I thought it's about time I do a brief update on Isaac. I didn't intend to continue monthly updates once he hit 1, but I also didn't intend to let it go so many months. So... here goes! :) He is 18 months now, so I'll try to update a bit on what's been happening.
He has 16 teeth these days. Most of his teething has gone smoothly, although when they actually break through the surface he usually wakes up early in the morning crying :(
When we left Michigan he was 13 months and was taking a step here and a step there. Once we'd settled in down here he started taking more and more steps. By 15 months he was walking exclusively and within the next month he started trotting and I'd say he is now running! He started late, but hasn't skipped a beat!
He's one tough little cookie. He likes to walk/run on the concrete and when I try to hold his hand he squawks and brushes my hand away. That has led to multiple bloodied knees, but he usually just hops up, brushes it off, and continues on his way! He is also a climber. One day he learned to climb up on the kitchen chairs. That night he learned he could then climb up on top of the kitchen table. The next afternoon he was standing on the table holding onto the chandelier! He has now learned to push chairs or other objects to other places (like the kitchen desk or countertops) so he can reach more things. I thought Kayla was a climber, and she was... but he is more so than her (which at the time I did not think was possible!!). With all of his climbing he sometimes takes big spills. He has bruises on his forehead and legs nearly all the time. But he is easily comforted and goes on his way!
At 16 months I took him in for his first haircut. I must admit that I really didn't want to do it. He had the most adorable curls and I didn't want to lose them. But, it was getting too long and raggedy. For at least 2 weeks after the haircut I would look at him and hardly recognize him. He turned from baby into little boy in that one small act. But it's grown on me. I love the little boy look now. And while most of the ringlets disappeared, he still gets small curls, which I am quite happy about.
Somewhere right around 16 months he transitioned from 2 naps to 1. His first nap started getting so late (like 11 or 11:30), and if it took him any amount of time to fall asleep he was going down as Kayla and I ate lunch at 12. And then his second nap was so late (like 4) that it would run into dinner time. Plus, I always put Kayla down for her nap during his 2nd nap... and I couldn't make it to 4pm anymore without a break (the pregnancy thing is exhausting!). So, we started keeping really busy in the mornings, we'll eat lunch at 12, and then I'll put him down shortly thereafter (usually around 1). I put Kayla down at the same time, and I take a nap myself! He typically naps about 2 hours, sometimes more and sometimes less. He continues to wake up right around 8am and goes to bed between 8-8:30, for a total amount of sleep of about 13.5-14 hours a day.
Eating is a struggle still. He refuses to even try so many foods, and then foods he once loved he suddenly won't touch anymore. I never struggled like this with Kayla. She might not have enjoyed everything we fed her, but she was always willing to take and try 1 bite. He won't even try it. He'll just hand it back to us, and if we don't take it, he'll throw it on the floor. Some days he'll eat grapes or blueberries or bananas or strawberries..... other days he refuses it all. Most days he'll eat crackers, and lately he'll eat them with peanut butter. He used to eat grilled cheese with some small pieces of lunch meat snuck inside, but lately he isn't eating that either. He refuses all meat and all veggies we offer, with the exception of an occasional chicken nugget. He eats yogurt, but will spit out the small fruit bits inside. So, we have to get creative, and it's not easy. I'm hoping that he'll change and we continue to offer all that we are eating, but it is such a struggle. Most meals include tears or screams from him as we try to get him to try new things, and that leads to frustration on our parts.
He is saying a bunch of words and is signing a few signs. The signs I've taught him are more, all done and thank-you. I have a book of baby signs somewhere (in storage), and when we find it I'll teach him a few more. But there is so much that can be communicated with more and all done (food, playing, bedtime, etc) that we are really getting somewhere. He nods his head yes and no and it's about the most adorable thing ever! And he points to what he wants, that helps also! He says mama, dada, something for Kayla (a-ya, or something else that's hard to put into written form), Pop-pop, Bribri (for uncle Brian), da (for down, also for dog), ba (for ball, bath), bye-bye, butterfly (I can't possibly try to write how he says it, but it's adorable), plea (for please), pppp (for up), va-va (for his lovey) and some others. He gets so frustrated sometimes with his lack of communication skills. You can tell he wants to get across his feelings and thoughts but doesn't know how. I know this is a frustrating stage for him; he understands so much and has such a desire to communicate. And he sees things Kayla does and gets frustrated that he isn't skilled enough to do all the things he'd like to. The combination of those two things leads to a lot of squawking. I'm looking forward to improved communication in the next few months!
