Your daddy says it's getting too confusing to spout off your age in months and then require people to do the math to figure out you're 1 and a half. I say there's no way I'm ready for you to be that grown up and that people can use a little math lesson in their day-to-day lives.
So perhaps the biggest 20 month milestone is that we finally turned your car seat around to face forward. You kind of got the short end of the stick when it came to this whole car seat thing...about a month before you were set to transition to facing forward at a year the American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidance to keep toddlers facing backwards until 2 years old (or 24 months for all you mathematicians). We decided that since you didn't know any different and since you tolerated fairly well riding backwards, we'd keep you that way for as long as you could. But when your
And boy do you love it.
Speaking of love, I know I mentioned last month how much you love being outside. That has only intensified as we pretty much can't put you down when arriving home from anywhere or you want to run the opposite direction. For some reason you don't stop even when I use my best "I mean it" mommy voice...apparently I need to practice that a bit. Instead you stop, turn around, flash a huge, dimple-laden smile and turn back around and keep walking.
Because we don't want for you to get hit by a car, we attempt to spend the majority of time outdoors in the backyard. Which you seem to equally enjoy, but it comes without the added stress for mommy and daddy.
You love reading and now will repeat whatever the last word is on each page back to us. You haven't quite mastered putting many words together, unless it's signing "eat" "more" "please", at which you are an old pro.
I previously told you of your ability to count to three. Well you surprised us in the car one day and counted to 10. Kind of. You see you skipped 6 and 7 and went straight to 8. We thought it was a cute accident but then realized you do that every time you could to 10, regardless of how much coaxing we attempt. It is awfully cute to hear you say 8 for the numbers 6, 7 and 8.
During the last month you decided one day that after daddy got out of the shower you wanted to get in the shower. I totally didn't think this experience would go so well, but I'm learning to let you experience things on your own rather than attempt to prejudge a situation. You couldn't have proved me more wrong: you loved the shower. I thought you'd be annoyed by the water in your face or by the constant stream of water, but instead you were fascinated and cried when I took you out.
Your grandma and Auntie Shan came for a visit during your 20th month and you didn't quite know what to think at first. You quickly warmed up to grandma, although you were a little hot and cold with your Auntie Shan. Your attitude didn't set them back: they loved spending time with you.
Speaking of hot and cold, you are so fun to watch when introduced to a new situation. Instead of charging full speed ahead, you like to take a few minutes to study your surroundings before making any rash decisions. You are always very curious, but choose to make your own assessments before jumping right in.
This quality of thinking before you act is one I hope will grow with you...it is always better to think about your decisions and be deliberate in making them. Just one of many life lessons that you have ahead of you, buddy.
Love,
Mommy
