18 months.

Nathaniel is 18 months old today! That's a YEAR & A HALF!! I thought 1 year was a big milestone, but I feel like 18 months is where we're seeing the big change from babyhood to little boy. Nate has been changing in so very many ways--from communication to climbing, from creative play to coloring!

Nate has physically changed so much recently; he's lost a lot of his baby chub, and he's looking more and more like a lean little boy. His hair is growing, and he has all of his teeth. He's becoming more and more independent every day, often wanting to walk, rather than be carried in public. He runs through the house like a whirlwind, and he recently started climbing onto the couches and beds.

Nate's favorite toys right now are his farm animal set, any balls, his wagon, his tool bench, and his mega blocks set. He loves all animals, and he knows the sounds for several (cow, dog, duck, owl, tiger, bear, etc). He still loves books, and will sit and look at his picture books often. We read books several times a day, and he loves every second!

Another of Nate's favorite activities is art projects. He loves to paint, color, glue and stick stickers. Sometimes he colors several pages with his crayons/markers, and sometimes he just sorts them in and out of their boxes. When we paint, he always enjoys painting several pages!

During the day, I usually try to do one or two organized activities with Nathaniel, and we do freeplay/books the rest of the time. Our activities include art activities, bean sorting, sensory play (snow!), dancing, building with blocks, baking, or doing puzzles. I love spending this time with him, and watching his skills sharpen and change is so rewarding. I know that a new baby will be a challenge, and I truly hope that I will have plenty of time to continue these special activities with Nathaniel. In the meantime, I'm determined to do as much as I can with my little guy!

One of Nate's favorite times of the day is when Daddy comes home from work! He gets so excited to see Eric, and they spend lots of time together playing in the evenings. I love seeing them together, and I love watching Eric be the amazing daddy that he is!

Nathaniel has been learning lots of new things, but I think that the most noticeable is the amount that he understands. He follows directions very well, even some complicated ones. He listens when we talk to him, and even when we're not talking to him! I am continually impressed with how much he is comprehending. He says several words, and often uses intonation in sounds to get his point across (IE "buh!" when he points at something he likes, or "buh?" when he want to know what an object is called). His most often used words are hi, byebye, mama, dada, goger (Grover), kitty, ball, book, bink (binky), bah (cup), yeah. He can point to several of his body parts when asked (eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, belly, hands, legs, and toes). He shakes his head for yes and no, and can usually motion for what he wants if he doesn't know the word. He will even motion for us to follow him so that he can show us things in other rooms that he wants!

Another one of Nate's enjoyed activites is watching television. He is not allowed to watch it very often (usually only once or twice a week for 15 minutes), but he loves it! We usually keep an episode of Curious George in the DVR for him, and he will sit and watch the whole 15 minute segment at a time. I usually only allow him to watch if I need him to sit still (usually to have his fingernails clipped!). He knows that the remote control works the television, and if ever he finds it within his reach, he's quick to start pushing buttons!

Nate's eating habits are wonderful. He's a good eater, and he likes almost everything! Within the past month, he's gone from refusing any cow's milk to drinking a full glass two or three times a day. He uses and fork and a spoon, and is very good at both. He loves pizza, spaghetti, grilled cheese sandwiches, and yogurt. He'll eat any fruit, and most vegetables. He's recently weaned himself totally from nursing, and eats three full meals and one snack daily.

Just for fun, here is a comparison between Nate now and 1 year ago. Biggest change? The days of posed pictures are a thing of the past...! Keep growing and learning, Sweet Boy! I am so very, very proud of you!