Ash - 22 months

Reading to Superbear :)

Finding Goldbug in Cars & Trucks & Things That Go

Physical development:  I've gotten quite good at climbing up on the furniture and usually don't need any help getting up anymore (unless I'm particularly tired).  I've been spending a lot of my time the past few weeks playing outside with my construction toys.  I'll spend 30+ minutes outside by myself just focused on digging and scooping and dumping the dirt.  Mommy says she wants to get me a sandbox to dig in instead of the spots where the grass isn't growing.  Unfortunately the time change means that the sun goes down earlier, so it gets pretty cold in the evenings, but I still want to go out and play.

Playing in the dirt till my hands turned red from the cold

Verbal development:  I continue to excel at expressing myself.  Right now I'm loving reading Richard Scarry's Cars & Trucks & Things That Go every day.  We just checked it out from the library, but I heard daddy telling mommy we should probably buy it b/c I can spend an hour a day looking at it.  I love to find Goldbug on each page and name all the vehicles I see.  I've started singing songs, especially the ones I hear every day as part of my bedtime routine.  The other day I sang "You Are My Sunshine" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Baa Baa Black Sheep" for mommy in the car.  I'm also developing strong opinions about things.  I picked out a very cute hat when we went shopping for cold-weather gear, don't you think?

After we finally got hat and gloves so I won't freeze when I play outside

Other developments:   I've also started to get really affectionate.  I like to initiate snuggles and hugs and kisses every day, and mommy & daddy are loving it!

Playing outside with Ryker

Routines:   I don't remember if I told you about climbing out of my crib or not, but this month we've spent a lot of time getting me settled and used to my "toddler bed" with the rail off the front.  I have new Cars2 sheets and a dump truck blanket that has to be snuggled with me in bed too.  Mommy & daddy are patiently teaching me to stay in bed when it's time to sleep and even helping me to drift off at naptime so I'll get my rest.  Also, though we've fallen into a comfortable normal with Ryker, his mommy got a promotion and they're going to be moving to Boulder at the end of the year, so we're trying to enjoy our last month with him before he moves.

Snuggling with Aunt Chellie

Special events: Halloween was awesome!  Mommy made me a backhoe costume; with a shirt she found in my closet, jeans, my brown "boots", and a hard hat (with one of my hats taped inside to make it fit my head), I looked just like a construction worker.  I had so much fun trick-or-treating in our neighborhood; everyone said how cute I was, and I had great manners saying "thank you" to everyone who put candy in my bucket.  Then it got too cold and my hands started to hurt so we went home and I got to eat some SweeTarts.  Yummy!  Then after I went to bed, mommy went to pick Aunt Chellie up at the airport and we got to spend a couple days with her.  She brought me some awesome presents (including a new Truck book!!) and I enjoyed snuggling and reading with her.  I think mommy might have enjoyed her visit even more than I did! :)

Wearing my backhoe costume, ready to go trick-or-treating

My favorites: I ask mommy and daddy to play me What Does The Fox Say at least once a day.  I'd listen to it all day long if I had a choice.  It's definitely my favorite thing right now.  And like I said, I'm loving Cars & Trucks & Things That Go lately too.

Enjoying the "fruits" of my labor on Halloween

Upcoming:  On Saturday we're having Thanksgiving dinner with Aunt Lindsey & Elijah & baby Isaiah.  I can't wait for all the good food mommy & Aunt Lindsey have planned.  Then on Sunday evening, Papa & Lola fly in for a short visit.  They were supposed to come longer, and we're all bummed they had to cut their trip short, but we're going to pack all the fun and lovin' into 4 days that we can.  We're going to decorate the house and tree for Christmas and have our own little early Christmas celebration before they leave.  I can't wait to give them lots of hugs and kisses!

Crazy morning hair!

Ash - 21 Months

Now at 21 months and one year ago at 9 months

Physical development: I've been working hard at climbing up on things this month.  I love to pull myself onto the couch or a bench, or anything low enough for me to get onto.  Mommy keeps reminding me to sit (not stand) so that I'm safe, and I've had very few spills.  I've also enjoyed going to the park and being able to do more than just run around the mulch.

