20 months

This guy has continued to make me feel love in a way that I never thought was possible.  He melts my heart more and more each day.  He has grown so much.  It was pretty cute when Rose & Jim came back from their stay in Texas, they noticed how much he has changed since August when they said, "He is not a baby anymore!"  They nailed it.  He is growing so much each and every day!  He is becoming more confident, independent, thoughtful and loving.  He is so curious about the world around him and takes EVERYTHING in.  He is sweet and funny and has a great sense of humor.  He loves getting a laugh so he will do what it takes to get one from others. Ex. giggle, tickle, make funny sounds.  He loves to share those toys and stickers.  He is learning so many new words so fast.  I feel like he is basically getting a new one every other day.  

Newest Words/Phrases/songs: "Bless You" (after a sneeze); Where (Cooper/toy/daddy/blankie) go?; "there it is", baby, Stuck Like Glue/Bubble Guppies, Grandpa, Uncle Ben, Grandma, night night, bye bye, go, go, go, stop, choo choo

He can make the following animals sounds when asked, "What does the ___ say?": moo, meow, oof oof, (Santa) ho, ho, ho

Favorites

Foods- pasta: mac n cheese, spaghetti, cheese, crackers, breads, fruits: clementines, banana, grape, blueberries, salad, (Dislikes: egg, black olives, red meat)

Shows: Bubble Guppies, Paw Patrol

Activities: climbing, puzzles, trains, listening to music, chasing dogs, books (flipping not reading), helping load and unload the washer/dryer; filling the hamper

STATISTICS:

Height:  inches
Weight: 25.6 lbs
Clothes: 2T shirts; 24 month pants; shoes 6/7 diapers 4
Teeth:  on top,  on bottom
New Things: rode the puppy ride at the mall with grandpa, played at Leonhard center, 

19 months

Daredevil- watch out world, this kid is invincible! Caleb has no fear, he loves to climb.  Just this week I found him standing on top of the glass coffee table.  #nobiggie He started also diving head first off the couch for fun. Let me tell you that it isn't fun for me.  

Introvert: He still is as shy as ever with new people but can usually come out of his "shell" to give a high-five or wave hello or bye.  

Bruiser: He gave me a black eye.  He was "trust-falling" onto the couch beside me only he got my apple of my cheek just below my eye.  After a few tears from both of us my mom and sister pointed out my goose-egg for a cheek. I woke up Saturday morning with a black eye.  

Artistic/Musical: Caleb grew a strong love for Bubble Guppies this month.  He can sing part of the intro song. He loves to kick and dance when the music comes on.  I just love our nightly routine.  5:40 arrive home, greet Cooper.  6:00 eat 6:30 play til 8 then bedtime bottle and watch our show. He really doesn't like books right now, he just wants to flip them as much as he can.  I did model reading tonight when he carried his baby around and I wrapped her in his snuggle blanket and read to her.  He thought it was funny.

Comedian: Tickle Tickle- this kid started tickling mommy and daddy and the best part is his laugh when he knows he has tickled someone else!

Generous: Sharing- he has become great at sharing items with me and I just soak it up.

Dislikes: diaper changes, strangers, clothes changes, getting in the bath (but then doesn't want to get out), 

STATISTICS:
Height: 34 inches
Weight: 26.8 lbs
Clothes: 24 months shirts; 18 month pants (starting to get short); shoes 6 diapers 4
Teeth: 8 on top, 6 on bottom
New Things: kissing baby, wants to ride Sandy at Meijer, eating raw fruit/veggies

They always seems to sleep in the same position

recreating last year's photo

glad it wasn't my nose

he loves his new truck!

Celebrating Grandma's 78th birthday

18 months

This month flew by. And I officially have a 1 1/2 year old.  Sheesh!

