The MnM Family: Toddler Tales and Other Things

Sorry that I've neglected this blog so much!! Life with a kid is so busy, and I really just lost my drive to do some things, including blogging.

N is now 19 months! He can now attend nursery at church, which in theory would free us up to go to our own classes, but he cries hysterically if we leave, so I usually either stay with him in the nursery, or I take him with me to the Primary (where the older kids--3-11 years--have class). He is extremely talkative when he feels comfortable around you (so most of his talking happens at home, not out & about), and he ADORES talking on the phone. So much so, that he likes to pretend everything is a phone. The vacuum hose, the diaper sprayer, USB charger cords, etc. (it seems odd to me that most of his pretend phone items are cords--as far as I know, we have never used a corded phone since N was born! We always had cordless, and now we have cell phones). Sometimes he'll even have an "invisible" phone, where he just holds his fist up to his ear, and then he'll come hand it to you. I think it's pretty cool that he's already expressing himself with imaginative play!

Aside from his general chattiness, he has a lot of "real" (I put it in quotes because when he chats he genuinely is talking about something, but only he understands it) words he can say now. Currently the words he uses the most are:

uh-ohhh!!
Waddy (water)
Daddy
Want it!
NO!

He has said many other words in the past, but a lot of words are no longer novel or fun, so he doesn't say them anymore. At one time he was saying mine and Michael's first names ALL the time. It was pretty funny, actually!

He understands SO much. It's incredible to see how, suddenly, he can take direction from me. "Please close the _____________ (dishwasher, fridge, garbage, etc.)" "Put that back." "Lay down." "Sit down." "Throw it away, please."

He gets excited when we're out and about and I say "Look, there's a doggy!" and point. It often takes him awhile to see where I'm pointing, but it's very gratifying when he catches on and sees the dog. I'd have to say dogs are probably his favorite animal, probably because it's what he's exposed to the most.

He likes to help, and he enjoys sharing, especially food. That may be because we seldom give him his own individual serving of something; usually we just share with him right off our own plates.

Just tonight, after Michael went to work, we went out back with the dogs to play ball. N wandered around the yard and said, "Daddyyyy, way ahhhhh youuuu!" (it sounded much like "Daddy, where are you?" and a few times he said something along the lines of "Daddy, laaaaaaaahv youuuuu!" which sounded a bit like "Daddy, love you!" It was so sweet! He's quite a daddy's boy.

Well, it's getting late and I've still got things left to do before my brother Jeremy comes to stay with us for awhile! Like... clean off the bed he's going to be sleeping in maybe. It's kind of our "junk pile" in the guest room. I got most of the fabric folded and put away though, yay me! But before I end this blog, I've got to include some pictures of out little man!!