Somebody around here turned 18 months today.

We started the day with a trip to Merryhill to do a trial run for next week and it did not go well for the first half hour.  He stood by the door and cried and cried and called for us.  This happened on and off until he got to go outside.  There is something about being outside that makes everything in the world better.  This kid loves the outdoors.

Afterwards, we made a trip to Leatherby’s, our favorite family creamery, to celebrate 18 months!

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Dear Samuel,

This is just a little note to let you know that I love you and what you’re up to at 18 months.

You are all about the adventure in a walk to the car, a discovery in the backyard, an intense admiration for for poles, and a seriousness for driving trucks and riding bikes.

You are the smallest in our group — in weight and height.  You are still wearing size 6-12 month shorts!

You love to dig in the dirt.

You take a good two hour nap in the afternoon.  This is when I get my crafting projects done.

Sometimes, you’d rather have a dance party in bed instead of napping.

You are obsessed with your bellybutton and will show it to anyone who will see it.

You continue to say “poo poo” before you go and we’ve been talking a little about the potty.  You are curious about the toilet and know that’s where we go to pee and poo.  Mentally, I’m not ready to go down that road yet.

You call out mama and dada all the time.  You like for us to partake in whatever it is you are doing – like slide down a toddler slide, splash in the pool, step in and out of the shower, sit on a concrete ledge outside the store or at the bottom shelf inside a store or roll on the floor.  You say “mama, mama” or “dada, dada” and use your pointer finger to get us to join you.

You call Elmo “Melmo”.

You are pretty good with the bedtime routine again.  Sometime after you turned 17 months, bedtime was truly a challenge.  That may have had something to do with your naptime (we let you nap until 4, sometimes 4:30 pm and then expect you to go down by 8 or 8:30 pm).  You consistently cried and cried and cried with occasional screams (at the top of your lungs!) for dada.  On several occasions, the cry-scream-fest went on for about 40 minutes – and at that time, you were so exhausted, you passed out.

You are beginning to identify colors.  Two days ago (August 4), you correctly identified the color (purple) of the diaper trash bag.

You enjoy walking backwards and do it more and more – especially while we are on a walk.  You even say, “back back back” as you’re backing up.  We recently started a game where I say, “forward forward forward” and we move forward.  When I say stop, you stop.  And then we say, “back back back” as we are backing up.

You sometimes sign “I love you.” on your own right before bedtime.

You run like the wind – with a bounce here and a bounce there and arms are always swinging.

You have several song requests throughout the day: 1) I-O (Old MacDonald), 2) Tov (Shavuah Tov), 3) Itsy-Bitsy Spider, 4) Bubbles (Tiny Tim the Turtle) and 5) Wheels on the Bus.  I seriously need to learn some new songs.

You do not like to sit down in your car seat.  It is a struggle to get you in especially when you have your mind set on something interesting outside.

You love to snack.  You love fruits, cheese, crackers and cookies and will ask for them during snack time.  You occasionally ask for meat and every time you see bread (in any shape or form), you ask for it.  Corn has been a big hit this summer.

You are a helmet-loving toddler.  You will ask to wear it to ride your bike, and then continue to wear it while playing inside or outside the house.

You insist on feeding yourself.  And you insist on using a spoon or fork.  You “point” your pointer finger to the tray to indicate that your food should be placed on your tray for you to feed yourself.

You are fascinated with steps.  Every chance you get, you step up.  And then down.  And then up again.  And then down.  And when I think you’re done, you’re stepping up again.  And then down.  And sometimes, you insist that we join you.

And everything in your world is “small” and “blue.”

You love the park.  You love to climb.  You love the slide.  Today, you picked the steepest slide to go down — one I refuse to get on myself.  You do not love the swing.

You still think that ceiling fans are RAD.  Sometimes we lay on the floor underneath the fan and stare in wonder while laughing and pointing with both index fingers and shouting, “Za!  Za!  Za!”

You give the biggest grin and giggle when you say “belbow” (elbow).  I have been using this a lot when trying to photograph you.

You say “cheese” periodically when you see my camera.

You also say “pic” when you want me to take a picture.

You discovered pockets while we were in Fort Bragg.  Seeing you walk with your hands in your pockets is perhaps one of the cutest things ever.

You are my best little pal.

And my best assistant.

Love you so.
Mama