21 Months Old!

What's new with Cruz...

Talking - he continues to impress with his mad talking skills. He really just picks up on every little word we say and some that I'm not even sure where he learned them. 

• Mine - definitely can do without this one
• Peanut butter - the kiddo tasted it for the first time this month and is.a.fan. More on that later.
• Eat it - as he's shoving parts of his meal to his daddy or I when he doesn't want anymore
• Popcorn - and he loves it
• Sunshine - he says "mama shun-sine" when he wants to sing "You Are My Sunshine" while we rock
• Hip-up - hiccup. I'm not sure I've heard him have hiccups since he was a baby, but recently gets them quite often and it's super cute. "Mama hip-up!"
• Phrases
• I need it - in relation to his sippy, toy, snack, etc
• Here you go!
• I got it 
• I want it - when someone else has something he wants
• I don't want it - when he doesn't want to do something or is mid-fit
• Come on! - whenever he wants you to do something with him or follow him
• I found it - when he finds a toy he's been searching for
• I did it! - proud of himself

Singing - this boy loves to sing. It started with a couple lullabies we regularly sing while we are rocking to bed - "Rock A Bye Baby" (he asks for "Rock Bye")  and "You Are My Sunshine" (and "Shun-sine").  Daddy has taught him "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" and we recently got him to sing the "ABCs" all the way through. It is all about the cutest thing I've ever heard. (Just as I'm typing this, we are watching the CMA Music Fest and as he is listening to Kasey Musgraves, he is singing back to her "Hey - ah - aay."

Tickling the ivories with his cousins

Eating - picky, picky and more picky this month. It always seems like he eats better for everyone else but us. We've had lots of tantrums over dinner - tossing food off his tray, mashing it on his tray and pushing it off the edges. Some days he will eat something...and the next it's the worst thing ever. BUT we did introduce peanut butter and you wouldn't believe how much he loves it!

Maybe if I made ice cream for him every night.....

Games - He's always been good at correlating the noise to the animal when we ask him "what does a pig say?" "Oink!" Lately, we play a game where I ask him "does a puppy say 'moo'?" and he says, "no mama, cow!" We go through every single animal he knows like this....and he's like "no mama (you silly adult, a puppy doesn't say that!)"

Counting the creamers at breakfast
(can you tell he's saying "twooo" here?)

Potty training - little man has officially begun going in the big boy potty and I love it. Back in May he started telling us "poo poo" and "pee pee" when he had to go...and generally he did just that. Nanny J and I had talked for a long while about it and I just wasn't ready. Finally...finally! I talked to Nick and we decided to give it a shot. And so we are in the midst of potty training little man and he is doing so well! I have to admit there has been many times he's been running around the house nakey lately after going on the big boy potty with his arms stretched in the air, yelling, "I pooo pooooo!" I don't care who you are, that's just cute! :)

Child care - all in one month we have had our last day with nanny J and started a new daycare (more to come on that) - and on both of those days I cried my eyes out. 

Toys - this kiddo was spoiled with a new man kitchen this month and he loves it so much. And while I'm not impressed that it currently resides in our living room and covers up the entire fireplace, I have to say that I love how happy it makes him. And playing with it brings me back to my younger days as well.

This month has been another great one. I absolutely love every minute of our little guy. He is seriously (no, seriously) so smart and lovable and awesome. 

Happy 21 months, little Mango!