Things I want to remember about my 18-month-old

Max is 18 months old today! I can't believe my baby is a year and a half old. In just 6 short months, he will be two...and just days away from being a big brother! It has been such a blessing to see him grow into the sweet little boy he is today. I look back at his monthly photos from his first year of life, and I find it difficult to remember the days he was a toothless, immobile, chubby-faced little baby--although the only time he was truly "little" was his first week of life; then he was in the 95th percentile or higher for weight, height, and head circumference until he turned one!

Time is flying by so fast, and I know that it is going to continue to pass at warp speed as we get closer to welcoming Max's little brother or sister to our family next spring. There are so many things I want to remember about my sweet Maximiliano at this age, so I thought I'd make a list and save it here to look back to.

What I want to remember about Max as an 18-month-old:

• how he loves to share with people.  He willingly offers food, sips of his drink, books, toys, etc. to anyone near him.
• how he claps for himself when he does something he's proud of, like putting something in the trash can or making a tower of Mega Blocks or dumping out all of my bobby pins.
• how he loves to help us unload groceries, sweep floors, empty the dryer, or carry something from point A to point B.
• how he puts his little hand in mine when we get to the last page of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom so we can point to the letters as I sing the alphabet song.
• how he's fascinated with books and will "read" them to anyone who will listen. 
  
• how sometimes he's so tired at naptime that he'll cozy up to my chest and wrap his arms around my neck instead of looking at the book I'm reading.
• how he loves to dance and somehow has learned a new dance move every time we get jiggy.
• how he walks to the end of his crib after his goodnight kiss so he can get one last kiss before I leave his room for the night.
• how he reaches for both my hand and Victor's hand when we go on family walks.
• how he points and says, "Dada" anytime he sees anything that Victor may have touched: his shoes, his belt, his coffee mug, his car, his wine glass...
• how he is usually happy to follow directions if he feels like he's helping me.
• the fact that he doesn't say the word "No" yet.
• his angelic "singing" voice.
• how he finds Curious George hilarious and giggles when he does something silly.
• how he "reads" words on shirts, in books, or on the back of his high chair by pointing and saying, "Ay, iy, ey, oh."
• how he sees us doing something and wants to do the same thing.  If we're looking at the ads in the Sunday paper, he wants to browse through one, too.  If we're writing a list, he wants to write, too.  If I'm wiping something up from the floor, the next time he gets his hands on a towel, napkin, or wipe, he's going to clean the floor the same way.
• how he won't stand on the floor to eat a snack for fear that Kenny will snatch it out of his hand. He always requests to sit on a stool at the kitchen island.
• how he thinks Kenny must be hand-fed his dog food and occasionally will sneak a few pieces for himself. 

  

  Post dog-food snack.

• how he loves to blow raspberries on any exposed skin he can find.
• his giggles when he's tickled below his neck or when his thighs are squeezed.
• how he thinks he's "jumping" but his feet never leave the ground.
• how he always chooses my cerulean flats for me to wear anytime he's in my closet with me while I'm getting dressed. 
  
• how he will ride all the way to Target (a 15-minute drive) with his lips pursed, but when it's time to give a kiss, he still gives the open-mouthed, slobbery kind. 
  
• how he brings his "boo boos" to me so I can kiss them.  Once they're kissed, he's immediately cured.
• how he'll climb onto my lap, no matter where we are, if there's a good book to be read.
• how he beats on his chest like Tarzan any time his shirt is removed.
• how he somehow makes the TV remote do things we never knew it could do, and he seems to do the same thing every time he gets his hands on it.
• how he can be entertained for a solid 20 minutes if he gets his hands on his daddy's tape measure.
• how he runs to find me for a hug and comfort when Kenny starts barking incessantly.
• how he points and nods repeatedly as if to say, "Yes, I want that," even though we have a hard time figuring out what it is he wants.  His continued nods are his way of encouraging us to play the guessing game until we figure it out.
• how he babbles and shrugs or gestures as if he instinctively knows how to look confused or perturbed.

This sweet boy of mine has my heart, and I'm so lucky that God chose me to be his mommy.