He loves, loves, loves the water. He gets so excited to take a bath, he loves playing in the backyard at the water table, he loves the pool and the waves at the beach. He loves splashing. He doesn't care when he slips underwater (which scares me to death). He has no fear of walking into the waves at the beach, or stepping right into the pool (which also scares me to death). He's pretty fearless!
I have weaned him completely. I nursed Kayla until about 20 months, and never even expected to go that long with her, it just worked out that way. I didn't think I would nurse Isaac for that long either, but we weren't ready to give it up at a year either. But, once I was pregnant it made nursing more and more difficult. But, at the same time, I wasn't willing to give up on it/him just because of the new baby. Shortly after we moved down to NC (so when he was about 14 months) we went from 4 a day to 2 a day (I gave up the middle of the day feedings, weaning one for a week then the other). I gave up the bedtime nursing at 15 months, and then finally the morning one at 16 months. With my nausea it was just getting too hard. Plus, my belly started getting bigger and bigger and it was getting more and more uncomfortable for me. Plus, at 16 months I was 18 weeks pregnant and wasn't able to wear my normal tee-shirts easily anymore. And most maternity shirts have a waist tie, making it really hard to nurse! So, a few days in a row I was up and showered and dressed before he woke up, and I just didn't nurse him, and he was fine with it, so we stopped! Originally I had hoped to continue it until we'd moved into our new house, since nursing is a comfort thing and I wanted him to feel ok with all the change going on in his life. But, I am really completely content with how it all went, and he is happy with how it went, and that's the best you can hope for in the weaning process! I have noticed that my appetite has gone done since that point, which makes sense, but is still interesting to me!
Isaac LOVES to brush his teeth. Whenever we walk into the bathroom he squeals with delight and is so excited to get his toothbrush. As a result, we often brush his teeth several times a day!!
As for playing, he is really curious about how things are made. He likes to study toys and work to figure them out. He likes to open and close boxes. He likes to put things in and then take them out (ad infinitum). He really enjoys things with wheels on them! He can sit still and play with the same toy for a long time, which is not something I remember Kayla did until she was much older. She went from toy to toy, area to area! He loves books, and loves to turn the pages and play with the binding. He is just in the last month or so allowing us to actually read more than 1 page of a book without having him shut it on us to study the construction of it! He loves to point out things (dogs, flowers, butterflies, balls, etc). He has his favorite 3 or 4 books and will carry them proudly around the house and read them by myself or plop himself down in my lap for me to ready them. He has his favorite books, but we are now able to branch out to some more and he'll actually let us read the story! I love this stage!
Recently he's learned to climb into and out of his feeding chair. He is so proud of himself (since we all, Kayla too!, are praising him for it).
He loves to play outside and his favorite toy is the lawnmower. He loves to watch David mow the lawn and likes to follow him for awhile. Then he wants David to pick him up and carry him while he mows! And he gets so very sad if David doesn't pick him up, or when he eventually sets him down.
This kid loves to wear shoes. If he's in a crabby or sad mood, if you offer to put his shoes on her gets very excited! (he also can say "shooooz" which is hilarious!)
That's about all I can think of! I love this little boy so very much. He is a snuggler who loves to sit on my lap or come give random hugs (although at the same time, sometimes he likes to come sit next to me, but won't allow me to put my arm around him or snuggle up with him, he just likes to be close!). Recently he learned to blow raspberries on me and he will do them over and over again until we are both laughing too much to continue! Mostly I get covered in slobber, but it's so hilarious! He is a sweet, sweet little boy.
