James ~23 months old~

Well, we are down to only one month before James turns TWO! I can't believe how fast time continues to fly by!

I know I have sounded redundant in the past few month's posts, but James truly continues to amaze us with his expanding vocabulary and excellent ability to communicate with us. He is now pretty much attempting (and succeeding most of the time!) to repeat just about any word we ask him to say. He's also just coming out with new words on his own left and right, as well as many two- or three-word phrases! When the time came and we knew he understood most of what we'd say to him, but knew he couldn't express things in words yet, we started asking him questions about pictures in the books we'd read to him. It was neat to see how he could point to pictures we'd ask him to find. (i.e, Where's the cow? Where's the moon?) Now, roles are reversed. We can point to a picture and ask him what it is... and most of the time he can tell us! It really is amazing to me how much he's learned in just under two years! He's just starting to learn colors and shapes as well.

He listens to Matt and I talk to each other and will chime in to the conversation. Yikes! For instance, if we're talking about going somewhere soon, James (if he hears us) will immediately go to the door as if we're about to walk out the door at that very moment. And might I add that if we aren't anywhere near ready to leave, we'd better be careful not to let him hear us or we'll hear about it ("Go bye-bye!... Go, go!!... Mommy/Daddy guck") until we finally walk out the door. Needless to say, we're starting to spell things a lot more. =o)

He's also saying things that we have no idea where it's coming from! For instance, today when he woke up from his nap, he was lying on the changing table (while running his hands through his hair) and said to Matt, "Need haircut." We were both so tickled by this statement because we haven't said anything to him about his hair or haircuts and we've never heard him say that word before. It was too funny! Grandma, get out those scissors again... I guess it's time for another haircut!

Sometimes he says something and we have absolutely no idea what it is. He continues to repeat it like a broken record, but to no avail... he may as well be speaking a foreign language as far as getting his message across to mommy and daddy. Keep trying, buddy... we'll figure it out eventually!

Sadly, some of the words he used to say so much as "baby talk" he's now saying the correct way. For example, moon, moo, down, ball, bump, water (still gaga sometimes, though), door, washer, bath, light, eat... as well as some new words: cow, bird, pig, seep (sheep), dog, car, house, more, pease (please), shurr (shower), gass (grass), tee (tree), boat, pane (plane), turn (train), Gace/Grice (his cousin Grace's name... it's so cute when it comes out as the southern version of "Grice"), Hope (Grace's sister), cracker, cheese, err (ear), nose, hair, haircut, chin, cheek, neck, elbow, knee, bottom, feet, toes, fingers, hand... what can I say, he knows his body parts! When I hear him say these words, it makes me realize even more how big he's getting.

Current phrases popular with James:

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Daddy/Mommy guck
See moon! (a popular thing to do at Pops' house)... also See guck, see ____ (just fill in the blank!)
Pops' house (the first time he's called him "Pops" and not "Papa")... sometimes it even sounds like he says want to go Pops' house
Dee-Dee wash (he loves to help Aunt Dee with the wash, too)
Go bye-bye!
Daddy seep/seepy (sleep/sleeping)... which obviously James thinks he does all the time!
Daddy sick (since he was sick for a few weeks when we came back from vacation)
Mommy eat
Need bib/spoon/fuk (fork!)... he's really improved in letting us know what he needs!
More ____ (just fill in the blank... tonight at dinner it was "More peas")
Going down the side (slide)... from when we went to the water park the other day
Mommy/Daddy lap... for when he wants to get on our lap when we're sitting at the computer Daddy done (when he hears the water from the shower stop)

Daily, he's coming up with more and more phrases so I'm sure this list will continue to grow quickly, but this gives you and idea about how much he's been gabbing lately!

I've also seen his imagination start to come out as he plays with his trucks and other toys. In this picture on the right, he's pretending his grilled cheese sandwich is a boat or a car or something. It was really funny! The picture below was taken in the car on our summer vacation when James decided that his bear needed to eat some Cheerios, too. Isn't that cute?! You can tell by the look on his face how thrilled he was about being in his car seat again.

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Just one year ago...

James at 11 months old:

We got pictures taken at JCPenney's portrait studio. He was so cute with his hat, but he wouldn't keep it on for anything!

The Cochrane boys on Father's Day last year!

We were still able to "contain" James with the gate. He'd pull himself up on it and walk along barely holding onto it. We thought he'd be walking any day...

On June 6, 2007, he finally realized he could stand up in his crib, too! I was surprised it took him this long to try it.

Such a cutie standing on the couch looking out the front window (which he still loves to do!)

James and his Hippo are two peas in a pod! (Seriously, I took several pictures posing Hippo next to and even on James and he didn't flinch. That boy can sleep like a rock! (as long as he's not teething!)