Tai is getting so big. We took him to his 18 month check up (at 20 months..it's fine) and got an update on how he is progressing.
The doctor says he should be saying 20 words by the time he is two, and putting two words together. Tai mostly uses sign language to tell us everything, or he points and grunts. But he is close to the 20 word goal. If he doesn't hit 20 by the time he is two, the doctor wants to do "early intervention" which Colton likes to say menacingly as "IMMEDIATE INTERVENTION." (Fist in the air, legs spread apart, with conviction. That's my husband.)
His words are: Go. Shoes (Shhh) (That was his first word besides mom and dad.) Car. Mah. Dad. Eat. (Eee) Dog. (Doe-g) Please (Pee) Blankie/Pillow (Kee), Pacifier (nee-nee), Jump. HOT. Hands. (Haaahhh?) Owie. (Eeweee.) Okay.
He is a big kid. He's fast. (Faster than me.) He's strong. (Stronger than me.) And i've resorted to putting him on a leash if forced to take him out in public.
He loves baths. He loves to play on the shower floor while mom or dad shower. He likes to turn the water on himself, and we have to make sure not to leave bathwater in, or he will go in clothes and all.
He's obsessed with sugar. He loves straws. He will do just about anything for a sippy cup of chocolate milk and his favorite movie on the couch. He will give kisses if bribed. He's not very picky, and will eat seaweed and sushi all day long.
We are still VERY much in the Toy Story phase. He says Woody "Deee" and Buzz "buh buh" and would watch movies all day everyday if we let him. We resort to the movie on my cell phone on long car rides, in restaurants, and movie theaters. (Yes, my child needs Toy Story to stop the pure torture of his parents taking him to see Monsters Inc.)
I've gotten to the point of putting the damn movie in French and German, upside down, just to see if he cares. He doesn't.
He has also started to love Cars and cars. The movie, and the toy. He makes his food into cars, his shoes, small objects, anything. And yes we do actually provide him with real cars. He loves to make the noise. Tell us to "GOOOOO" if we are in the car and not moving, and use mom and dad as ever-moving racetracks.
He points to the tv and says "please." He turns it off if we are watching something that ISN'T one of his shoes. He yells "get down" when he turns the tv off and points at the ground. We aren't sure what that means.
He also yells at me "MAHHHH" if I get in the way of his movie during movie time. He's got quite the little attitude. He likes to yell for me when he is looking for me. He likes to yell for me when i'm not paying attention to him.
He likes to say "ho-hah" which means "hold hands" when he snuggles next to me on the rare occasion that we get to snuggle, or watch a movie together.
He has had a long streak of taking good naps, and sleeping in his own bed at night, through the whole night. Though recently he figured out how to get out of his crib, and that has really made sleep difficult. We also think he is afraid of the dark. So we recently bought him a nightlight. He ends up in our bed in the middle of the night, early morning, or has jut gotten out of his bed so many times that we give up, scoot over, and let him in.
We finally took the rail off his bed, and dad is about to lock him in there, just because he is tired of getting up, finding him in his hiding spot, and putting him back in bed.
The other night, he "packed" and came into our room toting his pillow, blanket, Jesse doll, and his nee-nee inside a box.
He loves to climb, jump, spin, and overcome obstacles.
He has a really goofy run. He moves his arms as he runs around the house. He also has several goofy walks. Wide legged. Tippy toes.
He has recently found a love of "hiding" from us. Under the bed, behind the couch, under his crib, in the closet.
He knows mom's limitations. Middle of the bed. Under the bed where she can't go. Behind the couch where she can't reach. That's where he takes the cookies, the pens, the drinks, and things he is definitely NOT supposed to have. The other day he ate two cookies from under the bed while he stared out at me.
When you say "who does gramma love" he points at his chest.
When you tell him to sit up, he climbs in his chair. When he's done he does the "all done" sign.
Other signs he knows: Please, thank you, blow kisses, eat, drink.
He puts his hand over his face when he's frustrated.
