18 months!!

Yeah, Julian is 18 months!!!  It was cute to look back at his 6 month photo from last year and compare it with this month's photo.  I knew you were all missing that weekly duck photo :)

I've kept you up-to-date on what he's been doing, but there are a couple of things that are so cute.  He started to use his baseball bat that Granny and Grandpa Smith gave him for his birthday.  He holds it in two hands and we throw the ball and try to hit the bat.  We've also set up a homemade tee where he can hit it and he loves it.

He knows all the major colors except orange, but it's getting better.

He's eating a ton and is clingy and sleepy a lot.  I'm thinking it's a growth spurt, but he's never slept a lot during them before.  I like it, but I could forgo the clinginess...though I tell myself he won't want to cuddle forever, so enjoy it.

He has learned to put his train tracks together with help and likes to drive the train and say, "chuga chuga choo choo".
 
He's still a major book nerd and I love it!  He is so engaged and doesn't miss a single detail in a book that he chooses.  I still can't figure out his preferences for books.  He'll sit through really long books if the pictures are captivating, but not long Dr. Seuss books. He loves baby books and big kid books.  He recognizes characters from one Baby Einstein book in another BE book and will say, "hello Mimi" or "hello Violet".  That caught me off guard because I did not teach him that.

He's also very sensitive to things that happen in books.  If someone gets hurt, I have to reassure him that (s)he's ok now.  He has a flip flap bible and we have to skip the David and Goliath story because he doesn't like seeing Goliath fall down.  He's actually scared of it and I have to be careful.  I tried to explain it to him that everyone was happy, but he can't handle it.

His vocab is exploding, but he gets so frustrated with Dan and me if we don't know what he's saying.
I've struggled recently because he just has so many words.  I know that this isn't a big problem, but I feel badly when I don't get it.  I really notice that he can't say S or L.  I know there are more letters that he can't say, but I can't think of them now.

He loves to pretend to play different instruments.  He'll play his guitar like a violin or cello with a pretend bow.  I showed him some youtube videos of people playing different instruments and he just gets into it.  When we talk to family on the computer, he always has to show off his drumming.  We were at Dan's colleague's home for dinner on Saturday and she had piano music and he was playing on the table.  She commented, "you know he has music in his soul, don't you?  Look at him keeping perfect rhythm."  I'm not sure if he was keeping perfect time, but he does love music.

He is now very possessive of toys.  He doesn't like to share at all.  He doesn't like to be hugged or touched by his friends either.  What happened to the big snuggler?  I feel like he regressed after all his sickness.

He hate his hands being dirty and if my hair gets on his hands he yells, "hair" until you take it off.  He is also obsessed with having his socks on...all the time.  He hates them off even when it's warm.  I would be curious about autism signs, but everyone said he's too social for that.  He's just particular, but I knew that.

Night time sleep is perfect still, but he's up at 6ish.  I just can't complain since he used to be up every hour.

He doesn't ask to nurse any more.  He's not the best cow milk drinker, but about every 3rd day he'll drink 1/4-1/2 cup. Friends have brought over healthy cookies for him and he likes to dunk those in milk.  He really likes edamame and really...all veggies.  Ever since his 3 molars have come in, it seems as if he doesn't want to chew as much.  I'm wondering if his gums are sore.  I think the 4th is popping through now.  He's still drooly and has a snotty nose.

Last cute thing, he will say words in books or songs if I pause.  He has memorized a lot and I'm amazed when he shouts out the "answer".  I was singing "personal penguin" tonight and at the very end the penguin says, "please?" but in the middle of the song that sounded like the end, Julian shouts out, "please?"...ha ha.  Dan and I cracked up.  Kids are truly amazing.


I've really been thinking about this next baby.  I just can't see myself giving him or her the time I do with Julian.  I know he'll help entertain the baby, but he gets 95% of me all the time.  I'm even holding him  for 30 min + when he wakes from a nap so he'll sleep longer.  I've read to him since he was 3 weeks old.  I play, sing, dance, etc., all the time.  I already feel badly about the second kid getting gypped of my time.  Not to mention Julian's world is going to be rocked with a new kid taking time from him. Hopefully they will love each other always and forever.