{19 months!]

Aldon is 19 months old! 

Next month he'll be in his 20s. I'm so unprepared for that. 

To celebrate him being such a big boy, we made a trip into the city to check out the Great Lakes Science Center. He loved it!

Daddy & Aldon in the space room! (apparently there was something very interesting above our heads...)

Making a tornado, and then destroying it.

Oh, it's lightning in a tube, dad? Hm, not impressed.

 

 

By far his favorite "attraction". A metal gong outside in the splash area for kiddies.

So here's the basic rundown of All-Things-Aldon this month:

Favorite food(s): bananas, apples, pb & j sandwiches, and anything in cracker form. 

Favorite book(s): The Foot Book by Dr. Seuss (seriously, Keegan and I can recite it by memory now. We read it about 4-5 times in a row on average. Then take a 5 minute break, and repeat), and Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins.
Recently I went on a hunt for a low bookshelf that has a bench on top for his reading corner in his room, and after exhausting about 15 different options I finally found one! He loves to go in there now and pick out books & climb on top to "read."

Favorite Show: I'm so proud of this... Carebears! It used to be my favorite as a kid. When we made the 6 hour car ride to move here, we rigged the travel DVD player to the back of the seat so he could watch a movie, and I popped in the Carebears Movie. Now he's hooked :)

Favorite Toy: He loves this Melissa & Doug pull-along train he got for his first birthday. He will pull it all over the house, and then take off all of the pieces that came with it, put them in a basket, and completely rearrange it. Then pull it all over some more. The downside? He's not a very good driver, and although it's not very heavy, it can do some damage when he runs over your toe. 
He also loves to carry around this ancient mp3 player I have. It's like his universal toy. He uses it sometimes to pretend it's a remote control and gets really confused when the TV won't change channels, sometimes it's a phone or pager... He always has to have it.

Favorite Game/Activity: Splash pool! It's been 80-90 degrees here the past several days, so he's clocked a lot of time in splashing in the yard. He loves to pick leaves and grass, throw them in the pool, then splash like hell to get them to sink. However, he doesn't really get that Macy doesn't want to, and shouldn't, splash with him in there.... (it's just an inflatable pool)

New words this month: A lot of different animals. He loves to watch the squirrels, birds, chipmunks, etc outside on the patio so he can say all of those now (by far hearing him say 'squirrel' is the cutest thing ever), piggy, sheep, farmer, cow, horsey, light, Tigger, water, "where did he go?" - this one totally cracks me up. He learned it while watching his bff the 'quirrels (as he calls them), and when they run up a tree he turns around to us, arms up and shoulders shrugging, and asks "where did he go??" ahhh I about die every time!, and he can also make cow noises and sheep noises from our visit to the farm! 
There's a ton that I'm leaving out, but these are just a few of his favorites to say :)

New developments/skills mastered this month: He's getting much better at climbing on things, which means I'm getting gray hair. He can climb up on the rocking chair by himself and rock. He's also starting to run more now, as fast as his chubby baby thighs allow. Last night he slept for a little bit in his toddler bed! We have both his crib & bed set up in his room, during the day his mattress is in his bed so he can play on it and get used to it. Since his schedule is still completely whacked from moving he won't fall asleep unless he's laying down with Keegan, so last night after he zonked we placed him in his toddler bed and he went almost all night in it! He did wake up and start crying, but it's a start. Still trying to get him used to the potty, which he enjoys sitting on but won't actually use (instead he just hops off and pees on the floor. adorable).  
He's also getting very good at pointing out body parts/features on people & things. He loves to show Keegan and I where our noses, eyes, mouth and ears are, and loves showing everyone & anyone where his belly is. He also points out toes. He will take all of his toys now, too, and point & say where their eyes, ears, mouths, noses, bellies, etc are!
He's getting more interested in my belly (which he calls the baby), and loves to yank up my shirt to point out that there's a baby in there. Cute at home, not in public. And he's very good at giving his baby sibling hugs & kisses already!

happy 19 month birthday, aldon! xoxo