a theo update

So Theo has reached the magnificant age of 20 months. I'm not sure why, but I like the sound of 20 months, and I have certainly been enjoying this wonderful age! Of course it's still not easy, but the frustrating days and bits just get over shadowed by the cute and amazing bits.

So Theo is closer to being two than is to one, that's scary, I've got a nearly two year old...?

So I thought it was a little time for an update before I forget loads of things. First I'll start with words, because that seems to be the biggest, most exciting thing at the moment. It's amazing to see how quickly he picks up new words and how much he is just talking ALL the time. They may not be intelligible words just yet, but he is talking to us and babbling non-stop. Most of his words aren't perfect, but I can figure out what he means by the way he says it, and that he always says the same thing for the object etc. For example he says "flower" but his version is something along the lines of "ow-arr-rrii" which is pretty similar to butterfly! He is constantly saying "oh look" and pointing and trying to name objects. Yesterday a friend came over with her little boy, and it was amazing to see them actually communicating with each other. Theo was telling his friend to get inside the box house, and they were passing each other toys and directing all the time. It was amazing! He has stated to link a few words, such as "hello...tractor/daddy/grandpa/yaya/car/dog/alma and he tries to say mr.tumble! On that note he still isn't really saying Mummy. He mastered Grandpa in a day, and said yaya to my mum (her name for grandma) last weekend, and everything is daddy, daddy...but still no mummy. He knows that I am mummy, as when you ask him he will point to me and he also does this funny thing where he will touch his or my chest and say "nyaa" which I'm guessing has something to do with my boobs and therefore his version of mummy (as of course I was only ever seen as the milk machine...) He knows and says pretty much all the body parts to head, shoulders, knees and toes, just the shoulders and knees to go! He likes to point out facial features the most, poking us in the eye and tugging on our ears and sticking out his tongue!

Anyway, so that's all very exciting! He seems to like mainly naming things at the moment, and we have great fun pointing out loads of different objects and naming them or making noises for them. But probably my favourite thing at the moment is when we are stopped at traffic lights he will shout from the back seat "ready....go!" (ready sounds a lot like daddy though) It's so funny, and when followed by a round about he goes "weeeeeeeeeeee"

Theo is still really outgoing and will say hello and bye to everyone. People in the street, in shops, people who come to the door, friends, strangers, adults, children; everyone gets one! Theo is also very affectionate, a little too much sometimes as he tries to cuddle everyone if he gets the chance. The other day we went to a pub for lunch, and there was another little boy a few months younger, so we introduced them and within about 30 seconds Theo was hugging him and gave him a big old kiss on the lips...not shy at all!

That leads me nicely onto the other end of the spectrum which is the problems we were having with Theo hitting other children when playing. Which thankfully (touch wood) seems to be getting better. We went to a playgroup the other day and I think, we managed a whole session without one hit, unless he got a few sneaky ones in when I wasn't watching. But now if he does do it, or do something else a little naughty he will instantly hold out his arms for a cuddle and go "awww". Which to me is his way of saying sorry. When we are out I will always take him to the side and tell him that it's not nice to hit, and that it's a not very nice thing to do and that we need to say sorry. So I think it's working...

I'm not sure whether it's because I've stopped nursing him or what, but Theo also seems to want a lot more physical attention from us. He wants to have hugs all the time (and they really are the best, proper arms wrapped round your neck hugs!) He will come and park himself down on my lap and snuggle in for a proper cuddle, which I love. I have to say I was worried that I would lose out on the one on one close time I had with Theo when I stopped feeding, but I don't think we have. Plus the cuddles are a little nicer than him climbing on me, pulling up my top and grabbing at my boob and me having to lie there a little trapped!

Theo is still extremely active, he runs everywhere we go, wants to daringly climb everything and is even started to jump! He still dances all the time too, and it's just the best! (here are a few gifs I made of him, a little annoying sorry!)

 

Theo still gets a little clingy at time, especially when we are at home. Actually only when we are at home. If I try and leave the room to go to the toilet then he will stand at the gate and wail until I return. He will happily play with his train set for a long time, but as long as I'm in the room with him. I am trying to be a little bit more inventive at home and am going to start doing more activities with him, hands on, and exploratory  play, so if anyone has any good, cheap and easy ideas send them my way (or websites for that matter!) The other morning I quickly made up a little game, where I filled tupperware boxes with different objects, such a pebbles, macaroni, crayons and thread (the only things I could find around the house!). First we shook them and listened to the different sounds, then opened them to look and feel the objects, then we tried to fit the lids back on but the game ended with Theo trying to put the bits of macaroni in the middle of the thread spools, which entertained him for a good ten minutes..wish I'd just done that from the start!

In terms of eating Theo still goes very up and down. Some days and weeks he will eat three square meals, by himself. No me trying to shove food in his mouth and pleading with him to at least try his food. Then some days he just point blank refuses to try things, things I know he likes! We have a little doll who we like to bring out at these times so he can feed her some first, then usually he takes a little nibble for himself. Sometimes we resorted to letting him eat on the sofa, just so I know he has a full belly before going to bed, not great, but it works...He is still really good at self- feeding a can use a fork and spoon pretty well, it always amazes me when he polishes off a whole bowl of porridge by himself!

In terms of current obsessions it's still very much trains, planes, cars and tractors, oh an naa-niis (his version of nee-naw ie emergency vehicles) He always points to the sky and does his plane impression, and likes to point out every car, "oh look - car" and ha started to ask us to put Thomas on the telly...uh oh! He stands there and points at the boxset and nods his head over and over saying "yeh, yeh". He does this every time he wants something, just yeh, yeh, yeh!

Oh dear I still haven't gotten to sleep! I hope you're all still hanging in there, I'll try and speed things along! But it's going well, sometimes he doesn't sleep completley 'through' and has a little wake up about about 3-4, but can usually be settled back pretty quickly. On a good night he will sleep from about 7.30-8pm til 6-6.30am, then with a little cuddling and snoozing in bed he can be persuaded to stay in bed until about 7. But usually he is up from about 6, where I go in and we read a little story and I set up his train set and doze in his bed whilst he plays. I think we have done quite well with the whole sleeping thing (finally) and haven't had too much trouble with the transition to the bigger bed. But I think I will go into more detail at a later date with that one!

But I think I'll leave it there! We're having so much fun at the moment, but I am well and truly knackered at the end of the day...so on that note, the sofa is calling me!

oh and I know I mentioned it before, and I promise I won't do it often, but we would be ever so grateful if you took a minute to give us a little vote on top baby blogs, by clicking on the icon to the right! Thanks!!