Eighteen Months Old

Wow, it's been a busy month, and we're pooped! Asher spent nearly a week with Grandfather and Marmie at the beginning of the month when Stephen was working at Ball State for the week for HP, spending a couple of nights and the majority of his days wearing them out. Then, Jamie and Ella spent two weeks visiting, so we made two trips to The Children's Museum, one trip to the zoo, one trip to Chuck E. Cheese, and spent both weekends with them at Mom's. Asher had the BEST TIME EVER playing with his gorgeous older cousin, Ella. When she was around, I don't think he took his eyes off of her for two seconds. Park band started up this month, too, so we've had a couple of evenings spent listening to PaPa toot his horn. Last week was especially fun when Asher managed to get goose poop all over his shoes and pants and, of course, we didn't have a change of clothes for him with us. I change Asher's clothes if he gets food or grease on them, but goose poop? Nah, no biggie!

Asher is still Mr. Picky when it comes to food, but I think I'm finally starting to relax a little bit about it. I think. A little bit. This month he added pizza to his list of favorite foods, which made Daddy very happy. You know, because it's always good to share interests with your children. Asher has also developed a taste for coffee milk and grapes. Yes, grapes! I don't know how many times I would offer him grapes in the past and he'd turn his nose up at them. One day NeeNee sliced some up for him, and he couldn't gobble them down fast enough. I can't tell you how excited I get when he'll try something on his own, without me forcing it in or tricking him into it. It doesn't even matter if he doesn't like it - all I care about is the fact that he TRIED it. He's sprouted two more teeth this month, so he's up to eleven chompers now, and I know there are more coming soon at the rate he's been chewing on his hands. Maybe more teeth will equal more food variety, but I'm not getting my hopes up too high.

I am really excited about Asher's progress in communication. He's slowly beginning to talk; the words are few and far between, but they're there. I swear I heard him say truck over the weekend and I've heard him say kitty a few times. Tonight we were sitting on the deck coloring with markers and blowing bubbles and he kept pointing and saying bubbles. Of course, truck sounded more like gwuck, kitty was didday, and bubbles was buhballs, but close enough, I say! Grandfather has also taught Asher the signs for more and all done so he's able to tell us at dinner time when he's still hungry and when he wants to get the hell out of his highchair. Although, he often has more colorful ways of telling us when he's finished, ways that involve screeching like a banshee and trying to push all the food off of his tray...

It's funny how kids have their own little quirks that leave you in both amazement - because WOW he's this real little person! - and bewilderment - where the hell did he pick that up?! For instance, Asher has this obsession with knuckles and elbows. He gets some sort of comfort from jabbing the tip of his finger into my knuckle and then wiggling it around over the bone. He does the same thing with elbows, but knuckles, especially my knuckles, seem to be his favorite. When he's really tired or cranky, giving him his buggy and my knuckles to mutilate is often the only way to calm him down. And when does he demand knuckles the most? In the car, of course! I guess he's a perfect little driving companion when I'm not present, but when I'm in the car, he wants KNUCKLES and he wants them NOW. So, here I sit in the passenger seat, contorted far beyond my comfort level, so Asher can hold my hand and crush my knuckles. I don't get it. What's wrong with your teddy bear from Sloan, Asher? Or that nice little fluffy blankie that Uncle Adam gave you? Or even your little green Brobee from Santa? Nope. The kid has a million stuffed animals of all shapes, sizes, and textures, and quite a few nice blankets that I've often caught myself running my hands over, and he wants nothing to do with them. He wants KNUCKLES.

We've noticed that he's been a bit grumpier lately. We figure it could be because we've been doing so much more running around than normal that he's just tired and off his schedule, or it could be because he's been busy teething and his little gums hurt. We refuse to look at the possibility of him entering the terrible two's, because that isn't even possible. I mean, there is NO WAY my sweet little boy is going to turn into a monster, right? RIGHT?!

Here are his pictures from June. There are a lot!