It has been six months since I've written a post about Isaac. Since he is changing so quickly, I thought today - his 1/2 birthday - would be a good day to catch up.
Someone recently told me that at 18 months kids get easier. I'm not sure this is/will be true for Isaac. On one hand, he does communicate better, so I know what to offer him when his is upset and frustrated. On the other hand, he is much more independent, much more opinionated, and much harder to just distract. He is independent and can keep himself entertained, but he is also curious and a bit naughty, and will get into trouble if left on his own for too long. When he doesn't get his way, and is mad about it, he will sit down and fold in half with his head on the floor screaming until you either a) give in, or b) can get him thinking about something different.
Someone recently told me that at 18 months kids get easier. I'm not sure this is/will be true for Isaac. On one hand, he does communicate better, so I know what to offer him when his is upset and frustrated. On the other hand, he is much more independent, much more opinionated, and much harder to just distract. He is independent and can keep himself entertained, but he is also curious and a bit naughty, and will get into trouble if left on his own for too long. When he doesn't get his way, and is mad about it, he will sit down and fold in half with his head on the floor screaming until you either a) give in, or b) can get him thinking about something different.
Growing: Isaac is steadily growing - after his 15 month growth spurt (that I never blogged about) he has tapered off a bit. He is still heavy - heavier than he looks - and often throws people off when they pick him up. Here's a comparison of the kids all at the same age, and all with food smeared on their faces.
Sleeping: Issac is in the lovely stage of transitioning from two naps a day down to one nap a day. He will sleep anywhere from 2-4 hours during the day (or completely skip naps if we are out and about without a break). He doesn't often sleep in the car, and I mostly blame his two big sisters. He is a rock-star at night, and rarely fusses at all when we put him to bed. He still is a binkie hoarder, but really only had his binkies when he is in his bed. He sleeps with a little pillow, his stuffed dino (Pokeyback), a blanket, and as many binkies as he can hold in his hands.
Teething: He has 12 teeth - four front top, four front bottom, four molars. He is in the process of cutting the next four - his canine teeth - and I think all four are coming at once. He isn't very grumpy this time around, but is drooling all over the place and won't keep his hands out of his mouth.
Talking: Isaac babbles all day making all sorts of sounds, but really doesn't talk too much. He has enough words developmentally, but would just rather point and grunt/yell to get his point across. He says: daddy (da-da), mommy (mama), grandpa (ba-pa), grandma (ma-maw), Claire/Lawdy (la-la), Gracie (day-cie), ball (bah-t), hat (ah-t), hot (aw-t), bye-bye, hi (aye), help (grunts). He also signs please and thank you, but won't say those words out loud. He makes animal noises for dog, cat, bear, tiger, lion, monkey and bird.
Moving: Isaac has been walking for a few months, but he still prefers crawling as his main mode of transportation. I think there are a variety of reasons for this; primarily because he is still much faster on his hands and knees.
Personality: I would still say that he is laid back and happy, BUT, he will let you know when things aren't going his way. I can tell that he is mischievous, and will sometimes give you a certain look before doing something he knows is naughty. Almost like he wants to make sure you are watching him first. He is silly, and like to make people laugh. He is already doing certain things specifically to get a reaction out of people.
Nicknames: Tito, Roaster, Dude.
Likes: Claire, he wakes up asking for her every morning. Grace, he sees her as another mommy and will often find her when he needs help or wants something. He loves the time of day when daddy comes home. His favorite toys are balls - any shape, size, color, material. He isn't picky. He loves cars and trucks, especially the bigger ones that can hold a ball while driving across the floor or driveway. He likes playing the piano - either at his grandparents' houses, or the toy piano at our house. He likes blocks and legos and anything else he can stack. He LOVES animals - real or in pictures. He listens to the birds outside, loves seeing dogs at the park, and can't get enough of his animal books. He really likes to color, probably because he sees his sisters working on projects and doing homework. He likes being outside, and will escape if ever a door is left ajar. He loves airplanes! He loves the park (swings and slides are his favorite). Pretty much, anything that makes him feel like a big boy he loves - sitting in a real chair, pushing a grocery cart, turning the bath water on and off, feeding himself with a spoon or fork, etc.
Dislikes: Coming inside. Being interrupted if he is in the middle of something. He hates having water on his face. He doesn't like having things taken away. He doesn't like it when someone tells him no.
