Brooks is 21 Months!

This handsome man is 21 months old!

We love his wild ways and sweet smile!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again...Where has the time gone? Somehow this little baby boy is only a baby in my mind. He's definitely a full blown toddler in every way. He's a busy boy with a wild streak. He is opinionated and independent. He is sweet and smiley, and I wouldn't change any of it (though we're working on controlling some of it a little bit). Like most boys, Brooks is always on the move. Being strapped into any apparatus is his worst nightmare. He is always looking for the next crazy adventure, whether it's climbing the tallest ladder at the park or running at my legs at full speed, if he thinks it's a challenge, he's up for it. Brooks has opinions on just about everything. Even though he isn't using many words to express his opinions, he somehow manages to communicate his feelings loud and clear. Although he is quite the mama's boy, he is also fiercely independent. Trying to put him in a high chair or feed him his food is a the best way to get him to not eat. He insists on doing just about everything by himself...Usually it results in some sort of mess. Of course, he is also a sweet boy with an adorable smile. He loves helping out, making people laugh, and giving hugs and kisses. He is giving me a run for my money, but I think I know where he inherited his sense of adventure because I'm up for the challenge! :)

Brooks, in his own way, has made clear the things that he likes and dislikes. Some of his favorite things include riding bikes, all things cars/trucks/tractors, playing at the park, throwing things, Elmo, Barney, Thomas the Train, eating all fruits - especially bananas, strawberries, and watermelon, splashing in the water, running, copying his sister, and his pacifiers. 

I think you will see a trend in the things that he dislikes. He very vocally communicates his displeasure for these things on a regular basis. They are riding in the car, getting strapped into the stroller, having his clothes changed, sitting in his high chair, and getting his diaper changed. He absolutely detests being forced to stay still for any amount of time. He likes to be able to get up and move at any moment, which I believe, is why he dislikes these activities of daily life! We have had to be creative in encouraging him to do these activities, and we still struggle every day. The biggest struggle by far is riding in the car. He often screams/cries/yells from start to finish when riding in the car. We are currently using the ignoring/bribing strategies, but if anyone has a miracle cure, I'd love to hear it!

I feel like Brooks' milestones have been fewer and are starting to plateau a little bit. I'm sure there are big things going on in his little brain, but they have been less obvious than in the past. He has been walking well for about 6 months, and is actually a pretty fast runner. His balance and coordination seem to be pretty good, as he doesn't fall very much. He can do forward rolls, and he throws a ball pretty well too. He is still "country strong."  He can hang from the monkey bars for as long as he wants and when he grips onto something, I have to pry his fingers loose to get him to let go. He can climb the ladders at the park, and he always goes straight to the tallest slide. He's my little dare devil! Brooks is also eating really well with utensils because he hasn't let me feed him since he was about 15 months old. He is starting to color with crayons and markers. He seems to be right hand dominant already as he always eats, writes, and throws with his right hand. Even if I put the item in his left hand, he will switch it to his right. He is clearly understanding most of what we say to him because he follows directions well. He also knows a lot of animal sounds and body parts, but he is becoming a man of few words. Most of his communication is through pointing, grunting, and "eh"-ing. It works...We almost always know what he is trying to say. He does have several words, but almost always repeats them instead of saying them on his own. And many of the words are difficult to understand if you aren't around him everyday. Some of his good, clear words are car, cookie, mama, daddy, boo, hi, bye, and no. Some of his other, less clear words are milk ("uhlm"), see ("ee"), kylie ("iyee"), thank you ("an ooo"), and yes ("ehh"). I'm hoping to see an increase in the vocabulary over the next few months because I think it will help to ease his frustration and temper tantrums. Although, the boy is a bit feisty, I feel lucky to have been blessed with another great sleeper. He typically sleeps from about 8pm-8am through the night, and from about 1:30pm-4:00pm during nap time. He looks to be growing, and though I don't know his exact measurements, according to the house scale he weighs 25 pounds. He is currently wearing 12-18 or 18-24 month clothes depending on the brand. He wears size 6 shoes, and is just finishing out his last pack of size 4 diapers before we move up to size 5. 

We adore our crazy, happy, silly boy. We love watching him grow and learn, and we look forward to all of the fun adventures he will bring to our lives. We love you so much, Brooksie Boy!