19 Months Old

A couple of images from today. I suspect I should be taking Boy Friday to the doctor soon for some checkup or other... but I forgot to make his next appointment at the end of his last one. He must be getting bigger (he seems plenty tall and quite heavy), but I'm not sure of his height or weight. He has only his 2nd molars to come in before this summer, as far as I know.

We took the rail off of Friday's crib two weeks ago, and he seems to be ok with the change. Of course, he won't stay in the bed. But then, we weren't having much luck with that anyhow.

What he loves saying: yeah, car, daddy, mo (more), pee (please), gogo (grover), coffee, papa (pasta? popcorn? pretzels? whatever, he thinks it's hilarious. always makes him laugh). He started saying "bye" just yesterday, but it's still hard to get him to say it on command. Friday also has words for bunny and Pooh bear (both of whom he carries around with his beloved Grover). It's a bit unfortunate that he absolutely has to carry around THREE animals, as he only has two hands. Every so often he'll start running through the house yelling "gogogogogogoGOGOGOGO!" because he has no idea where that Grover has got himself.

Alright then, I should go see whether there is any food for dinner!

Always the Little Helper

This was short-lived. As you can see, Boy Friday already has his mittens off (I don't even have a photo of them on, he was that fast). Soon after this, he decided to feel the snow and I think his hands must've gone a bit numb. Didn't make him too happy, so we went back inside. You might notice his pink boots - I couldn't find any non-pink ones in his size. Next year he might be more interested in the snow anyhow. I'm not sure how much snow is out there, but it's enough that he would sink in to his waist. Enamored with snow? Um, not yet.



He loves standing on the back of the sofa and looking out the window. His new favorite word is "Hi!" which he exclaims vehemently at random intervals. Last week we discovered he says "so big!" when asked how big he is! I haven't played that game with him much recently, but he obviously remembered the answer.

He's tall enough to get nearly anything you put down anywhere. Earplugs, which are so brightly colored, are a favorite. He can't NOT look at them if they are in his view at all (minuh minuh minuh!). Oh, yes - he says MINE. But it sounds more like minuh. Everything is minuh. Especially mail. Paper of any kind. I have to hide anything I don't want him to snatch out of my hands (bills - not yours-uh). Favorite toys of late include cars, she-shes (choo-choo), clothes, and cardboard boxes.

Just about 18 months old...

Wow - I really can't believe it's already been a whole month since Christmas! We've actually been having some warm weather here in Chicago (um, 40F - so you still need gloves and hats...). Almost all of the snow had melted as of today (why, yes, it IS supposed to snow tomorrow, why do you ask?).

Boy Friday is just getting over a cold right now, and I really think that three colds in six months is just plenty. Yep. It's been quite overcast for most of the last month, despite the occasional warmth, and photos have been blurry at best. Here's one of Friday trying on his new Irish Sweater.



It's a wee bit too big yet. I'm guessing it should fit him in oh, two years or so. Plenty of time for me to misplace it.





Those two are from breakfast this morning. I know, fast, huh?

Sorry about the lack of videos, but I really hate cutting out the many minutes of boring (for some reason I have not gotten the hang of modifying videos while a small person smashes his hands into the keyboard and then runs away with the mouse). Yesterday I tried to get BF saying "baybee" and patting himself on the chest. So cute! He really has no interest in saying "mommy" or "mama." Daddy thought it would be funny to have him call me "Chaka" instead - and indeed, Friday repeated that one immediately! I'm not excited to have to explain to people why my son calls me "caca" though. Luckily, he's not at all sure what "chaka" means.

Cleaning the Kitchen

Here is Boy Friday, sweeper. It's quite difficult to do any sweeping in the kitchen while he's around because he wants to "help" with whatever it is that I'm using. Unless it's a scrub brush on the dishes. That just makes him scream and throw tantrums at my feet.

We're still having issues with sleep here, too (must be going around, as I hear BF's cousins are also dealing with this!). Hoping, hoping, hoping that at least the teething is ending soon. I think the last canine is still working it's way through - he even tried biting the wall a couple of days ago. No, I don't have video of that. It was weird. He then proceeded to bite the garbage can lid. Ew.



Friday is enjoying putting hats on - especially mommy and daddy's! Also - as seen here - we are having serious pacifier-attachment.



Isn't this a cute shot? Taken by daddy at dinner tonight. I think BF was eating a piece of eggroll. He always wants to try whatever we're having (not always good - he doesn't like spicy food. He also insists that he wants uncooked foods like oatmeal and garlic). Once when we were having salad, Friday didn't want the arugula, but he kept asking for it just to try and put it in my mouth. Mmmmm... yummy.

We have a few more videos that I'm going to try and post soon (but it takes time to convert them to an uploadable format).

Terrible Twos?

Yikes, but little mr. Willful has arrived. The tantrums have increased in the last two days - screaming when I can't guess what he wants to eat (last night he wanted oatmeal right out of the container - yuck). Screaming if I'm not in his room when he wakes up (at 3am, no less). Screaming if I leave the room for a second. Now, I suppose it COULD be teething. You might be able to see his new canines coming in above. He was laughing at the camera (maybe at that funny red-eye light?). One of his happier moments today! I'm not sure that all four canines have arrived yet - but at least his right two are definitely in (both upper and lower).

He's now saying "hi" and "bye-bye" (maybe it's baby - not sure). He's also got a word for "flower" - but I have no clue what it is. In fact, it may be his first or second word - but it sounds nothing like flower. Sounds a little like his words for cheese or shoes. Both Thomas (the train) and Tyger are "tee." But, he hasn't quite gotten the hang of that sound yet. So, how many new words this week? Ten?

Merry Christmas!

Here is Boy Friday on Christmas morning with his first gift (he opened it while I wasn't looking, and it's one of only two gifts he opened on his own!). I was trying to get him to say "donkey" (bawh-key), which he only started saying after I brought out the Christmas nativity (the fisher price Little People set). He also says "Jesus" now, too. Sounds a lot like "cheese." He also just started saying "daddy!" I know, late bloomer this one. We're chopped liver apparently - Chester, cheese, shoes, and cars are all more important that saying mommy or daddy.

So this week he started saying - donkey, daddy (dee), anya (aaah-eee), Jesus, and I think he's working on a word for train (choo). Not too interested in saying mommy or mama (although I've heard it a few times). Loves to say "mee" which means "meow" or cat. Every time he sees a cat he says "mee!" Oh, and he'll snort if you ask him what the pig says.



I think it's so funny that he enjoys putting hats on! This crazy-colored one that I knit a couple years ago looks so cute on him. And definitely cuter on him than on me.



Friday seems to be enjoying all of his gifts... except the couple that MOVE on their own (Let's Go Thomas, and Lightning McQueen shake-n-go car). Those make him cry. He has two little wooden trains (Percy and Victor from the Thomas wooden set) that he really likes, and he loves hearing his Tonka trucks talk. Ok, he's not aware that he's received clothes - I think I opened all of those for him. I'm not sure what he thinks of his new stuffed toys, but I have to say the striped lion is so fun and colorful (and even machine washable)! Both he and the gingerbread man have been hugged and sat upon.

It actually rained all of Christmas day - all of the snow was melted by late afternoon! Not that we'd had much yet anyway. Today, however, it snowed all day and we now have a few inches of light, powdery snow.

Attempting some holiday fun.

This trip to the Botanic Garden did not quite go as planned... we did not get in to see "Winter Wonderland," as apparently you need tickets in advance to go see the free event (but are charged by ticket*****r). Well, we were certainly not the only ones there without tickets! At least our kid is too young to have any idea that he might be missing out.