Liam - 21, 22 and 23 months

Date/Week: 21, 22 and 23 months

Milestones: 

• He's visited Ireland and met his Irish cousins (we still are working on getting his Irish birth certificate)
• We're doing a 'Parents and Tots' dance class and both Aidan and I go with him
• He comes to my 'Tiny Tots' Highland Dancing class but is still a bit young for most of the activities - he does like it when we march though.'
• He says grace ("God is Great") - the words are not clear but the cadence is correct
• Insists on sitting at the table in a regular chair and eating with our utensils (he'll even eat mini wheats at breakfast if Aidan has them)
• His favourite songs are 'Old Macdonald', 'Bingo', 'Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes' and 'Are You Sleeping' (when he sings 'Morning bells are ringing', it sounds like 'Wanna have a wee-wee')
• He's become a picky eater but thankfully eats broccoli, brussel sprouts and asparagus
• Knows how to use my iPad better than I do
• Favourite iPad app - Disney's 'It's A Small World'
• Favourite YouTube video - Mahna Mahna
• Loves the Muppet Show and is crazy about Animal
• When he wants you to see something he will grab your face in both his hands and then turn your face towards what he wants you to see
• When he wants you to sit next to him, he will pat the space next to him
• Loves his books and has a stash in the car to keep him entertained
• Already singing 'Jingle Bells'
• If you do 'This Little Piggie', he'll laugh 'wee, wee, wee' with you and give you his foot saying 'Other One!'
• Can say 'NO' with a million different intonations
• If you build something with Lego, he must take it apart
• Knows what Aidan does with the electric razor and tries to do the same
• Knows both sets of grandparents - there's Grandma and Grandpa (my parents), Mama and Grandpa (Aidan's parents) and Grandpapa (Aidan's grandfather)

Developmental Progress:  

• He jumps!
• Knows that he is Liam and actually refers to himself sometimes
• Potty training is still in the training phase... will tell you when he needs to go but doesn't usually want to sit on the potty at home. Apparently sits on it but won't go at my parent's house and maybe 50/50 for completing the task at school. 
• In the meantime, he wears pull-ups during the day and diapers at night.
• Is able to point out most animals (and the sounds they make)
• Counts to 10 whenever given the chance and recognizes some of the numbers when he sees them - 1, 2, 8 and sometimes 5
• Getting better identifying colours but not consistent
• Can get up and down the stairs on his own - but we observe him very closely when he decided to do it on his own.
• He is so independent.... and focused when he's doing a task
• Loves doing the wood puzzles with animals
• Knows his body parts really well
• Undresses himself and can pick out his clothing and get mostly dressed (pants easily, shirt a little difficult, shoes and socks on occasion and flip flops are easy
• Knows the names of all the kids in his class
• Turns on his music in the morning and plays or sings while he waits for us to come and get him (thank goodness he isn't climbing out of the crib anymore)
• Climbs on the table, chairs, stools... anything he can climb (sigh!)
• If you try to put him down, he grips on to you with everything, including his toes
• Open and closes doors... privacy is a memory
• Is ok with having his teeth brushed if someone else is brushing their teeth
• Brushes his hair with a brush.... and brushes the dog's fur as well 
• In the bath he tries to wash himself with the soap
• When he arrives at my parent's house he yells out 'Grandpa, where are you?' - not really clearly yet but close!

Thoughts and Feelings? 

I've been tied up in dissertation world so sorry for the lack of updates. Trying to remember three month's worth of developments has been tough. But thankfully there are lots of great memories to pull from to start the process... I may need to do some updates later. In any case, Chapters 4 & 5 of the dissertation are written and the editing process has begun... hope the next few steps go fast!

So Liam is almost 2. He is definitely more boy than baby. He has a very strong personality and I swear will be either a politician or an actor when he grows up. He likes to interact with people and is a constant smiler... unless he's trying to get his way and turns on the water works. And then there the flirting with the ladies. We're so in trouble when he gets older!

He is so enjoyable at this age. He runs us ragged and takes over every second of our day when we're awake. I swear sometimes that I cannot survive the day if he doesn't have a nap on Sundays! He loves his grandparents. He loves his books, he loves Elmo and Animal. He loves music! He still loves to cuddle, especially before bed.

What I am looking forward to: 

His Christmas Concert is on Dec 7th and his birthday is Dec 22nd. We're all home between Dec 25 and Jan 2 so we're thinking of playing tourist that week and taking Liam to all of the rendezvous season events. I am just looking forward to lots of time with my little family!