20 month milestones

We have finally entered the twenty something digits as far as months. So that in and of itself is a HUGE milestone for us. No more teen months to be counting around here, but we welcome the twenty's with open arms-I think. :) When looking at the current month, I am always in awe of the new accomplishments and learning that has taken place over the course of just one month. With each month comes so many things I feel I take for granted and I am trying more and more to praise Elem for the littlest things he seems to learn. I really do not want to miss any tiny piece of his child hood and LOVE seeing him learn to do more and more literally every single day. This past month I have tried a newer, or better approach to every day activities. Working with kids every day can be draining and it makes it a little harder to tend to your child's every need while he is with you at work, and I feel like I have been "missing" some of what he has been needing from me. The biggest adjustment for us this month would be Elem's neediness for me. He is really being a mommy's boy lately and is needing to be reassured that I am there for him and that it is okay to go and do things while mommy sits back and watches you-or more so works. In an attempt to better the situation and save some tears from my baby boy, I have really been trying to overly assure him that I am right here every single day, and when I am here, I am really "here for him. He doesnt have to "hold you" as he likes to say, every second that he realizes I am not paying attention to him. So while at school I have really been making the effort to talk to him more so from across the room, give him extra hugs and kisses, and most of all praise him for all the little things he does throughout the day. Some of those things would include picking up toys, helping me with something, doing his art project, sitting in his chair or on the carpet, etc. It really seems to be working and giving him the security that he needs. So I hope this continues and he slowly realizes that even though I am not holding him, I am right there, and if I am not where he can see me, I will be back to get him-thus minimizing his neediness. :)


Now onto the milestones:
Stats:
Weight: 29 lbs 8 oz
Height: 39 inches tall!!!!
Teeth: 16 total-the upper eye teeth finally made there way fully, and the lower ones are almost done!
Shoe: 7 and 1/2
Diapers: size 5

Physically:
-can go up and down stairs with ease (for the most part)
-officially can climb to the top of the Chick-Fil-A playground! haha this is a big step. :)
-turns in a circle while stomping one foot
-tries to jump on 2 feet-but it kind of looks like a skip
-kicks balls
-shoots in the basketball goal over and over and over
-opens and closes doors on his own
-rolls sideways on the floor
-hits balls with a bat (like a tee ball or a ball on the ground)
-helps with dressing-takes off own socks, and tries to do his shirts, pants, and diapers
-jumps up and down on his bed and our bed
-pees in the potty when you put him there when he is already in mid pee :)
-washes his body with soap, and tries to wash his hair, washes his hands well
-brushes teeth on his own-pretty well


Mentally:
-recognizes different cars-mommy's, daddy's, grammy's dustin's, etc.
-loves to sing songs, or really hear me sing them
-knows the color green
-counts to 5
-recognizes letters as "ABCs"
-sings A, B, C, D and nods to the rest of the song, letting out a few grunts here and there
-tries to do puzzles but really needs help to do any of them
-speaks in 5-6 word sentences on average. For example: "I wan go bye bye sissy house"
-loves to imitate-constantly doing whatever mommy and daddy are doing such as vacuuming, scrubbing toilets, wiping up messes, throwing trash away, rocking a baby, etc.
-learns about 10 new words a day
-associates people with names-and knows his name
-refers to himself as Elem when speaking (rather than me), for example: thats Elem's bankmey) (blankey)
-says please and thank you all the time, often tells himself thank you before you can even get the words out
-knows the following body parts and says them by name and points to them: hair, head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, tongue, teeth, cheeks, chin, hands, toes, belly button, tummy, and bottom (he calls it a bo bo)
-acknowledges every boo boo and wants you to kiss them all the time

Top 10 likes (not including mommy and daddy)
10. The vacuum
9. Big trucks (real life or books)
8. Playing outside and on the playground
7. Sage (petting her, playing with her, talking to her, getting on to her, or feeding her)
6. Water play of any kind (in the bath tub, with cups, pouring, washing hands, all of them)
5. Basketbal (or really balls in general)
4. Barney and Backyardagains (they tie)
3. Sissy (Cecilia is one of his most favorite things)
2. Sippy Cup (juice)
1. Blankey

