Learning Fast

It has been awhile since my last update, and I couldn't pass up sharing some of the cute things that Clayton is doing at almost 20 months. To start, he is still such a verbal kid! He is finally saying Mommy - hallelujah! I have been waiting since he started saying "da-da" at around 8 months. He is also saying Lala, boo boo, ouch, ew, and uh-oh (while covering his mouth). He can count to 5 and say other numbers randomly (see below). He can say his ABC's, hot, cold, up, down, on, and off. He is using more gestures with his talking, too. For example, he directs people around by pointing, and if he wants you to sit by him he pats the ground. He blows kisses, makes animal sounds, knows his facial features (mainly nose and eyes), and sings the clean-up song in the evenings. We have been working with him on cleaning up and he is finally initiating it on his own before bed. He is in his second semester at the Little Gym and is independently doing forward rolls and kicking/ throwing a ball. Clayton is also obsessed with toothbrushes and will brush his teeth as often as he can convince us. He LOVES his Sherbie doll and pacifier. He calls them both "pappy." His imagination is beginning to take off and he often uses objects around the house to play pretend. Recently, he used a measuring cup and a big serving spoon to feed Lala and me "bites." With all of these new developments, Chad and I have also had to start working with him on making good choices. He has had to sit in "time-out" more frequently lately as we teach him our 3 main rules. He can't hurt himself, others, or throw things out of anger. Last Sunday, after several time-outs, he even walked into his room and initiated a time-out with only a verbal warning. He is so funny! I am really enjoying this stage in his development. He grows in so many cute ways everyday. Stay tuned for more updates...