Liam is officially 18 months old!
He reached this milestone a little over a week ago, but I haven't had a chance to post an update until now.
Let's see, at 18 months, Liam is doing lots of new things! Since learning to walk (just 3 months ago, at 15 months) he is now running all around our house, even trying to jump and do somersaults! He chases after his sister and one of his favorite pastimes is wrestling her or chasing after her--laughing and screaming all the while! He also loves playing hide and seek--hiding behind the curtains being his favorite spot. He's still a little clumsy--which I just adore about him. Sometimes he will just fall over out of nowhere, and when he's walking/running he still has a bit of a clumsy gait to him which I find so endearing.
He's becoming quite the little independent guy. He wants to do everything himself. He loves drinking from a big boy cup (verses sippy) along with brushing his own teeth. When he rides his horsey, he doesn't want me to hold him and will push my hand away. And he's constantly (much to my dismay) trying to WALK up the stairs on his own--again, trying to push my hand away when I try to keep him from falling. One day I made the mistake of sitting him up on one of our barstools. I was standing right next to him at the time, and he LOVED it! Only problem is that now that's the ONLY place he wants to sit. He really loves feeling like a big boy and doing big boy things.
Riding his sister's trike is another "big boy" activity he loves to do these days. I was cautious in letting him do it at first--sitting next to him, holding the trike so it wouldn't fall. But now, he's pretty proficient. He doesn't push the pedals yet, but gets around pushing his feet on the ground. He could ride that trike all day if I let him. And if Sissy dare sit on it, he'll come running, yelling "Miiiiiiiine!"
Over the last month or two he's been really into letters. He knows all the letters by their sounds. He'll point to a B and say "Buh-Buh-Buh" or to a K and say "Kuh-Kuh-Kuh." He pretty much knows all the sounds. I find this so funny and so backwards and so him. He does everything his way! After all, most children learn the ABCs first, then the sounds. Not Liam. He's does things his way. In fact, the other day he finally crawled the "correct" way for the very first time (if you remember, he always scooted on 1 leg and never really crawled in the traditional sense). Makes me smile knowing he does things with his own style and at his own time. And how smart to know all the letter sounds--often times when we read books, he'll point to all the letters in a word and say their sounds, practically sounding out the word. Tip Tip, Dig Dig is one of his favorite books right now (Thanks Auntie Geri!) He'll point to the letters in "Tip" from the title, and say "Tuh-Tuh-Tuh.... I.. I... I... Puh-Puh-Puh" I bet he'll be reading before we know it! Lol! ;)
Since learning to walk, talking has gone to the backburner. We get a few new words here and there, but so far, we are waiting on the big "language explosion" to hit. I can't wait until it does. So far, we hear lots of: "Dat! Dat! Dat!" He also loves to play a game where I ask him what he wants for lunch and he points to something in the pantry and says "Dat." When I point to what I think he's pointing to, and say, "Oh, do you want Macaroni and Cheese?" He'll smile and say, "Noooooo" in the cutest voice. I'll ask again, and then he'll point to something else, and say, "Dat! Dat!" I'll pick up the bananas, and say, "Oh, you want bananas?" And he'll again smile and say, "nooooooo." We repeat this over and over. He's so funny. He also LOVES to raise his hand and shout "I dooooooo!" whenever we ask something like, "Who wants a snack?" In all, I think we are up to a vocabulary of about 30 words or so. Definitely advanced, considering the average at this age is about 12 words. Sometimes I wonder if I have a little perfectionist on my hands. If I ask him to say a word, he'll kind of get this look in his eye like he wants to try to say it, but then he realizes he can't quite do it, so then he won't even try. Silly boy!
He loves to imitate us and help us--like with sweeping or unloading the dishes. Lately, he likes to pick up a pair of toy binoculars and will look over and daddy and say "Cheese Dada!" (thinking it's a camera). He also LOVES to sneak up on the computer and try to type and use the mouse. I keep thinking one day he might just post something on the blog or facebook if I'm not careful to take it down.
He's REALLY gotten into music. Our Jammin' Baby class ended a few weeks ago. During the class I wasn't sure he was really loving it or getting much out of it. A lot of times he'd go to the door and point and say, "Go! Go!" like he wanted to leave. Of course, now that class is over, he's ALL about the songs/music from the class. One day, he woke up signing "Hello Everybody!" over and over (our opening song from class). And when we sing songs, he'll sing along (mostly jibberish mixed with some real words)--especially at bedtime. He knows lots of signs to go along with the songs--especially "Twinkle Twinkle" and "Jesus Loves Me."
