture of a turkey or a ball can make him happy. How cool is that?
He likes to sing and dance, to look at pictures and to make pictures, and he still plays with the most random toys. Brooms, shovels, calculators, whatever he can find. He still hates stuffed animals and blankets. Last night he brought a plastic duck, a car, and a pink hair brush to bed. That hair brush is a big favorite and he’ll carry it around everywhere if we let him. He doesn’t love to cuddle much, and won’t sit and watch TV (which is fine). But he will occasionally come up to us and hug our legs. He doesn’t want a real hug, he just wants his back rubbed and a little pat before moving on. He will give hugs/cuddles before bed or going somewhere though. Mostly because they’re required haha.
He still loves the cat, and chases her around the house all the time. If he can’t see her, he’ll come up to me and say her name and then raise his arms in a confused look until I find her and show him where she is. And this seems weird to say, but he definitely has a favorite color, and it’s definitely orange. What shirt should the baby wear? He’ll pick orange. What do you want to color? He’ll grab the orange crayon. Every single time. It’s mostly just cool to learn more about this super cool human that I somehow grew, but is still a mystery to me.
Overall, I just really really love this tiny human, and super enjoy spending time with him.