18 months old

Grady is 18 months old and a mess!  He is getting cuter and naughtier by the second!!!  He is OBSESSED with tractors, trucks, golf carts, jeeps (beeps) and fire trucks.  If there is a tractor anywhere in his line of sight, he will find it!  He loves to color with markers..on everything. He ate one last week and had marker in his ears, up his nose and his mouth was completely blue.  He draws on non paper items such as his shirt and then tells me "uh oh shirt" or on his leg "uh oh eg".  We do try and keep markers away from him...however, Addie often leaves them within his reach and he seems to have a marker radar and can find one in less than 5 seconds if  one is left out.  He recently got some crocs and he loves them.  He is able to put them on by himself which makes him very proud!!!  He still loves to get into Addie's closet and try on all of her shoes.  He also loves to get into her panty drawer and put them into the dirty clothes one by one.  We wash more panties every week because we are not sure which ones are clean.  He loves to take clothes to the laundry basket and is a great helper. 

I have noticed that this month more than in the past, he understands 99% of the things we tell him.  It is crazy to see this happen.  Today we were walking and I asked him to hold my hand and he reached up and grabbed it.  It just made me realize how big he is getting :(  He is still a little snuggler and gives us hugs all day long.  He has said "uv you" a few times and it is always when he is repeating Addie.  He still worships her and still runs to hug her anytime she is sad or has gotten in trouble.  Although, they fight more than ever!

He repeats EVERYTHING we say and is talking more than ever.  He now calls Bryan daddy instead of da da.  Anytime we pull into the driveway or see a white truck, he says, "daddy" in the sweetest voice ever.  He loves his daddy.  Some of his new words this month are, "uh oh setti oh", juice, pop pop (popsicle or lollipop), hey mama, hey addie...and so on, eas (ears), sees (cheese), coke, firetruck, golf cart, blue (most colors are blue).  Addie and I say prayers every night before she goes to sleep and Grady lays there with us.  Now as soon as we are finishing her prayers, he throws an "ama"...(amen) in there as fast as he can to say it before us.  Pretty funny!  Every baby he sees is Jax.  When we pull up to Andrea's house, he says "Ana...Jax."  He and Jax could easily pass for twins...although Grady has a few more pounds on him!  He still tells me when he has to poop and he has actually sat on the potty a few times.  Lately, he has been telling me tee tee when he goes...I hope to potty train him around his birthday...we will see! 

He loves to stick out his tongue and then everyone around him has to do it too. When he gets excited about something he runs and jumps in place until it happens...I have to get it on video one of these days.  Every night, he watches us read stories and then as soon as Addie gives Bryan hugs goodnight, he runs as fast as he can to beat her to the bathroom so he can brush his teeth first.  It is so funny to watch him start to inch towards the door as we are finishing Addie's second story.  I have found myself doing something with Grady that I swore I would never do...just to keep the peace.  I have always said that every child gets/earns certain things and the other one should understand.  However, Grady throws such fits and acts so wounded and sad when he sees Addie get juice, candy, or anything special that I just give it to him to stop him from being so upset.  Poor Addie....she NEVER got juice at this age...much less candy.  Addie does remind him on a daily basis that he can not chew gum until he is three because she had to wait until then...so I am sure that one will stick!  Oh well...I am sure if we have a third child, he/she will have ring pops from the beginning :)

A couple of weeks ago, he and Addie were playing in her room and I heard her scream.  Then he came running out...belly first...saying "uh oh ish, uh oh ish."  Addie is right behind him screaming something about her fish tank.  I got to her room and he had completely emptied her fishtank onto the ground....rocks, fish, plants, water...everything.  Gross.  I called Bryan to come home..it grossed me out too much!  I have also walked into the bathroom as he is flushing the toilet saying, "uh oh, uh oh."  I haven't found anything missing...yet.
When he does not get his way, he rolls around on the ground and hits his head...throws things...and then finally falls apart and asks for his papoo (pacifier).  I am trying to limit the time we have the pacifier..some days are better than other. 

He wears size 4 diapers, 18-24 month clothes, and weighed 25 lbs, 12 oz at his last appointment.  He is in the 50th percentile for weight and has moved up to the 60th percentile for height.  He goes to bed between 6:30 and 7 at night and gets up between 7 and 7:30 in the morning.  He takes an 1.5 - 2 hour nap after lunch.  He still does not watch much tv but loves Elmo.

Grady, you are smart, funny, ADORABLE, loving, and a wild man.  We can't believe you have already been with us for a year and a half.  There is not a day that goes by that you don't challenge us and at the end of every day, your daddy and I laugh at everything that you have managed to destroy that day.  We love you so much and always look forward to the craziness that tomorrow will bring!

                                      
                                     

I couldn't publish this without a picture of "the princess."