19 months!

Been a little while since I have done a monthly update, so I guess it is about time.  Sorry to ALL of my readers (ie-my Mama).  We are no longer a baby, and are turning into a full blown boy everyday.  We simply must investigate EVERYTHING to understand how it works.  This may be the basket at Kroger, or the irrigation system in the yard.  And, we are still LOVING outside.  I might have a tree hugger on my hands--and I am totally ok with that.  His new favorites are playing in the flower beds.  He loves to climb over the rock border, and then run and scream all the while trampling my poor prized flowers.  I love to work outside--and I will be dead heading my petunias and look up and Martin is pulling all the live flowers off too.  At least he usually gives them to me.  Martin loves to help you do anything.  I use the term "help" loosely....because it isn't always real help, sometimes it makes tasks take longer.  But, how is he going to learn things, if he doesn't do them himself?  So, I let him, and he learns!  WIN WIN!  We love to take things apart and put them together again.  Or, dump things out and pack them up again.  At least he likes to pick up too, right??  He is busy busy busy.  Still has a fascination with books.  His favorites are ones that he can point and say what the picture is.  Or, point, and ask what it is so you can tell him and he can repeat.

We had a great 18 month check-up at the doctor.  He was 24 pounds and 33 1/2 inches.  75th percentile for height and head circumference, and 25th percentile for weight.  Sounds about right, since his daddy is tall, skinny, and brainy!  He says about 40 or so words.  I probably can't list them all, but maybe I will get close.  More, Hug, Slide, Bubbles, Elmo (Melmo), Dora (Doh-ra), Mama, Daddy, Papa, Nanny, Pa, Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Nose, Me, Puzzle (Wuvvle), Please, Go, Outside, Shout, Bath, No, Car, Boat, Truck, Ok, uh oh, Up, Down, All Done, Cookie, Chips, Waffle, Ball, Duck, Dog, Cat, Hippo, Shoes, Baby, Flower, Star, Cheese, Blueberry, Chicken, Mum mum, crackers, Turtle, Frog, juice, and I am SURE there are more.

He is currently fascinated by any and all animals.  He doesn't necessarily want to touch them, but he loves to see them.  Our zoo membership is really coming in handy.  His FAVORITE hands down is the Hippo.  He calls it a Buh-po.  But, he LOVES a Hippo.  Cartoon, toy, stuffed animal, real life, picture, movie, WHATEVER absolutely obsessed.  What a strange animal to love??  So, our last trip to the zoo he picked one up in the gift shop and wouldn't leave without it.  I did at least get him to agree to the blue one instead of the purple hippo.  And, he carries the hippo from the Zoo Talkers all over the house, and gets mad at you when you can't find it.  Maybe we should buy a replacement in case it ever goes missing for real.  He makes lots of animal noises, and some animals he won't say their name, but will only make their sounds.  Pretty funny.  He can make the sound of the lion, tiger, gator (tomp tomp--as in chomp chomp, with hand motions), elephant (using his arm as a trunk), frog, horse, cat, dog, and monkey.

He is also fascinated by Elmo or MELMO as we lovingly refer to him by in our house.  Oh, your kid doesn't watch any TV?  Congratulations, but why would I take SUCH joy away from Martin.  It isn't like he watches it 12 hours a day.  We are way too busy for that.  But, when I can let him watch a 30 minute Elmo DVD, and pick up the gazillion toys all over the floor that I keep stepping on and nearly breaking my neck...it works for me.  Why are people so overly critical??  I don't believe for one second that I am stunting his growth, or that I am hurting his development by letting him watch a singing, dancing, colorful fun thing.  Can you tell this is a point of tension for me?  And, if you don't have kids, once again never say never.  I didn't want Martin to watch TV either....but honestly what is it going to hurt?  Show me a study that says it stunts his development, and I will show you another one that says early exposure keeps them from turning into TV junkies at a later age because they didn't watch early, so now they are trying to make up for lost time.  Bottom line, I am doing what works for us.  And, aren't we all just trying to be the best parents we can be?  Ok, I will step off my soap box now!

We love playing in our sand table outside.  Mainly we like sprinkling the sand out of the table onto the grass.  We love splashing in the bird bath--and finding rocks to put in the bird bath.  Martin likes to wash his hands....once we bought some Dora (pronounced Doh-ra) soap.  He likes to brush his own teeth....WITHOUT your assistance.  Loves any musical instruments.  And, if he can't find an instrument, anything can be a drum!  Including toy buckets, pringles cans, pots and pans, or even bowls.  He loves to dance and wiggle.  He loves for you to snap your fingers, and tries to imitate it.  He makes the snapping motion, and clicks his tongue to make the noise.  Pretty stinking cute if you ask me.  Hope everyone is great!  Have a nice weekend.