Karter, 21 mos, just a few short months from his second birthday--already! He was supposed to have a weight check this week, but I didn't feel the need to drive all that far just for a quick sit on the scale. I know he's been growing, taller for sure, still thin though. I weighed him and he's 22.5 lbs, up almost 2 pounds from March. They were happy when I called it in and also that he is growing into the next size clothes. We're up to 18 months now, still a lot of 12 months that he wears, but he can finally wear some of the other things!
We're doing much better with the sleeping. Finally, I can put him in bed and close the door and he might cry for one minute but he goes right back into his bed and goes to sleep. Lately, he doesn't even cry, and half the time doesn't even get out of bed. I couldn't handle anymore sitting in his room or rocking him or trying to lay down with him, etc. So, I am glad he's been able to do this finally. He still might get up once a night, or come in our bed, but I can handle that so much more than the not going to sleep part. Even eating lately is improved. I don't' know if it's because I switched to coconut milk, which he loves and asks for a lot (water is still his main choice) but he's also been chowing like crazy lately. There's a different chain of fatty acids in coconut milk that's easily digestible, so whether or not that's the connection, I don't know, but we'll take it. I'm really not concerned with his weight, just that he is growing; if he's thin or smaller, so be it. We're continuing the enzymes and iron (multivitamins when we remember to buy them) and will keep that up til his 2 year appointment and decide from there.
He's talking up a storm lately, but I wish he was doing more 2 word phrases. He says simple sentences like "mommy jump" and "hop up" (my fave) and "doggy barking". He gets his point across "Jeremy, dada, car, dump" (daddy and Jeremy went to the dump) and I know I have to stop remembering that Kian was the verbal king at this age and saying like 5 word sentences. Karter's definitely more physical than Kian was at this age. I know I say that all the time, it's interesting to see the similarities and differences. A lot of differences, more than similarities I think! He counts 1, 2, 3 and knows his colors! But, he pretends he doesn't and will say 'purple' for everything. He picks out his cloth diapers by telling me which color he wants "ahnge" for orange is super cute, a slight Boston dialect.
He definitely keeps up with Kian for the most part. He doesn't get why Kian isn't napping or going to bed when he does and asks "where Kian" all the time. Loves the trampoline, slides, can maneuver any playground equipment he wants to, all by himself, They are playing together a lot more, blocks and cars and it's great to watch.
Kian still gets frustrated with him at times, but usually there's happy times. Kian was sad about preschool ending and I wasn't able to get contact info for the friends he wanted to hang out with. Half of them are going to kindergarten and he believes he is too, so he was bummed about that. I am going to find some things for him to do over the summer, vacation bible school, sports, etc. He seemed to really like school and he's signed up for 3 mornings in the fall. He is my social one, even at the lake today he was making friends and trunk to keep up with these big boys out in the deeper water. He then told me he wanted to invite his new friend from the beach to his birthday party. Ah yes. The teachers told me he did very well in school, just one day of not being able to listen and such, which he had good reasons for he told me, he wanted to let them know about some things he found exciting but they wouldn't let him talk. =( I struggle with this school thing... I don't really want him to go to full-day kindergarten in a year, ahh!!
Today, on the trampoline I told him he had to the count of 10 to finish jumping before we had to go in. He told me "not to 10" then started counting from 1 all the way to 110! I had no idea he could do that. I'm not obsessed with all these educational things so early. We work on some basic "you have 2 carrots and I gave you 2 more" kind of math. A couple of days ago, we were eating lunch and he randomly started counting backwards from 100, by 10's, to 1. Again, never knew he could do that, I counted up by 10's a few times, and we count backwards from 20, but... hmm, maybe it's those tv shows I let him watch while I put Karter to bed... ALso, why he sings every insurance song ever! Tonight was "we are farmers, dun dun dun dun dun" the other night was nationwide...that's Animal Planet, obviously Disney or PBS does not air those commercials.
The facts this kid remembers about things amaze me too. Sorry, I just don't get this 'flashcard generation' and I don't subject my kids to hours of flashcards just to learn something. So, they memorize a thing on a paper, doesn't mean they know anything about it! Touching, doing, discovering, real life, hands on, makes so much more sense to me. I feel like my kids are going to be the only ones who know about things in 3d instead of just flat paper...oops tangent. My point was, that I don't do that, they do things and so that he picks up all these facts (snakes, dinosaurs, plants, birds, swamps, what things eat, how things are made, etc.) is great because I want to let him forge his own path with his learning, not what I think he should know or want him to know just because... His imagination is amazing, the things he can create in his head, or come up with to build with legos, or the steps and logic behind things...fascinates me.
I decided against a 4 year old check up this year. I mean, really there was no point in the 3 year old one. They weigh him, measure him, ask a few random questions, that I as an Early Intervention service coordinator, know about development and watch anyways. So, it's pointless for me, we have no concerns about Kian in development and I do some checklists here and there. Last I weighed him he ws about 37 lbs, which means he gained 3 lbs in the last year. I'll have to measure height of both of them soon.
He is who he is and although a lot of people don't appreciate his spunk and zest for life, because it equals loudness and boisterous activity most of the time. But, he's independent and mature in a lot of ways and yes, still challenging at times, he's Kian. Every year, it seems from his birthday to Christmas is a good half of the year, and then from Christmas to his birthday again (winter, cabin fever, fun stuff) we have behavioral change and challenges. But, we're figuring it out. He's still the sweetest kid in there, and cares a lot about what you say, do and think about him. Love these boys so much and while they keep me on my toes and challenge me daily, I wouldn't trade them for anything. However, they would like a sister or 2 as well. ;)
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