Caleb has been growing like a weed, he has gotten taller and leaner.  His calf muscles are amazing! He is learning new things everyday like counting to 3, singing "Stuck Like Glue", waving bye, saying "hi" to people as we go on walks.  He is starting to try to open doors and he loves to shut doors.  He is interested in putting things together and taking them apart.  He loves taking out folded laundry and placing it in the hamper.  He doesn't enjoy baths as much as he used to but he loves pouring the cup over himself (head excluded).  He has no fears of heights and likes to climb everything. He recently made friends with the neighbor boys (ages 2 & 5)  and we even had a play date in their back yard.  He loves grandpa!  He says "no" more than I can count each day.  He is strong-willed but super loving; he even pats my back when he gets tired. Daddy had one week off and after two nights of seeing daddy give mommy smooches, he came over and just planted a big slobbery smooch on me.  He also learned to "blow kisses" but it looks more like he is kissing his palm. He still prefers milk in bottles but we are going to start getting away from that.  He actually is quite good at drinking from straws- perhaps better than just a sippy cup.  He also recently started liking the show- Bubble Guppies.  He still loves all things Paw Patrol. He hates diaper changes and getting dressed; he'd run naked if I let him.  He is a happy, easy-going baby most of the time.  He likes to wrestle and if I'm sitting on the ground, he'll come to me to knock me over. He loves babies and dogs. He makes me and daddy smile every single day!

(Click to enlarge)

Studying a cricket

driving at the park

smiling at mommy's silly face

first slobbery kiss

playing with toads

typing like mom/dad

dino-gator

tiger

he loved driving at CVS with grandma

reading before bed in his new pjs

"reading" (flipping through) books with daddy

Vet Med Open House

loving the dog

train table at the library

out to dinner at Old Chicago

tailgating with UPS for ILL-INI

Mr. Independent at Grandpa's 90th

riding with his big cousin

STATISTICS:
Height: 32.5 inches
Weight: 26 lbs
Clothes: 24 months shirts; 18 month pants; shoes 5 diapers 4
Teeth: 8 on top, 6 on bottom
New Words: again, 1,2, feeeee, hooray
Phrases: uh-oh, uh-oh (singing stuck like glue); here momma

17 months

This month has been rough for me.  I haven't liked going back to work.  It is just hard leaving Caleb and going to a place where I completely feel overwhelmed.  Caleb is learning to transition back to me being away from him too.  He has had a few cranky nights and I think he is just plain worn out!  He doesn't nap as much now that I'm away and he lets me know at night.  But, we still manage to sneak in a lot of fun!

New Things: Continuing from above he has taken to sleeping til 10 am a couple of times this month. Last week I started putting him to bed around 8-8:30 instead of 9-9:30 and he is still sleeping long.

He has gained so much confidence and now climbs EVERYTHING!  He can get himself on the couch. I decided to put our couch cushions on the floor because he loves to jump and I would prefer him to fall from 1 foot instead of 3 or 4.  He is fearless when it comes to slides.  Slides that are much too big for him at Ambuc's park, he would happily dive down face first if I let him.

We had our last family swim at Crystal Lake on Labor Day weekend and we had fun!

We have been trying to keep our weekends fun and family-oriented as much as possible.  Just Sunday, we went to Curtis Orchard and just played.  And a couple weeks ago we went to the Urbana Sweet Corn Festival which was great!

Caleb is watching my every move and really likes to mimic my sounds.  He is "counting" to three to initiate games and he is so proud of himself and claps when he gets me to do them.  He is still a huge fan of Grandpa but he also likes Uncle Ben.  Last week, he said "Uncle Ben" as clear as could be once but I couldn't get him to say it again since.  (At least Ben heard it too.)

Caleb has starting walking on our walks and I'm impressed with how far he wants to go.  Sometimes we do have to ride back in a stroller but others, he is happy to walk alongside me.  He even wants to hold Cooper's leash sometimes!

He got to have fun last Tuesday night playing with his cousin. They always have gotten along very well!

STATISTICS:
Height: 32 inches
Weight: 23.6 lbs
Clothes: 18 months shirts 12/18 month pants (12 getting short but still big around the waist) shoes 4 diapers 3
Teeth: 6 on top, 5 on bottom
Words: here, go go, no
Phrases: here you go, Uh-oh, thank-you
He can definitely understand what I mean when I say, brush teeth, go outside, pet Cooper among many other things.  We have such fun!!