21 Months

For some reason this month I thought Nate was turning 22 months. I was a little relieved when I saw I was wrong ;) 

Two is too quickly approaching!


The Stats

• Weight: 27 lbs
• Still some size 18 month pants and 24/2T tops
• Size 3 diaper, but that's probably going to change with the next pack
• One afternoon nap about 2 hours in length
  

New Tricks

• After months of climbing out of his crib, he was moved to the big boy bed!!
• Uses paci a LOT less - mostly just for sleeping and in the car
• Taking off diapers to sit on the potty... "oh boy!"
• Connecting Duplo and Lego blocks
• Sort pattern blocks
• Climbing out of the high chair... right over the tray
• Putting on his own boots, usually on the correct feet
• Opening doors using the handle (thankfully he doesn't know how to unlock them yet) 
• Will take out a toy, play, put it back in the box and back on the shelf.... usually!! But not with play-Doh, Duplos, kitchen set.... just "school" toys;) Hey, it's a start!

New Verbage

• "Baby"
• "Dis" for Chris
• "Yesssss"
• "Icccccce" 
• "Mooom" for moon
• "Hat"
• "Juice"
• "No"
  
• He still thinks it's very funny to call Momma "Dada"
• He's been trying to copy EVERYTHING we say... we think we've heard "dirty", "blocks", "Anna"

Sillies

• He still love to pretend to be a dog! It's a hoot to see him crawling around barking and panting like a dog;)
• Good sword fighter (very funny to watch him back older siblings in a corner)
• Still singing and dancing... he loves music... wondering if that will stick with him:)
• Likes his hands to stay clean
• He takes our hands to lead us to what he wants and can't reach himself... after he has dragged the kitchen stool to where ever he was;)

Bad Habits

• Still spitting :(
• Starting to bite... usually more out of getting really excited, but sometimes when angry :(
• Being corrected more and more for not sharing
• More temper tantrums:(
• Very persistent when he wants something . We hear "un, un, un, un" until we figure out what he wants
• If Momma is home, Nate REALLY wants her to put him to bed... which includes laying next to him and reading his favorite ABC book
• Climbing into bed with Mom and Dad sometime through the night:)
  

Momma's Thoughts
I'm sure it's a combination between his haircut, his new words and sleeping in a big bed, but Nate just seems soo much more grown up this month! Just a lot of BIG firsts;)

It's been a little more of an awakening for me. I was treasuring those "baby days" trying to keep them a little longer. And now I have a usually sweet toddler.

Our days are full of giggles and playtime, big Duplo towers and other messes scattered around the living room floor. And the hardest part of this stage, correcting him over and over and over... sometimes it preventative (keeping him safe and out of the school supplies) but usually it's peace-keeping (trying to convince him to share)!

We haven't pushed potty training at all with him! There is just soo much that is demanding time that I just don't feel like I can devote the time and consistency needed for potty training. And while he has initiated EVERYTHING, I still don't feel like he "gets it"... we have yet had a success :(  So we'll see where this goes for a little while.... I'm hoping by example and his own motivation, he'll be the easiest to potty train???? I don't know Lydia was really easy, maybe she can give him some pointers:)

Since having a cold at Christmas (and our sleep-deprivation) Nate has been climbing into bed in the wee hours of the night; bringing his Doggie, paci and night-night with him;) At first he was wiggly and we'd have hands in our faces or toes in our stomachs. Somehow though lately we've ALL fit snuggly together... Mom, Nate and Dad (in that order).

And at first, Brian and I hoped that Nate would soon stay in his own bed. But the last few snuggly months have been sweet. So sweet that I heard a Daddy say, "I think I'd kind of be sad if Nate stopped coming into our bed at night." LOL!!

The interactions between the siblings has been priceless. I think the kids finally are starting to see Nate as their little brother and not "a baby" any more. There are times where he is right there in the middle of the older three. It's a balance, though, because he's not as big as them... so he doesn't always get to do what they do. And he's younger, so they also are still having to "make allowances" when they play with him... helping to teach him to share or whatever!