18 Months Old!

Layton turned 18 months old yesterday! One whole year plus a half. =) Our lives were changed in an amazing way yet again by a sweet little man 18 months ago and this post is dedicated to my precious growing baby boy. 

A year ago today you were only 6 months old! We had recently moved to the tiny old rental house and you were adjusting wonderfully. You took your time sitting up, you started eating 3 meals a day of solid food and developed a huge appetite, you started taking an interest in books and toys more and more, and you remained fascinated with your big brothers. It was such a sweet stage. 

6 months ago yesterday was your 1st birthday!! At 12 months you were super mobile, loved playing in the big boy room, still eating tons but picky about what you wanted, and finally starting to say some words! It was a busier stage but a fun one!

Now, at 1 and a half, you're busier than ever before and pretty much into everything. You keep us running and on our toes! Your personality seems to be a mix of your big brothers. While you are very much your own little man with your very own little traits, we can see bits of your big brothers in you lots too. You are happy and laid back but also demanding and high maintenance when it's time to eat or when you want something. You laugh and smile easily but are also apprehensive about most anything different or new. You are curious and silly, lovable and serious. You are just one of kind you. =)

You LOVE to eat... but only what YOU want to eat, haha, and going outside is one of your very favorite things ever. You give the best hugs and are super affectionate and sweet. You still love to be rocked before naps and bedtime and really enjoy being read to and sang to. Keeping up with your big brothers is your number 1 mission, you looove your paci, and you are officially a PRO at climbing stairs and sliding down them. 

On the mornings daddy takes Garrison to school and you get to sleep in, you wake up sometime between 7:00 and 8:00. Over the summer you became the latest sleeper in the whole house. =) You still take a short morning nap most mornings but I'm not sure how much longer that will last. Depending on what time you wake up and whether we're home in the mornings or not usually determines whether you take a morning nap. Your afternoon nap is around 2 hours and your bedtime is around 7:30 on evenings we're home and just a little later on evenings we're out. 

Your favorite foods are cheese, crackers of all kinds, green beans, raisin bread, bananas, freeze-dried fruit, applesauce, and deli ham. You've finally started branching out and eating some chicken and spaghetti. You still don't eat many vegetables. Green beans are about it. Occasionally you'll eat a few carrots or peas or corn but it's rare. You also aren't a fan of "real" fruit, other than bananas. So even though you eat and eat and EAT, it's always the things mentioned above... which means there's not a lot of variety and balance to your diet. I'm blaming the picky-ness on your daddy. You also love pizza and can eat as much of it or more than your big brothers. Haha! We still do quite a bit of the fruit and veggie squeezables with you since you love them and we know you're getting in some more good stuff. =)

Your typical breakfast is a banana, raisin bread, and dry cereal. For lunch you love string cheese, deli ham, freeze-dried apples or pears, some form of crackers or chips and maybe applesauce or yogurt too. At supper we attempt to give you what we're having and you are getting better (yay!!)... but we still have to supplement with the squeezables or freeze-dried fruit or crackers or applesauce or a combination of all of the above. Ha!

Your favorite hobbies include riding in your car outside, doing pretty much anything outside (haha), playing "ball" (usually with your big brothers), helping me clean with your little broom, dumping out toys in the playroom or big boy room, pushing around your dump truck or cart, reading books, and trying to keep up with your big brothers and whatever they are doing. 

Your vocabulary is still limited but you are saying more and more. Your most popular words are: ma-ma or maaaa!, da-da or daaaaa!, hello, ball, bubble, bye, now, rock, uh oh, no no, a form of "brother", and a form of "here you go". =)

You are the sweetest, cutest, most precious addition to our family!! We all love you so much and are so, so thankful for you!! You are a priceless blessing to the whole family. Happy year and a half birthday Layton Thomas Selph!!