James at 20 months

James will be 20 months old tomorrow.  It’s been a while since I have done an update.  He is growing so fast-- too fast to keep up with which eases us right into a discussion of what he like right now.  James is a hoot…as in really crazy!  He keeps me on my toes.  One nickname I use most often for him is Crazy Baby; Jamesy and Angel are the only other ones that have stuck for me though a lot of our family and friends still call him Baby James.  He is just such a cute, sweet kid- not that I’m biased.  Nicknames seem appropriate.  Life is never dull with him.  He is a momma’s boy and sweet as can be except when he’s not- that’s part of his charm.   

 James’ biggest news is that he is talking.   He has moved on from ma ma, da da, uh oh, and bye bye.  After months of trying to get him to repeat after me, he woke up one morning and decided he wanted to talk.  There’s still a lot of babbling but he really looks into my eyes and chatters away and I know he’s trying to tell me something now.  Unfortunately, he really thinks he’s communicating and is more than a little frustrated when I don’t understand exactly-what-he-wants.  Nonetheless, I am ecstatic at this new development and James is very proud of himself.  He also says: amen, Steven, Elmo, all done, Mammaw, Tigger, shoes, hi, hello, upstairs/downstairs, dirty, banana, doggie, please, cheese, hot, chip, thank you, sheep, night-night, Lightning (as in McQueen), and dirty.

Stats at 18 months:

Height: 32 inches (40%)

Weight: 23 pounds (10%)

Head: 19 inches (60%)

He continues to love music, and sings along with CDs in the car.  Adele’s Rumor Has It is the one you will catch him singing to himself around the house most often.  He can sing the whole Elmo’s World theme song- not the words of course- it’s pretty much la las the whole time but it’s the correct tune. He loves Elmo which I find funny since he doesn’t watch it that often, but we have a few singing Elmo toys that were Steven’s and that’s how he learned the theme song.  He is not interested in TV unless I am sitting in there with him.  It comes in handy when he or I are sick but not so handy when I need to be cooking dinner. 

He loves his blankie, stuffed animals, playing outside, shoes, food, balls especially basketballs, Lightning McQueen toys, and baths with his big brother.  His favorite books are Peek-a-boo books, Pat the Bunny, Mr. Brown Can Moo, and The Hungry Little Caterpillar.  He repeats “still hungry” when we pause on each page of the book.  He’s kind of like that caterpillar- always hungry.  He likes any book or song with animals in it especially Old MacDonald’s Farm, Itsy Bitsy Spider, and How Much Is That Doggie In the Window.  He loves dogs!!  He is in an I-don’t-like-vegetables stage.  He hates having his fingernails clipped and diaper changed.  He has really good balance and incredible fine motor skills.  He can get anything open (not so good in my mind).  He tolerates his glasses well but they are the first things to suffer when he gets mad.  He rips them off his head and chucks them on the ground to really let you know how mad he is…about twenty times a day (I’m not exaggerating here).  But, he gets a lot of attention in those glasses.  If I had a dollar for every time someone comments on them, we would already have saved enough for college.  I don’t mind it when it’s positive attention and he is enjoying it, but it does make me a little weary when someone is just asking me 20 questions as if he’s an interesting science experiment.  Or when he’s throwing a fit in the checkout line.  FYI, don’t ask me about his glasses when he’s throwing a fit, I’m a little distracted.

I am forcing him to learn how to come down the stairs by himself.  Holding his hand wasn’t doing it.  He would just giggle as he tripped and dangled his way down the stairs holding my hand.  I walk a few stairs in front of him now.  At first, he screamed in protest and reached for me but now gives in (without screaming) and scoots his bottom down the stairs.  He’s gotten good at it in a short time, which makes me realize how much I was babying him.  He is much more cautious at this age than Steven was which balances out the crazy a little better.  He still attempts death defying acts but thankfully some of them only happen once.  He learns from his mistakes.  Sometimes.

He is a smart boy; he picks up on everything.  Every night at dinner, Steven says the blessing for us.   He says “Dear Lord, thank you for our food and for…” and there’s a long pause as he looks at Charlton and I to determine who cooked dinner.  I have to say that on the more challenging days this really irks me because Charlton NEVER cooks dinner, and Steven sees me cooking in the kitchen every night.  It’s so obvious…even to James… because this week when Steven paused to look around, James yells “momma!”  That’s what I’m talking about.  The boy knows to recognize momma’s hard work- I’m the one that feeds him.  He’s still my sweet baby James even if two is right around the corner.