I know I've mentioned his love for cars and trucks on the blog before, well, that hasn't changed at all. He just LOVES anything with wheels. In fact, the ONLY books I can get him to sit and listen to are those that are about cars and trucks. Suffice it to say, I'm learning a WHOLE new vocabulary--lol! So is he, in fact. If I ask him, "Where's the excavator (or bulldozer, or skid steer, or backhoe loader, or crane, or cement mixer, etc)?" he'll point right to the correct vehicle! One of the books we have has different types of vehicles on each page... like there's a construction vehicles page, and an emergency vehicles page, and a farm vehicles page. Well, every time I try to turn the page from the construction trucks, he gets really mad--he doesn't want any other page--there's just something about those giant excavators and dump trucks that this little guy just ADORES! So funny!
This is also a frustrating phase for our little big man. He wants to do so many things that he just can't quite do yet on his own, so he gets frustrated and mad. Like his sister, he has QUITE the temper. He will throw himself down, kick, and scream. The tantrums have been coming more frequently and we've been following up with more and more time out. He's also known to pull hair when he gets mad--mainly that of his sister's. I kinda always thought that since his personality is so much more laid back than his sisters, and much more introspective and sensitive, that maybe he wouldn't have a temper or throw fits. I did not get so lucky. But that's okay. Now that Elizabeth is getting better behaved, I feel like at least I know there is a light to the tunnel, that this is a stage we will just have to work on and bear with.
He continues to LOVE to snuggle. Elizabeth to this day cannot snuggle She can't sit still long enough to just lay back and cuddle. This, however, is one of Liam's favorite things to do. He also loves to relax at times. Sometimes after playing with his trucks or with a book, he'll stop, lie down, pop his thumb in his mouth and just relax. It makes me laugh so hard because in 3 years Elizabeth has only laid down from playtime ONE time, and that was when she was sick. It makes me laugh at how different they are. And isn't it so typical of a woman to be busy, busy... and so like a man to want to just relax. I love them both!
You know, it's amazing how a 2nd child can really humble you. I think I took a lot of credit w/Elizabeth in all the things she did early--crawling, walking, talking. Heck, she could sing the 50 states in alphabetical order before she was two. I think I felt a little too proud of myself for her abilities, always eager to share with the world (via the blog or on facebook or in person) all the new and cool things she was doing. It was exciting after all, and I was proud! And honestly, I think I was a little judgmental of other mothers' whose children weren't as advanced. "They must not read to their children or sign with their children... or they must not get enough tummy time" I would think to myself. Then I had Liam. Despite the fact that he is no where near "behind" he is definitely going at his own pace. And despite the fact that I am the same mother, with the same routines and same styles of parenting, my children are totally different. He is his own person, after all. Having Liam has shown me that going slow and being more cautious and taking a little longer to reach milestones is okay. Both ways are okay, in fact. And that I shouldn't take credit for either child's accomplishments. Nor compare the two. I think it has also shown me how unintentionally hurtful I may have been in sharing all of Elizabeth accomplishments with other mothers whose children were not even close to reaching those same milestones. At the time, I was excited. But having to now listen to other excited mothers tell about all the amazing things their children are doing, and realizing how far Liam is from some of those accomplishments (friends whose children are speaking in sentences and even potty trained at this age), it makes me realize how unnecessary some of that "playground talk" can be. Hurtful even, albeit unintentional. My children are who they are and they go at their own pace. Elizabeth is my gung-ho, energetic, go-getter, and Liam is my sweet, sensitive, cautious little guy. Both personalities I adore. Neither one is better, just different. I'm so thankful I've learned this lesson.
Anyway, life at 18 months is a lot of fun! And I can't wait to see what the next 6 months will bring!
OH, and just FYI--I like to write little "updates" (like this one) when my children reach various milestones/important ages (like 18 months). Elizabeth will be turning 3.5 very soon. When she does, I'll post a little update of what she's been up to once she reaches that milestone :) I'm trying my best to keep everything "even" since I know some people might be keeping track (or at least, I'm sure my children will one day--ha!)
