18 Months!!!

I took Aiden to his 18 month check up on Thursday.  Wow, I can't believe he will be 2 in 6 months!  That is so hard to believe.  He had a great check up.  The doctor said she is happy with everything he is doing.  The only thing is that he keeps having ear infections.  This is his third round of antibiotics in a month.  She said if it doesn't clear up this time we will go see an ENT and talk about doing tubes.  You really wouldn't even be able to tell that Aiden had ear infections because most of the time he is doing this........

Just running around everywhere!  He is constantly on the go.  He doesn't walk places now, he runs!  Or he is doing this......

Climbing on everything and anything he can.  He even tries to climb up his crib!  He definitely does this all the time.....

Plays with any ball he can find.  When we're in Wal-mart and we go by the section that has all the balls roped off he just starts saying, "Ball, ball, ball, ball" until we put him down to play with them.  Sometimes I try to avoid that section if I'm in a hurry. 

Every day Aiden is doing something new and I need to get better about taking pictures.  It's amazing how much they pick up by just watching you.  These are some things about Aiden and what he's doing these days:

• Weight was 27 pounds (putting him in the 74%)
• Height 32.5 in. (putting him in the 69%)
• And his poor little head was in the 99%!!!!  It just means he's going to be smart.  I was wondering why I have to stretch out the necks on all his shirts when I pull them over his head.  
• He loves to play with any ball (as noted in the picture above) and can even kick the ball around the house.  Maybe he'll be a soccer player.....who knows.
• Loves to feed himself, especially when he is eating yogurt.  He wants no help with anything these days.
• Which brings me to he his trying to be more independent.  When we go to the grocery store or Target or the Mall he wants to run around and not be put in the buggy.  The only problem is that he has one speed and that is to run....fast!  He doesn't know the meaning of "Hold Mommies hand and Stay right HERE!"  So needless to say shopping trips are hard when you are by yourself.  
• Knows exactly what he wants.  He has started pulling us where he wants us.  If he wants to play in his room and wants us to play with him, then he will pull us in there.  I guess he's a man with a plan! 
• Loves to sit in my lap and have me read to him.  
• Loves puzzles, especially those Melissa and Doug ones.  He's getting really good at them, too.
• Loves when it's bath time and he can run around naked!  When we take his clothes off he jets off as fast as he can to the chair and climbs up in it!  This makes me a little nervous because I don't want him to have an accident up there!!!  
• Loves being outside.  I can't wait for the spring to get here so we can go to the park and zoo all the time.  
• He only takes one nap now, but it is anywhere from 2-4 hours!  Those days when he takes four hour naps are nice!
• He loves animals, especially elephants, alligators and lions!  If you ask him what an elephant does he'll lift his arm up like an elephants trunk, then if you ask him what an alligator does he'll clip his hands and say "chomp, chomp", then if you ask him what a lion does he'll open his mouth real wide like he's saying "ROAR".  It's pretty funny.
• Words that he is saying: bye, bye, Dada, Momma, Boo (he can't say Hercules yet. I know SHOCK), ta ta (thank you), blanket (something that sounds like it), ball, and he'll try and repeat anything that we say.  
• Favorite foods: vegetables: lima beans, green beans and broccoli.  Fruits: grapes, oranges, banana's.  Just started drinking out of a straw and he thinks that is pretty funny.  
• He does the sign for please and more and I would like to teach him more signing so I don't always hear the whining!  

We are constantly laughing at what Aiden is doing.  He is so much fun and we feel so blessed to have such a wonderful healthy little boy.  

Yesterday was a cold and rainy day so we got out this tent that my sister had gotten Aiden for Christmas.  I don't know why we haven't gotten it out yet because we've had plenty of cold and rainy days since Christmas.  Who knows!   It's a fire engine tent.  Isn't it so cute.  Aiden was having a blast with it.  

Crawling in the tent.

"Hey Mom look at me!"

He INSISTED that the dogs be in there with him.  

And this made him VERY happy.