Carter: 21 Months

 
 Carter Man,
You are TWENTY-ONE MONTHS old today! What?!? Who has control of the remote and why is it pressing fast forward? How can my baby boy be so close to turning two??  I'm just not sure if I'm really ready to have a two year old; would you consider turning back into a six month old?  I would like to start all over again (good thing your sisters are here and I can do that!)

Not only are you almost two years old, you are now officially a big brother! For an entire week now you have had two little sisters, although you don't even truly know it yet.  Daddy and I spent the last week at the hospital so you have been on vacation at PawPaw and Nana's house.  We have shown you pictures and videos of Madeline and Molly, but I'm sure you can't comprehend that these are YOUR babies and will be coming home with us at some point.  We hope to take you up to the NICU right before they come home so you can see them there before you see them at our house.  They would have to bend the rules for us since children under 2 years are not allowed in the NICU, but it's something they are considering for us.  I pray that you embrace your little sisters and love on them like you love on your cousins.

We started ECI this month and you are receiving services for speech, social skills and occupational therapy.  Your OT thinks you have a sensory processing disorder (likely stemming from being premature) so we are working with Dr K to find the right "sensory diet" for you.  Basically they are scripted exercises we will do with you daily to "re-wire" your brain to ensure you are receiving all the input your little busy body needs.  We are also working with your ST to transform your gibberish into English.

Our schedule these days is fairly predictable and you thrive on routine.  We are all also getting so used to your gibberish that we know through your talking and gestures exactly what you are trying to tell us.  If makes our days so much easier, but I am also ready to hear those grunts turn into real words.  You definitely have an opinion about what you want to wear or eat or do, and as soon as you can clearly express all those needs to us we will all be happier people.  And now that I'm off bed rest we will have so much fun actually getting out of the house each day! The weather is starting to get warmer which will allow us to play outside again.  Your favorite place to be is outside and you just run and run all over when we are outside.  We will have to enjoy these precious few weeks of spring while we have them before it gets too hot.

Your eating is getting much pickier, if that's even possible.  You still dislike all meat except chicken nuggets from Chick-fil-A.  You have even started turning your nose up to fruit, which used to be a favorite of yours.  We haven't made any progress in the pasta department, opting instead for any and all bread you can get your hands on.  You love cereal, bread, crackers, pretzels, puffs, muffins and toast.  If it's a carb you will eat it.  Thankfully you still love your milk, yogurt and cheese and sometimes cry when it's all gone.

You are really starting to play well with your cousins.  With Mason you run and tackle and wrestle constantly when you are together.  Y'all are all boy! I'm afraid y'all will get into a lot of trouble together and you may even lead Mason to do things with you that he shouldn't.  You are so fearless and sweet Mason just follows along to whatever you are doing.  With Brooks we are likely to find y'all hugging or reading a book together rather than horse playing.  Y'all still get jealous over toys and sometimes have a hard time sharing, but still really enjoy each others company.  Since she is older she very much loves to mother you and treat you like a baby and you soak it up.  I  hope these relationships only continue to grow closer the older y'all get.

*crossing fingers this next paragraph does not jinx me*
I'm feeling really good about your sleep routine these days.  You wake up in the morning anywhere from 6:45-7:45 and are happy to just roll around in your bed sucking your pacis until I go in to get you.  Typically I go in between 7:30-8:00 and you are always so happy to see me.  At nap time we put some lavender essential oil on the bottom of your feet, put you in bed, kiss your head and walk out of the room.  You will roll around for awhile talking to yourself, sometimes getting up to walk around your room for awhile, but eventually you put yourself to sleep and nap anywhere from 1.5-2.5 hours.  At night Daddy and I have been putting you to bed together and we always let you pick who you want to put you to bed.  You are pretty equal on who you pick each night, usually switching it up from the night before.  At night we put you in bed, say your prayers, and sing a few songs before walking out of the room.  You always wave to us as we leave and I think it's the cutest thing.  Gone are the days where we would rock you and sing to you before you fell asleep.  I'm actually thinking about moving the glider into the girls' room since we don't use it in your room anymore.  I would love for this sleep routine to continue.

Carter Man- thank you for making it so easy to love you.  You are so happy and funny that I honestly miss you when you are sleeping in the next room.  I love being around you and watching you grow and learn.  Your smile is contagious and your laugh is a sound I want to bottle up forever.  We love you to the moon and back.

21-Month Stats:

Weight: 28 pounds

Length: 32ish inches

Eating: sippys of milk, combo of baby and table food, and one snack

Bedtime: around 7:30pm

Awake: around 7:30am

Nap: around 1:00 

Diapers: size 5 Huggies

Clothes: 18-months

Shoes: 5 wide

Favorites: playing outside, anything with wheels, your paci, books, videos on our phones, Cooper
Dislikes: meat, people leaving the room, being in the stroller

Development: communicating 95% of the time even with your limited vocabulary 

Words: I'm starting this list over and dividing it into words you use willingly and words you can say but don't use.

Use daily: up, uh oh, that, yes, no, more

Will repeat: mama, dada, nana, dog, night night, what is that, outside, bye bye, hi, hey, hello, deer, duck, who is that, Nemo, cup, tractor, dump, bucket, blue, all animal sounds, diaper, truck, movie, zip,