Spencer, 19 months

(The lights are "hot", so he has to blow on them to cool them off!)

Spencer is already 19 months old.  Yowzers.  We've had some good and bad moments this month.

You have learned how to hit.  It's incredibly frustrating.  Luckily it happens mostly at home, not at daycare, but either way it's SO hard to discipline.  When we hold your hands and say "no hit", you just laugh, pull your hands away, and do it again.  Or you look at us, start crying, and immediately hit again.  Often you will hit someone and then immediately follow it with a "gentle" touch, but that doesn't help much when you've hurt someone already.  You had one really aggressive day at daycare, but most of the time, this only happens at home.

You also have typical toddler meltdowns.  Often it's because we won't let you watch "baby" (videos we take of him on the ipad) or "Momo" (elmo videos on you tube).  It also happens when we won't let you into the baking cabinet.  You adore the baking cabinet and want to get out all the pop top containers to play with the lids.  That would be fine if you hadn't also discovered that brown sugar tastes really good- you will try to eat it by the handful if we don't catch you fast enough!!

(My favorite picture this month!)

Your vocabularly continues to grow.  It's definitely not perfect as you miss consanants quite a bit, but most of the time you are able to get your point across.  You still have never said "yes".  Odd, I think, but I'm sure it will happen someday.

You love to "help".  Even if it's not perfect, it's so cute to see.  You're really good at throwing things away, getting your boots/shoes, bringing us what we ask for, and picking up your books/toys (sometimes!).

You adore your bear (a little white bear head lovie) and your Little Giraffe blankie right now.  You want them with you at all times, especially when you are upset.  You haven't been attached to anything before (no pacifier), so it's cute to see this.  We're trying to keep the blanket in the crib only as both of them are white (good thinking, Mom!) and I don't like having to wash them 2 or 3 times weekly.  Sometimes this throws you into a tizzy, but most times you're okay with just having bear.

(Haircute #8!)

Your eating is so typical of a toddler.  You want small portions more frequently, you rarely eat meat right now, and you definitely prefer your favorite foods.  Black beans, bananas, cheese, milk, "uice" (juice though you aren't allowed to have it at home, you do get some occasionally at daycare), crackers, peas, eggs and any kind of fruit tend to be your favorite.  I try to keep everything as balanced as I can.  Loading spaghetti sauce with tons of veggies and ground beef as well as giving you something to dip usually helps!

You are trying to jump now.  You bend down and then stand up really fast.  You haven't yet managed to get your feet off the ground.  You do like to jump off the ottaman when we're there to help.  It's always good for a belly laugh!  Your other new game is to chase us around the kitchen island.  You love, love, love it!! It's hysterical how much you will laugh at this. 

You're still such a doll, buddy, and I love you!!