Playing with daddy at the slide park

Verbal development: I am constantly talking up a storm.  I still haven't figured out my pronouns yet.  I think mommy is I/me/my and that I'm you/your.  I generally refer to myself in the third person b/c that's easier for now. 

A playdate with Ryker and Nathan

Other developments: My canines are mostly out, but they still push and cause discomfort from time to time.  I love to chew on my burpie some days to relieve the pressure.

Parallel play with Ryker

Routines:  We have settled into our routine with Ryker, and I'm getting pretty good at playing and sharing.  I'm learning to wait my turn and trade toys. 

"Driving" a tractor at Miller Farms

Special events: This month I got to do the most exciting thing!  We took a long drive to Miller Farms and got to see antique tractors, monster trucks, and all kinds of machines.  We took a trailer ride out into the fields and got to harvest our own vegetables.  I helped mommy & daddy gather onions, potatoes, and carrots.  I ate a (dirty) carrot, a sweet chili pepper, and a whole ear of corn on the ride; I was hungry!  It was such a fun time, I asked to go back before we even got home.  I love to go back and look at the pictures from the trip.

Standing on the excavator tracks at Miller Farms

My favorites: I've been enjoying reading books a lot this month.  I love getting a new batch of books from the library and picking new favorites.  Right now I'm enjoying an old favorite, Pete & Pillar, and a new Seuss book called Scrambled Eggs Super.  I've also borrowed a truck from my friend Nathan, and I take it everywhere.

Reading Yummy Yucky to Nathan's blue tow truck

Daddy's favorites:  On the weekends daddy gets me up and dressed, and we go downstairs to watch a couple shows together.  My favorite is Mighty Machines, so most Saturday & Sunday mornings you'll catch us together watching a couple episodes and eating cereal on the couch.  It's pretty much the only time I watch any TV.

I woke up from a nap fussy and tired, so daddy got some snuggles

Mommy's favorites: Mommy loves the way I say things.  She's posted a couple of the funniest ones on FB, like my comment about her empty feet or her eyes covered in water.  It's always interesting to hear how my little brain perceives things.

Playing with daddy's hat

Upcoming:  This Halloween I'm going to dress up in a home-made backhoe costume, so that should be fun.  Also, that night Aunt Chellie is coming to visit for a couple days.

Me with Lightning & Mater @ Miller Farms

Ash - 20 Months

Combing my hair for pictures

Mom wanted to be in denial about this one.  For some reason the big TWO-OH hit her harder than some of the other ones.  She's already started thinking about how soon I'll be turning two years old.  It's also been busy with Ryker around, so there hasn't been much time for pictures, so you get just pics from just a few scattered days and Superbear pics in pj's.  But to me this was just another month full of learning and growing and fun.  Let me catch you up!

Sweaty head from playing outside in the hot sun

Size:  I'm too tall for basically all my 12 mo pants, though a few of them still fit my waist.  Mom pulled out a bunch of 18 mo pants/shorts and 24 mo onesies (which snap very loosely yet, but fit well through the trunk and give lots of room for my cloth diapers).

Parking my cars in the "garage"

Physical development:  I'm continuing to work on my gross motor skills, climbing onto couches and chairs that are low enough for me.  I'm constantly working on walking and love to walk on uneven surfaces like grass and mulch and landscaping rocks.  I practice stairs every day and can take them slowly while "hanging onto" the wall, but prefer to go faster hanging onto mommy's hand.  My fine motor skills are awesome.  I've had fun with stickers and crayons, and I've been enjoying practicing putting the blocks on my wooden train and especially hitching my car transporter trailer to the big rig.  But one of my very favorite activities is to go outside and play with my digging toys and construction vehicles; I love playing in the dirt!

