A at 21 Months

This little guy is growing up so quickly!

At 21 months, his stats are:

• Weight: 25.7 lbs.
• Height: 34½ inches
• Diaper Size: He's still in Size 4.
• Clothing Size: He's still wearing 18 Months but his pants are starting to look a little short!
• Likes: Talking about everything, learning and exploring.
• Dislikes: Being hungry or tired.

He is so smart and constantly amazes people with how much knows and can communicate.

This kid thrives on learning! He has a puzzle with the letters of the alphabet and was able to learn every single letter in just over a week! He can also count to twelve flawlessly {and thinks he can count through his teens, even though he says them all as "hit-teen" and repeats it over and over until he has worked through all of the objects he is counting!} and knows tons of shapes, such as diamonds and octagons.

He talks non-stop! We've lost count of the number of words he knows and he surprises me almost daily with new things that I didn't even realize he knew. He seriously amazes me.

I have also become cautious since realizing how much he is constantly listening and learning. On multiple occasions in the past week, he has repeated lyrics from songs on the radio that are hilariously awkward coming from the mouth of a 1-year-old... {Don't worry—nothing awful! He's just told me things such as "bringing booty back"... thank you Meghan Trainor!} We do a lot of driving around to help Baby E fall asleep in the car... and apparently it's having an effect on both kids!

He is also witty and has an adorable imagination. He loves playing games such as his magnetic marbles and chasing/hide-and-seek with daddy. He loves building caves and forts, reading books together, and pretending things {such as his cookie being a steering wheel or his Blankey being long hair}.

He is a fantastic big brother. It has been a struggle for him to adjust to sharing his parents with a new baby {especially since she has been a colicky baby}, but I have been so proud of him because he has tried really hard. He loves her so much and is very protective of her. He rushes to help get things she needs such as her bottles or supplies for a diaper change.

Although he cares a lot for his sister, he has been quite adamant about not wanting much physical contact with her. He even gets upset if her hand brushes past his foot sometimes. But as she gets older and more interactive, he has been warming up to her. He even let me have him hold her the other day for the first time!!

He's an includer and always wants everyone to participate. This list includes, but is not limited to: Daddy, Mommy, E, A {yes, he includes himself!}, Blankey, and Milky. I love this about his little personality and am so grateful he loves his family so much!

He is so much fun and loves being with his family, but he is definitely an introvert. He struggles with too much attention in large groups and getting some quiet time alone in his room helps him calm down. He is making progress socially and is more comfortable one-on-one with other people but still constantly checks to make sure mom or dad are still nearby.

Recently, he is starting to really enjoy time with his little friends. Our previous playdates were typically spent with the moms talking and the kids doing their own thing in different corners of the room. But lately, he loves to interact and play with other kids! He gets apprehensive if they make loud noises or act aggressively, but as long as they are willing to play as mellow as he does, he has a blast with them and really enjoys the friendships.

He's strong-willed but is so well-behaved for a toddler!! He is very obedient when we ask him to do something and doesn't like the rare occasions we get upset with him for negative behaviors. As soon as he does something he knows he shouldn't, he runs to his designated time-out spot and puts himself there! Luckily, time-out is something we rarely have to use because he behaves so well most of the time!

I am so grateful for this cute, clever boy! As our family has made the adjustment from one kid to two, I keep thinking how different of an experience this would be if he had any different personality. He is so much fun yet seems to know when I'm feeling sad or overwhelmed and comes to snuggle with me. I am so fortunate to have him as E's big brother and my little best friend.