James ~21 months old~

Over the past month James has continued to amaze us with his expanding vocabulary. It seems like every day he says a new word. I have to really be alert and listening for what he says now because I'm sure I've missed some of the words. To see an entire post I did this past month devoted to James' words, click here.

(3/28/08) James actually stacked these blocks all by himself! I was impressed! Does every mother feel their child is the smartest child ever?!?

I feel awful when James is saying something and we have no clue what it is. This was happening right around the time I'd made the other post about his new words. He kept saying something that sounded like "moth" or "meth" and neither matt nor I knew what in the world he was saying. (I'm sure he was frustrated as well!) So, we decided we'd try to figure it out by seeing what context it was in which he'd say it. Well, I was subbing on a particular day and Matt called me in the morning before school even started to tell me he figured it out. "He's saying mess!" Matt said excitedly. He figured it out when he went to wipe James' hands and the tray after he'd given James breakfast. Mystery solved! It's so cute when James uses his words now!

Last week on Wednesday we were over at our friends' house after church and they have a pretty big chocolate lab named Cocoa. James loves dogs but he has started acting a bit skittish around bigger dogs lately. He wants to see them but doesn't want to be down on the ground with them. So, he was squealing with delight every time Cocoa would come by the couch, where he was sitting safely with me. One time he actually said, "Cocoa." I was so surprised! Also, over the past month his "dof" (woof) has kind of morphed into "voof". Also, his cow sound is now clearly "moo" instead of just "mmm" (although that is still moon).

This week, he's been saying "potty" a lot more. He points to his potty or the big potty and says it whenever he sees it or when Matt or I are on it. He occasionally expresses an interest in sitting on the potty so we ask him if he wants to. Sometimes he shakes his head "yes" and sometimes it's a definite "no!" (He's got the shaking of the head down for yes and no!) He hasn't actually done anything on the potty yet, but maybe this next month... (Matt already promised him when he goes on the potty for the first time, we'll watch "Cars" again either that day or the next one. He's been asking ever since we watched it together on Tuesday. Reminds me of when Grace, James' oldest cousin, used to ask, "Watch fish?" for Finding Nemo and when the answer was "No" then she'd say, "Watch boat?" as if that would change the answer. Kids are so funny!)

(4/5/08) Making a silly face at dinner the other night. I just had to get a picture of it!

(4/7/08) - Just a quick story to go with this picture... James loves to get his mouth full... I mean full... of food! This particular night I had made something with chicken and he, once again had stuffed his mouth. It always takes him longer to eat when he does this, but he usually eventually swallows it or spits it out. Well, this particular night he'd been chewing on this bite of food for about 30 minutes, but it was time for his bath. I asked him if he wanted to spit it out, but he shook his head no. So, I asked Matt what he thought we should do, and he said just give him a bath anyway and he'd probably swallow it. Well, after his bath was all over he was still "chewing his cud"... When I asked him to show me what was in his mouth, this is what he did. We took him out of the tub, dried him off, put on his pajamas, and he still didn't want to part with that nasty bite of food. Why? Could it possibly still taste good? I had to literally hold him upside down over the trash can to get him to finally spit it out!

Then, on Tuesday, when I went to get my wisdom teeth removed, James went and spent some time with Grandma. She was sweeping dirt off the back patio with a broom and had given James a smaller James-sized broom that usually hangs on the wall next to the fireplace so he could sweep, too! He loved it! Evidently my mom said he kept saying "dirt" and "boom" (broom) while they were sweeping! We swung by there after I was done to get a special headband to keep the cold packs on my face and saw him in action. He was so cute! That same day, Matt was using the blender to make me a milkshake or a smoothie and James said, "budder" (blender), which he has repeated many times since then. (Matt has been using the blender a lot this week for me!)

Yesterday, I went over to my parents' house in the afternoon after James woke up from his nap and Matt was taking his before work. James had more energy than I did so I wanted to let him run around at Grandma & Grandpa's house to get rid of some of it. After my brother took him on a little wagon ride along the sidewalk up and down the street, he came back to the house and when James saw Grandma, he actually said something that sounded like "Ryan" with a bunch of other words I couldn't decipher. I guess he was telling my mom all about Uncle Ryan pulling him in the wagon or something... it was really cute! (Don't worry Grandma and Grandmommy, your time's gotta be getting closer, too!)

Today, we heard him say, "bed" for the first time (although sometimes it comes out as "beda!") That reminds me, as part of our bedtime routine, we sing some songs. James likes "This Little Light of Mine" and he holds up his pointer finger and waves it vigorously when he wants us to sing that song. It's pretty ironic he doesn't say "light" with his vigorously waving finger because it was one of his favorite words at first and he'd say it for everything! He also likes us to sing "The B-I-B-L-E" (which he calls Bee-ah-bee-ah). He was practically screaming this with excitement tonight about singing it. He always has liked music, so I guess I shouldn't be so surprised when he gets so excited about singing...

He still loves reading his books and he also loves going on walks or going to the park to play. Mommy loves going to the park, too, because I usually will exercise and then let him play to get out a lot of energy so he will take a good nap! =o)

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LOOKING BACK...

James just one year ago at 9 months old

(3/07) - James loved swinging at Grandma & Grandpa's house in their front yard! He'd get excited when he would see the swing or when we'd say the word, so we had to start spelling it! =o)

(3/31/07) - He still didn't crawl, but with a fast scoot he could get into anything if you gave him a few minutes! Don't let that cute smile fool you... he was t-r-o-u-b-l-e... well, sometimes!

(4/3/08) - James loved pulling himself up and standing to play or to get from one place to another. The box at Grandma's house was a creative way to contain him without him feeling contained! =o)



(4/6/07) - One of my favorite pictures of Matt and mini-Matt! I took it while they were playing around on the couch. James loves his daddy and his daddy loves him, too!

(4/8/07) I snapped this picture last year on Easter at Pops' and Grandmommy's house. You can really see his bottom two teeth!

(4/13/07) - At one point I'd have to put him in his swing to get him to go to sleep. He looks so peaceful and sweet when he sleeps!

(4/16/07) - A perfect shot of James' double crown. This was one of the last times he got to go in his swing because he kept falling asleep like this in it! (Yes, he really is asleep!) It was hilarious to watch, but I'm sure it wasn't much good for his circulation...