Digging in the front yard

Verbal development:  I'm starting to learn to recite my numbers 1-10 and my letters from hearing songs.  I am very specific and usually use descriptive words in my sentences.  I have started whining more often and mommy is always telling me she can't understand me.  I am naturally good at "using my words" when I'm unhappy with what someone is doing, so that makes life a little easier for my parents and caregivers.

Other developments: I've finally cut all my canines.  With a whole mouth full of teeth, mommy thinks I look like a big boy.  I'm just glad to finally be able to eat/chew well again, though I'm still chewing on my burp cloth a lot.  You can see my chapped cheek in some pics from where I'd been chewing and drooling constantly.

See my chapped cheek? Glad to have canines

Routines:  We're getting settled into our day-to-day with Ryker and he's getting used to us and our routines, so we're just excited to have a friend to grow and play with.  Mommy got a gym membership when she got her new nanny job, so I've been spending time a few days a week in the kids' area at the gym.  I like playing with the lawn mower and trucks in the toddler area.  Mommy has been working really hard the past week or two to get me to sleep at nap time b/c I hit the point where I was sleeping about once a week and getting pretty cranky by bedtime.  Now I'm sleeping more than 50% of the time with lots of "torture" from mom to lull me to sleep.

Sharing my toys with Ryker

Special events: Well, it's not exactly a "special event", but our basement flooded this week, so we've had big noisy fans drying out all the moisture.  We had the plumber out to visit too, and he drove a cool big purple box truck.  Otherwise it's been a pretty low-key, ordinary busy month with head colds and doctor visits and trying to get settled into a routine with Ryker.

My favorites: We've checked out some books from the library by an author named Linda D. Williams about various construction vehicles, so I've started tacking her name onto everything I say - "Ash is eating breakfast by Linda D. Williams" or "Mommy clean my hands by Linda D. Williams".

I love digging at the "sand park"

Upcoming: This upcoming month is pretty bland with no special company visiting or anything, but at the end of October Aunt Chellie is coming to visit, then in November Lola & Papa come to visit, then in December is Christmas and the Moriarty clan visiting, and January I turn TWO, so I've got plenty of excitement to get ready for.  I'll check in with you again in a month or two.

This is my favorite t-shirt

Ash - 19 mos

This month mommy didn't have time for the regular blog post, but we have LOTS of pictures to share that will give you a glimpse into what I've been doing this month.  Don't worry, we'll be back next month with the regular monthly update.

We had a couple picnics and played at the park with our friends Nathan & Corrina

I got my first haircut

I'm starting to pretend play more and more often

I had my first pizza - spinach, mushrooms & beef - and LOVED it

I've been enjoying drawing with sidewalk chalk - even on my face!

We went to Uncle Mark & Aunt Melissa's to play with Arianna...

...and meet baby Ethan

I put on daddy's socks one night and had loads of fun & laughs

We got these tools with Pop-pop last month, but had a blast really breaking them in after a rain shower

I enjoyed dumping the damp dirt on my pants

I've been getting better at walking and like to practice in my boots

We finally said goodbye to almond milk and dove headlong into dairy

I like to help mommy in the kitchen...

...and with all the chores

I put on daddy's jacket one night after small group - sleepy slap-happy

And wore mommy's Stitch hat

I continue to be very affectionate, especially with stuffed animals

We went to America the Beautiful park w/Mrs. Jordan & Autumn and played in the water

Proof that Mrs. Jordan really was with us :)

I fell out the back door and scraped my face and bonked my head on the concrete patio...

...but I didn't let it phase me!

Mrs. Cassandra came to visit from Spokane

Mommy painted my toe nails red after she & Cassandra got back from their pedicure

We introduced Mrs. Cassandra to Chick-fil-A...

...and took her to the zoo to feed the giraffes

Additional excitement this month - I have started to quote/sing lyrics from songs I know, and even change the words for fun just like my daddy does.  Also, mommy got a new nanny job, so starting next week I'll have a friend two months younger than me to play with every weekday morning.  I can't wait!  See you next month for the usual Superbear check-in!