Here's a little of what they are up to these days...
Isaac at 18 months:
-29 lbs!!!
-Still gets PT every Wednesday with Miss Mandy, and TEIS on Thursdays with Ms. Suzanne. But I don't think you'll qualify for either service much longer because you are doing so well catching up on your developmental milestones! You go, boy! :) I'm so proud of you!
-Your hair is getting longer and longer, and I know you probably need your 1st haircut soon... but I can't stand to think about cutting off your curls :(! You have this one right in the back of your head that curls up like a little pig tail! And the hotter it gets, the curlier it gets!
-Walking/Running everywhere, and loves to hold your finger to walk. If you hold out your finger for him to hold on to, he grabs it every time. I treasure that, because I know there will soon be the day that he's running and chasing everything, and too distracted to hold my hand.
- He says lots of words. Let's see if I can think of them all... "Mama" "Dad-dee" "Ba" (ball) "Na" (no) "Dia-pur" (diaper) "Ock" (sock) "Oouh" (shoe) "Ook" (book) "DeeDee" "I-aack" (Isaac) "Eeee" (Eli) "I" (hi) "Uuup" (up) "Do-nn" (down) "Nana" (banana)
-Your favorite toys are any ball or car. You also like the shape sorters- you will sit and put them all in and take them all out, over and over and over. You know how to put the circle shape through the right slot, and we are working on the others.
-You love books. You will sit and look at them on your own. Or bring one to me or Daddy to read to you. You point to the pictures on the pages, and you love to turn the pages. Sometimes you babble when we are reading, like you are reading the book yourself. So cute.
-You love to put things in the trash can. Unfortunately, it's usually stuff that's not supposed to go in the trash, so we have to check it daily to make sure you haven't thrown something important away. I think you just like watching the lid open and close, too.
- You know how to crawl up and down the stairs on your down. And you'll say "Uuup" while you are going up.
- You love bath time. Splish-splash! I'm usually soaked by the time you get out.
- You love to brush your hair, and your teeth.
- You point to and touch your hair, when I ask you, "Isaac, where is your hair?" We are working on nose, eyes, and mouth.
- You sign "more," usually when eating. You LOVE to eat. You've gotten a little picker lately, but overall you are a great eater. "Nanas" are your favorite. You are still only on non-dairy milk products, but I do think you are starting to outgrow the need for non-dairy. You've accidentally had it a few times lately and haven't spit up... We'll see...
-You love to put on your socks and shoes, and you try to help with this task. You also think hats are so funny and think it's funny to take them off and on over and over.
-You laugh and giggle A LOT. You are still my little funny man. Even your laugh is funny, and contagious. On our Gatlinburg trip you were laughing at a game we were playing, and a lady in a store heard you and commented that they had never heard a baby your age laugh like that. You were making them laugh, too. I hope you always have such a fun sense of humor. I think you will. After all, your name does mean "laughter." :)
-I don't really let you watch much TV, but you do love Sesame Street, especially Elmo. It's about the only thing you really pay attention to.
-You love music, and it seems you especially love country music. You always stop and listen to it if it comes on TV while you are playing.
-You've been going through a bit of a clingy phase, where you cry for a few minutes when I leave you, at home for work or in the church nursery... but I can already tell you are outgrowing it. You are doing that less and less. It only lasted about a month.
-You love Joshua's daddy, Mr. Todd, because he plays silly games with you after class.
-You love all the kids in the youth group and they love you! You like to try to play basketball with them in the gym. They are very sweet to you, and let you play, too :).
- You know where the gym is at church, and that there are lots of balls in that room! If I put you down in the hall after class, you immediately run there and pick up a ball.
- You are usually very happy when you wake up. You smile immediately when someone comes to get you out of your crib or pack-n-play.
Eli at 18 months:
-19 lbs! That's a long way from 1lb! Others may think you are small, but to me, you are SO BIG ;)!
-You see Mrs. Gena for PT every Wednesday, and Mrs. Suzanne for TEIS every Thursday. You have made a lot of progress since you started these services last summer and winter. I am so proud of you, and when I look back all you've been through, I just can't believe how well you are doing... !!!
-You are scooting everywhere. Yes, scooting, not crawling. I don't know if it's because of your g-tube, or what... but you refuse to crawl, and you've gotten this scooting thing down pat... I'm starting to think you won't ever crawl... because...
-You LOVE to stand up. You cry if we make you sit down a lot of times.
-You are starting to cruise up and down the furniture. You will scoot yourself to the couch, end table, etc, to stand and then cruise up and down.
-You are taking steps if we hold your hands and help you. You laugh the whole time, like it's the most fun thing to do ever! :)
-You babble all of the time. To us, Isaac, and yourself. You say, "Mama" "Dada"
-You love animals, especially DeeDee and Poppo's little dog "Rudy." You babble and giggle at him every time he comes running into the room, and he lets you pat him and pull his ears, legs, tail... You love Rudy!
-You are doing so well with wearing your glasses. You have finally learned how to put them on, not just take them off. You don't really bother them much, because you realize they help you see. When we ask you "Eli, where are your glasses?" You touch them and smile. And in a crowd of people (who are usually having a fit over how cute you are in your little brown glasses...) you touch them and smile... This happens so much, that you automatically start touching your glasses and smiling when people approach you- like you know they are about to say something about your glasses! Too funny!
-You LOVE bath time, and you cry whenever you have to get out.
-You still love your Wubanub pacifiers. You only use it when you are going to sleep, and sometimes I let you have it if you get really upset at other times. I've tried giving you a regular Soothie paci, without the animal attached, but you just look at it like, "What am I supposed to do with this?" You only want the ones with the animals attached...
-Your favorite toys are cars, books, the Noah's ark set... and anything that lights up and makes music.
-You love the Price is Right! Ha! You stand right in front of the TV when it's on- I think you like the lights and noises.
-You are starting to make progress with your eating. You are starting to eat some table foods, diced up into really small pieces. Green beans, tomatoes, strawberries, bread, peaches, oranges... You even cried for me to give you a french fry and ate it all by yourself! I was SO proud :). We are getting there, little buddy!
-You love for us to be proud of you when you do something good. You always smile really big and clap for yourself :).
-You are going through a phase where you want to be held all most of the time. You will scoot to wherever I'm standing or sitting and just whine till I pick you up. Once I pick you up, you are fine. I know I'm probably reinforcing a "bad" behavior... but I had to wait almost 3 months before I ever got to hold you... so, we are just making up for lost time little buddy :).
-You love going to Bible class with Isaac. (Miss Dawn and Miss Mandalynn on Sundays, and Miss Marla on Wednesdays).
-You have lots of girl friends in the youth group at church already :). They all fight over who gets to hold you and play with you.
Our 1st professional family photo, taken at your 18 month session with Nicole Spaller...
Colossians 1:9-12