My 20 Month Old!

Here he goes, growing up on me, some more!  As if I hadn't already had enough-- now he wants to act like a small person, that Max!  Oh my goodness, he's just my favorite little buddy.  His personality is just getting bigger and bigger and his brain is just amazing.  When we get to the end of the day, and I start to pray before laying him down, I just have to take a huge breath because the amount of blessed just overcomes me again and again!

This month has been really fun- Max's communication skills grow by leaps and bounds, daily.  The things he picks up on are unreal and I couldn't even begin to make a list of all the words that he knows.  Max inherited his opinions from me- as in he has one, all the time, and it's rather hard to change, ha!  He likes certain shoes and certain shirts and there is a certain time for diaper changing.  He also wants what he wants- that boy!  And he's stubborn.  I can just ignore him, because I'm stubborn too, but him and his father-- well let's just say they've had a standoff or two- and it didn't end well for either of them. I'm not sure which of them shed more tears.....



Max is not really a risk taker- he never has been- he likes to be able to do something well before even trying- and this is still the case at 20 months.  But then he is a boy too.  So he does boy stuff-- like climb and explore.  AND he is very independent.  So his likes to climb and explore on his own.  This has led to many bumps and bruises this month.  But he is one tough cookie- there are rarely tears involved, and if he has any, it's very brief.  Yesterday morning, the boys were playing outside before church and we heard a loud crash-- I ran around the corner just in time for the wail that followed- I couldn't see anything wrong and after a kiss or two he was fine and ready to play some more-- but then as we're heading out the door for church, I notice the purple marks on his face and forehead-- the child had taken one heck of a spill without even milking it at all!  I had to assure the nursery worker that the fresh wound on his face was from an 8am play time in the backyard and not from any other form of abuse!



Speaking of independent, apparently it's cool to wash your own hair and body in the bath tub when you're 20 months old-- he grabs the soap and says "I wash" and starts scrubbing.  The same is true when it comes to brushing his teeth.  I ask for a turn but he says "My turn, Mommy."  So I forcefully have to take control at the end of every bath and every teeth brushing, and give him a quick scrub.  Oh my dear, already?  People tell me daily that he's my clone- and let me tell you, it's not just his looks!

This month also marked his first real interest in the potty- he tells us when he's gone and what kind of surprise he's made in his pants.  He loves to join us in the bathroom and give the play by play, "Mommy go potty....... Mommy wipe...... Mommy all done..... Mommy flush...... Mommy wash hands."  Potentially this month we're going to give potty training a go- I know he's a boy and all that other stuff you read about boys taking longer and trying to train them later, but he's so interested and he's so smart, that I don't want to miss it.  Also, if it stresses him out or it doesn't work, then who cares?!!  We'll just try it again later!

As of this point, Max still has his passy and his buggle-- with no end in sight.  He loves them.  And he's so easy- and I'm just not at a rock-the-boat stage of life right now.  I also read an article last week that children between 18-24 months who have a lovey sleep better, and tend to be brighter and more creative.  Sweet!  The catch will be if Jack is a passy baby too-- then we might have issues :)  But at this point, I'm not creating any problems for myself.  We'll figure it out when it happens.  And if we're going to move him (Max) to a big boy bed soon, and potentially potty train him, then the poor boy can have his passy and buggle!  I have been leaving it at home more and someday it will have to go away- but today is not that day.



As for size, Max is still rocking the size 4 diapers, going strong in 18-24 month clothes, and size 5 shoes.  His appetite is still on the small side, but he eats veggies most of the time, and is growing right on target, and we just can't complain at all.  Max does get teeth slower than most kids-- he's working on his top incisors now- which is a super fun process..... joke!  That will make tooth number #13 and tooth #14.  His athlete's foot is pretty much gone, but we have to keep medicating to make sure it stays that way-- we learned that one the hard way!  Max is seriously the MOST messy kid ever- and it's getting worse, not better.  And he is very aware of the situation, coming to us with dirty hands and face saying "I make mess"-- this includes eating, drawing, and picking up stuff that he shouldn't-- the child can make a mess of everything! His hands are still chubby and dippley, he cheeks and belly are still round, he still gives great hugs and kisses, and he's is the cutest darn thing I have ever seen!



He's also quite the used car salesman-- he'll come over and love on me, without warning, laying his face on mine, wrapping his arms around me, planting kisses, and then pop up and ask for a cookie.  He also makes sweet grins and cheesy smiles to woo me before wanting candy or ice cream.  He's smart boy, that Max!  He also says "cheese" when I'm taking pictures, or if I leave the camera with his reach, he'll pick it up and pretend to snap pictures saying "cheese" over and over.



I still get a little anxious thinking about my days with just him being numbered, but it's for a good cause, I just know it!  We're looking forward to Easter this weekend, then Mother's Day and Uncle Eli's graduation- all during this 20th month.  I know he will teach me more than I will teach him, and I'm going to fall more in love with him while we're at it.  Needless to say, I'm looking forward to it :)

SO Max, let me just tell you, you're one of a kind and I love every bit of you.  Being your mom makes me better and continually opens my eye to the bigness of God.  Every second the I spend with you is time well spent, and it always leaves me wanting more. I know that I mess up sometimes, and I  know that I'm not perfect and that my love for you isn't perfect either, but let me assure you that my heart is completely full of love for you, despite all that, which can only mean one thing- God, the perfect Father and the perfect love, has so much love for you and for me and for all of his children, individually, that there is just no humanly conceivable way to wrap our teeny tiny brains around it!  You have been created by God, in His image, and you were sent here to do great things- I pray you'll see that- that you'll be that-- that you'll live that.  I thank my God for you, precious boy.