18-19 months

I am WAY behind in blogging...I don't know how I'll ever catch up...here's me trying! (Sorry for the length. Just look at the pics if you want but I want to remember some of these sweet memories!)

I have always been fascinated at how kids change from their one year birthday day to say...one and a half. I mean it's unreal the changes. They go from baby to full blown, independent (sorta) child!

 

Aubrey has been so much fun. He has been such a copy cat...repeating almost anything you ask him to. I am amazed at how large his vocabulary has become almost overnight. He attempts two syllable words and is even putting together two or three word sentences. I love to watch him talk. Sometimes he says something...like I am supposed to know what he is saying...and he repeats it over and over....but I really think he says some things over and over because he has this cute gap in between his front two teeth that he likes to blow air through. Like when he says carssss. He always drags that ssss out. He has had an obsession with "bike-uhls". Since we have a bike in our house and several magazines laying around with bicycles on them, he has been picking them out wherever he can. He also is obsessed with balls...all kinds. When we are driving down the road he can spot a basketball goal a mile away and starting saying "ball, ball".

Aubs has continued to be a picky eater. He is not a fan of meats or vegetables and even has become picky about fruits that he used to love. We have found that he likes hummus so thats a positive! I pushed the milk quite a bit to make sure he was getting nutrients and calories but I think I was shooting myself in the foot because it was contributing to him not wanting to eat much. Since we went to the doctor (for his 18 month check-up), I have limited his milk and, as a result, his food intake has improved! Oh and... the fact that we had to let him go to bed without eating dinner one night because he would not eat or drink what we gave him, as approved by his doctor, helped. It was a tough night but he has been doing better ever since then!

Aubrey loves to be around other kids...no matter how big, boy or girl. He loves to laugh at them, I mean, with them.... Anyway, he loves to say "Hi" to people and even though he may not "go" to someone, he always says goodbye and passes out hugs when saying his goodbyes. He loves to pass out hugs...even to Shelby, although it is more of like a "lean" into her. So sweet!

He LOVES to read. At one point, we would read through about 10 books at a time. I'd have a huge stack and he would just keep picking up more to bring to me to read. I love it because it is good snuggle time for me because he always plants himself snug in my lap. Special times that I eat up!

A new thing with his sleeping habits has been adding a sound machine in his room. After a few incidences of him waking up while we had company over, we decided we have to do something or we will never be able to hold a conversation while he is asleep (our small house with wood floors makes it easy to hear everything throughout the entire house). So, I researched a few ideas and decided on a simple sound machine from B,B & B. It has worked wonders! And it's easy to tote with us to LC when we go visit family. Kind of wish I had got one sooner!

Naps are FINALLY down to one a day.  We jumped back and forth for a while because Mommy wasn't sure when to cut it off but with the guidance and encouragement from Daddy, we knocked it out. It's been great. Since going down to one nap, I had to figure out what to do in the morning when I needed some alone time or shower time. Therefore, I started baby playtime again. I used to do this but got away from it for a while. I now put him in his crib (he's not quite ready to be left alone in a room, yet) with a few toys and/or books. It works out great and I think he really enjoys the alone time. I love to see him play on the baby monitor.

Aubrey's reaction to his first hibachi experience...

He is growing a lot...especially in height. He is still wearing 18 month clothes. He is out growing shoes very fast! He is up to a 6.5. He weighs about 25lbs and is 31.75 inches tall. He moved up to size 5 diapers.

All boy....

We have been allowing tv into his routine (I think for his sanity and ours). He is learning characters from Sesame Street like Elmo, "Cookie", and then there is Barney and Calliou. Climbing is still one of Aubrey's favorite activities so I always have to keep an eye on him. I'm waiting for the day when he comes running in our room from climbing over the bed rail all by himself. Another favorite activity is playing on our bed. Seth and Aubrey "wrestle" on our king size bed. Now, Aubrey likes to climb up all by himself and throw his body down or pick up a pillow and throw himself on top of it. We, of course, stand around the bed making sure he doesn't throw himself onto the floor.

We recently got an SUV and Aubrey loves it! He can see everything so well. We even took Shelby to get groomed the other day and he thought it was awesome that she was in the car going with us. Speaking of Shelby...those two have become good buddies. Shelby is getting picked and poked on more these days. Aubs has been attacking her with his (foam) sword, pulling her hair, and sitting on her back to "ride" her. She takes it or runs off if she doesn't feel up to it the abuse.

Every day is a fun adventure! This boy is pure sweetness and such a blessing!