18 Months with Carter

March 28th-April 27th

It's crazy to think it has been a year and a half since our little man was placed in our arms for the first time!  CRAZY!  I don't know what it is about having a kid that just puts life in fast forward mode.  I guess it is the constant list of things to do and trying to keep up with a toddler...either way, it could slow down a bit!

Does he not look like such a big boy?

Today was Carter's 18 month appointment.  He weighed in at 24 pounds 10.6 ounces and is up to 31 1/4 inches tall with a head circumference of 18 inches.  His weight is still right around average, while his height and head size are still right around the tenth percentile.  That is totally to be expected with two parents of our height!  He had to get two shots, but that is it until he is 4 so I can handle that.  He did so good too!  He didn't even notice when his finger was pricked to check for anemia and he only cried during the shots...and who wouldn't?!?  Once I pulled out a sucker, he was happy as could be!  He is also apparently pretty advanced for a boy of his age with his vocabulary of around 30 words.   

Suckers make everything better!

Now, on to the fun stuff we have done this month!  Carter spent a lot of time with his Nene and Pawpaw Red this month.  He spent a weekend with them while we were away for some concerts and fun in Louisville and also spent several days with PawPaw while his babysitter was having and recovering from surgery.  He made his first trip to Chuck E Cheese with them and we got lots of fun pictures!  He also enjoyed going next door to visit Brent's grandparent's Delmer & Susie and seeing all of the mowers he works on.  Carter doesn't discriminate between tractors and mowers or even trailers...all are called a tractor and are equally as exciting!

We have spent a ton of time outside with little man.  He loves to just wander around the yard, give our dog Bella kisses (or hits/kicks sometimes...we're working on that!), or push around his tractors and cars.  But above everything is a ride.  He wants to ride any golf cart, four wheeler, tractor, or lawn mower he can find...and he doesn't stop telling you about it! "Ride, ride, ride, ride, ride, ride."  It's all we hear sometimes!  We have learned to keep the garage doors shut if we don't plan on going for a ride since it helps keep his mind off of it!  Thankfully, his daddy loves to drive our Ranger around my family's land so he usually gets a ride every other day or so.

And when he can't get a ride from someone else, he just drives his 4-wheeler!

Some other things he is doing:  Laughing when he farts or burps...he is obviously such a boy!  Brent always asks me why Carter gets away with it but he can't and I tell him he just isn't cute enough! :)  When he burps, he will usually make it extra long and loud, and it is always followed up with three or four more...just however many he can get out.  Clearly we have the best of table manners over here!  On the sweeter side, he is giving out lots of hugs and kisses unprompted from us.  Of course, to keep it real, there is also some hitting and hair pulling when he gets tired or really mad.  The tantrums are definitely getting kicked up a notch, a sure sign that the terrible 2's really aren't that far away!

Add to the list: tearing up every room in the house in 30 seconds!

This month he also worked hard on getting in his 4 canine teeth, which brought lots of slobber and snot and even a yucky diaper rash, but thankfully his sleep was pretty much uninterrupted.  They are now all visible, but not yet pushed all the way down into place.  That is all of the teeth he should have to pop through until the two-year-molars, so at least we may get a little break for a bit.  I can still tell they are bothering him, though, so I guess the fight isn't over yet.  I believe his total is up to 16 now, which is wild since he only had 6 at one year old...so we have cut 10 in just six months!    

Things he loves this month: Tractors, tractors, tractors...we even take the longer way to work most days so he can see the tractors at a farming place on our way.  Now that they are out working in the fields, though, we see them all of the time!  I can't wait to take him to a tractor dealership or to a friend's farm to get up close with one.  Really, though, if it has wheels, he likes it.  He has really figured out his little cars and things this month, making their noises while driving them up and down the furniture and walls.  He is obsessed with the Little Blue Truck book still, but since he have been spending so many evenings outside we haven't had as much time to sit and read like before.  He is also loving dancing here lately, and his daddy keeps teaching him silly dance moves that seem to keep sticking.  

Things he isn't loving are pretty much the same as last month: Coming back inside, being told "no", nap time, and sitting still longer than 30 seconds...which makes diaper changes a challenge!  

I think it's safe to add lemons to the list too! :)

Speaking of diaper changes, though, he is really starting to let us know when he needs one.  Even when it is just pee, he always says "poo poo".  This just tells me we may be able to potty train by the end of summer...I'm not holding my breath, but if he knows he is going, surely we can at least start!

I'm excited for what is to come in the next few summer months.  It should be lots of fun for my outside-loving boy!  I'm leaving with a video of some of his words.