18 months

Crew and I have a pretty solid routine. We have always had a good routine going since Crew was  about 6 weeks old but every few months our routine changes due to feedings and nap times. However, Crew has been going on one nap for about 8 months now and daily life--when we are home--is simply fun and Crew is constantly making me laugh. Our day looks something like this:

7:30 -- Crew wakes up

8:00 -- I wake up and get him out of his crib--it is a guilty pleasure

Then Crew will sometimes come in our room and watch Mickey Mouse Club house for 20-30 minutes while I continue to wake up and Adam gets ready for work.

8:45 -- Breakfast. Instant oatmeal with fruit and sometimes an egg (Crew loves scrambled eggs) while I have a green smoothie and piece of whole wheat toast.

9:00--11:00 we play trucks (dutchs), cars (caaar), read books (boo) while sitting in his big plush bear, and at some point early in the morning play time Crew brings me his shoes (suues). He is really specific about what shoes he wants to wear and when he wants them put on. He will often put Adam or my shoes on. And I can always count on Crew playing with a ball throughout the day

Adam is not proud of this..or of his playing with a pink and purple phone (it is his cousins)

11:30 -- We eat lunch. First on the high chair tray is cheerios. Then comes the grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, or mini corn dogs along with yogurt and/or fruit. He likes to place his food in a bowl and then take it out again. He goes to the fridge and panty and tries to open it up when he is hungry of thirsty. He just started to fold his arms and bow his head to pray. It is so cute.

12:00 -- Nap time. He sleeps for 1 1/2 hours almost to the minute. He likes me to hold him upright so he can lay his head on my left shoulder, tuck his hands in between our bellies, and I sing him a song until he yawns or falls asleep on my shoulder. His sleep patterns are very predictable.

1:30 -- Crew wakes up. I know he woke up because I can hear him banging his feet against his crib railing while he lays on his back. Thump thump thump. I walk in to get him and the first thing he says is "ball" (ball-a) followed by "momma" or "daadin"  (dad) and then he points to a ball or the picture of Adam and I in his room. He is very good a pointing to want he wants. 

2:30 -- Crew plays with his toys or runs in circles till he falls while I usually check up on stuff on the computer and then we run errands (ie: grocery store, bank, target, costco--the usuals). While in the car Crew just started to sing to himself. At first I thought he was just babbling but he is actually singing.

5:00 -- Adam comes home and Crew meets him at the garage door as he says over and over again "daadin"

Evening -- Adam and Crew play while I make dinner or try and throw something, other than cereal, together for dinner. Crew loves to play with his daddy. The wrestle and play catch. Crew has recently gotten really good at catching the ball so they literally are "playing catch".Then I feed Crew dinner because Adam doesn't like too.

6:00 -- Dinner. Crew is usually starving by this time. He eats what we are eating for dinner. However, he almost always has broccoli and/or cauliflower with his dinner. He loves broccoli and cauliflower. It makes me feel like a good parent because he likes those veggies but I had nothing to do with it really. He just likes it. Hallelujah!

This is a new look Crew gives us--charming

6:45 -- Pajamas. When we pull out the jammies Crew runs for it in attempts to get us to chase him. He likes us to scare him and chase him around as he laughs and claps his hands. Eventually, we tackle him down and he laughs as we put on his cozy jammies. He likes to help us get him ready to bed by pulling his diaper off.

7:00 -- We read books as we sit in the Crew's giant teddy bear. Crew picks a book I read it and he turns the pages. Then he gets another book and we continue like this for about 20 minutes.

7:30 -- Crew goes to bed. We brush his teeth. Crew loves to suck the toothpaste off the toothbrush, and then we give him a drop of fluoride. He sometimes cries but often just snuggles into us while we sing him songs and say a prayer good night.

He is our little buddy and we love him. 18 months is a milestone and I think it may be the last of the monthly update posts that I do for Crew until he is 24 months.

Current list of words: Mom or Momma, Dad, ball, go, dog, truck, car, bird, bathtub, button, shoe, whoof, don't, stop, no, weeee, bye bye, yum, uh oh, grandpa (bapa), more, hot, oweie, moo, football, down, duck, quack, poop, cocoa, Balloon, Broom