Can't believe he's a whole year and a half old~!!
Whao ... he's just growing up so fast, his behavior an mannerisms have changed so much, he's not gonna be a baby for much longer!
He is so smart, so cute, so sweet, so loving, so naughty ... just the perfect baby ever!
I realize that I didn't do updates for him since LB was born ... but here are some highlights of what I remember (sorry ... it's not gonna be real proper ... mommy brain!)
May 15th, 2012 - 13 months old!
LB was born! We went away for 2 days, and came back with a tiny monkey of a thing! I swear Aiden must think Mushu is a pet and that we went and 'bought' him! haha ... that month I slowly recovered from my surgery, Brandon got accustomed to the world, and Aiden cried. When he came around us we tried to make sure we gave him attention as much as we could, but it was still tough on him, because he cried for every little thing. Diaper changes, eating, sleeping, playing ...
But at least he loved LB. Took him awhile to realize he wasn't a plaything, but we tried real hard to show him that he was something he could love.
June 15th, 2012 - 14 months old!
LB was still too small to go out this month (he did go for a few short walks with us) so we took Aiden out as much as we could. I would pump and leave milk for LB with Grandma. We started going to the pool a lot with Aiden, and he did better as far as his crying and acceptance of LB. Looking at the pics he was still so chub chub and so ... tiny looking. Just 5 months ago but he has changed so much!
July 15th, 2012 - 15 months old!
LB started tagging along for our summer activities ... to the beach, to the pool. This year we were so much more active than last year. We were so much more ... cautious with Aiden and we only went once to the pool/beach, but we went quite often this year ... taking our little LB along also! Aiden loved being outside, and ESPECIALLY the pool! We pretty much spent as much time as possible out of the house ... either at the lake, the park, or the pool, or the beach! Daddy was very into dressing in matching outfits and taking LOTS of pictures (LOTS= so many that I haven't even been able to go through them and organize them all!)! The first weeks of August Aiden also got REAL sick for the first time in his life! He had such a high fever and it was so scary!
August 15th, 2012 - 16 months old!
Summer fun continues!
September 15th, 2012 - 17 months old!
We went on Summer Vacation! That was definitely the highlight of the month! Since I already posted the pics from that, here's a pic of the boys together!
October 15th, 2012 - 18 months old!
I've missed logging about his developmental progress, and tricks because honestly I just don't remember when he started doing them! But as of now, his 18 month birthday, he says: 15-20 words
Peshk (fish), no (in both Albanian and English), Nene (grandma), Mom, Daddy, push, cape (grab), topi (ball), yum yum (for food and also for his pacifier), hopa (dakko, or carry), help, kale (horse), up, three (after one, two ... three!), go (after ready, set, GOOO, and when he wants to go somewhere), prape (more), po (yes), bye, this, tickle .... .... (I think that's it ... hard to remember them all)
And signs another 10 or so words ...
more, all done, please, thank you, sorry, help (he alternates between saying and signing this one), kiss, hajde (come here).
He also makes a variety of sounds like brrrm for car, different animal sounds like this:
He is extremely coordinated and loves climbing onto things ... the couch, chairs, computer chairs ... benches ... he even figured out how to climb onto his car to look out the window! He loves opening (and now closing) the doors. It's amazing because he has to hold onto the doorknob and back up to close the door, but he knows how to pull the handle down to make it 'click' ... we recently changed the doorknobs on the kitchen and bathroom doors to make them heavier but he somehow manages to open those now too! If it's really important to keep him out we gotta lock it from the outside now! But soon he'll figure out how to turn the key ... so we'll see how long that lasts!
He loves twirling around like a ballerina, and does this funny 'hop' thingie when we tell him to jump, he 'tickles' baby brother (and us) ... gosh I can't keep track of all the crazy tricks he has. :)
He's a sneaky naughty baby who is too smart for his own good. He is extremely naughty with grandma and grandpa especially because they refuse to spank him (I guess it's ok because its the grandparents right to spoil their grandkids). He used to get really mad when I would nurse LB and he would try to climb into my lap to get to the other boob, which he would refuse to drink from ... but he would kiss it!
He does so many funny and cute things that I can't even list them here, but he is just the sweetest baby ever!
Here are some goals I have for the next 6 months.
*Have him used to sleeping on his own. Right now it takes him a very long time to go to sleep (unless it's in the car), and we have to be there the whole time with him. Hopefully by the time he is two he will learn that bedtime is bedtime and it won't take hours for him to fall asleep.
*Have him eating normal food. He is getting better at eating 'adult' food (food that isn't pureed) but it really depends on his mood because something he accepted the day before, the next day he will refuse, and generally he still likes pureed food more than stuff he needs to chew. I would also like him to be able to eat on his own. I guess the main reason why I don't let him eat on his own and make a mess right now is that I don't have the time to have him sit for long periods while he eats his own meal. I have two babies so when it's time for Aiden to eat I need him to eat within a certain amount of time before LB gets cranky, etc. Hopefully by the time he is two the eating situation will get better.
*Get him over the pacifier! He is still addicted to it and needs it for sleeping and drives in the car. He now understands the difference between baby brother and his pacifier, because if we say it's LB's and ask for it he will give it back ... but I try not to give it to him during normal times ... so hopefully by two he will be weaned off of it completely! You understand why I can't do cold turkey right? It's cause LB gets paci's too so we can't just STOP giving Aiden his ... it has to be a conscious thing and us teaching him that he can't have it ... anyway ... it's goal #3.
Ok, this is gonna get too long, so I'll post it before I end up running out of time (again) ... here are a few more pics ... these ones are RECENT!
