19-ish months

I suppose I should be posting a review of 2010, or maybe some resolutions/goals/wishes for 2011, but I'm feeling pretty ho-hum about that whole deal, so I'm just going to get back on track with a monthly update post.

Andrew at 19 months (and 11 days): Well, if you looked closely at my boy today, you'd find a bruise on his forehead from when he fell off the change table last week, a scrape on his forehead of unknown origins, bruises on both his thighs from the times he got his knees stuck in the crib slats (trying to climb out??), red rashes/blotches on his skin that I think are eczema... Basically, he's a mess. But despite all that, he's still adorable. Not that I'm biased.

Food: The terrible eating continues. Thankfully, no matter how poor his eating, he's always eager for his milk. He's slipping in the percentile charts, though, and his doctor is concerned enough to refer us to a pediatrician for some testing to make sure there's no underlying cause. She says she's just being cautious and doesn't expect there to be anything wrong. If it is determined to be a nutritional problem, we will then be referred to a nutritionist. Ugh. I feel really crappy about this, like I haven't been trying hard enough to get him to eat better.

Sleep: Slightly improved over last month, but he's still not sleeping through the night with any consistency. When am I going to get my good little sleeper back?

Loves: Above all else, he still loves cars and trucks, and he got many new ones for Christmas that will no doubt keep him occupied for hours on end. He also loves TV and YouTube videos and the movie Cars. I am dismayed by his obsession with the computer and TV screens, but we give in to his entertainment demands far too often. We must work on that. He loves his bedtime bottle (which I know I need to eliminate soon), and he loves pizza and "candy" (those Gerber juicy treats things). I am so embarrassed that he even knows those words, but alas he does.

Vocabulary: I'm glad I counted his words when I did, because I certainly couldn't count them all now. His newest words include "cowboy," "dinosaur," and "race car" — what a boy. He's putting words together now, coming up with things like "wash hands" and "brush hair." He surprises me every day. OH! He now calls me "Munny." So funny!

New Tricks: Let's see. He can identify all 10 shapes in his shapes book as we go through the pages. I think he's just memorized the book, though, because he doesn't seem to know them outside of that context. Still, memorizing a 10-page book is pretty neat, I think. He also pipes up with a few of the lines from his newest favourite, The Paper Bag Princess: he knows when the dragon says "Go away!" and when Elizabeth says "Wait, wait!" and when the dragon says "Oh, yes." He will also try to sing along to the Wheels on the Bus ("all ... TOWNNNN") and loves Old Macdonald's "ee i ee i oooh." Oh, you know how I mentioned below that he was giving me real slobbery kisses? That only lasted a day. What's up with that?

Miscellaneous: My kiddo now says "good" when he eats something he likes. He's earnest about it, too. If it's really good, he leans toward you and makes eye contact before issuing his happy verdict. He's also said it, however, after putting the grocery cart chain (the one that connects the carts before you put the quarter in) in his mouth, so I guess I shouldn't mistake it as a compliment on my cooking.

If he's asking for something and you're not giving it to him fast enough, he stops whining and tries a different tack. He gets in your face, makes eye contact, and says, "Oh, hi!" in his cute little voice. Like maybe we just weren't hearing him. Whining/crying promptly resumes if the answer is still no.