-The blankey is the most prized possession around our house these days. He has been slowly becoming more and more attached to it, and we pretty much have to take it everywhere with us. We take it in the car, to school, to grammy and poppas, most trips into stores, and always always always at bed time. Elem tends to hold his blankey very tight and cuddle with it near his face. At the other end he rubs the blankey between his thumb and pointer and middle finger. It really seems to comfort and calm him. And is so adorable to see his attachment to it. He is very independant and wants to do things on his own, but never turns away the blankey no matter the time of day. So sweet.


Dislikes:
-most vegetables. still a picky eater like mommy, and is showing no signs of expanding his diet
-washing his hair in the bath tub (this is new for us-he used to love getting his head wet, but no more!)
-getting his hands dirty
-changing his diaper-still doesnt like this, but getting better at it.
-the dark-pretty much scared of the dark and needs a light on when he goes to bed
-his socks on when he sleeps-he hates this! He has to have them off every single time he naps or goes to bed
-new teachers at school-not big on change in his environment and doesnt like new people
-riding in the basket at Walmart and Target-this is an annoying one! He wont stay in the basket for more than 10 minutes at a time.
-showers-no way with the showers-he doesnt like the water hitting him from above


Elem's Favorite phrases:or rather most common phrases he speaks around my house:
" Top it now!"-stop it now, I think he got this one from me-oops!
"Go get it mommy/daddy"
"I wan my bankmey, juice"-I want my blankey and my cup
"I wan go bye bye sissy house" I want to go bye bye to sissy's house
"comeon" come on
"I wan boots, ead it" I want a book, read it
"gud gurl mommy/sage" good girl mommy, and good girl sage-usually referring to sage going potty outside, or mommy going potty in the potty (I must over due the god jobs at school)
"I wan eat eat" I want to eat
"daddy ball, mommy ball, 2 pnts"-here is daddy's ball, here is mommy ball, shoot for 2 points
"I wan go night night mommy bed" I want to go night night on the couch with mommy

This month is for sure the most verbal month we have had thus far. Sometimes when I hear Elem speak I want to laugh out loud at what is coming out of his mouth, and others I want to kick myself for saying some of the things he is repeating! The fact that he can repeat, go get in time out, makes me think I say it too much, as well as go get in the kitchen which is another phrase I use for a time out spot. But on the other hand, to hear him say please and thank you with every single sentence or good girl or good boy, or good job, makes me proud that he has picked those up from us. So it goes both ways. This month has been really hard and I feel like Elem has tested me so much,. This is by far the hardest month we have had, and I have felt myself questioning everything choice I make and wondering if I am making all the right decisions. Everything from should he eat candy? all the way to what time should we let him stay up? to should I really be putting him in timeout? are questions that I sometimes am not sure I have the correct answers too. But all I can do is try, and hope that we are making the right decisions and ones that work best for our family. Elem is still such a sweet natured little boy, wild as ever, and on the move like a mad man. My favorite time these days are when I ask him if he is ready to go to bed, and every single night he answers with, I go night night mommy bed". Which means he wants to snuggle on the couch with mommy and fall asleep. I LOVE this time, although I know it is not the best habit to get into. I love watching him lay there and hand me his cup, turn his head over to the left while he rubs his little blankey and fall right off to sleep. Its amazing. So peaceful and just simply beautiful. Seth's favorite time with Elem is playing basketball on Elem's little goal. This usually occurs early in the morning before Seth can get off to work, and late at night when we get home from school. Elem grabs one specific ball that he calls "daddy's ball" and gives it to seth every single time. Then he grabs another one that he calls 'Elm's ball" and they shoot over and over again, never stopping. It is so adorable to watch them, and occasionally I get included in the madness. But more than anything it is father/son time, and Seth LOVES it. I know he is secretly super excited that Elem already is showing an interest in basketball, and that 8 out of 10 times, he makes the goal. :) Before you know it I will be needing to do my 21 month post, since that day is almost here! Till then, these are the milestones we got!