From baby to boy...

It's hard to believe, but in just one week, Kaiden will be 18 months old! Can it really be true? It seems like he's been here forever, yet at the same time, seems like he was just born yesterday. That little jaundiced newborn is new a full fledged toddler, clamoring up the stairs, eating everything in sight, and talking more than I thought one person ever could!

His distinct personality and tastes shine through every day, and each moment he becomes more and more his own being, a little boy no longer reliant on his Mommy for every nourishment and comfort. Heartbreaking and a blessing, all in one.

His language skills have exploded in the past couple months, and now sports a vocabulary of well over 60 words, not to mention the assortment of animal sounds and made up noises! He is (usually) wonderful about communicating his wants, though he's not a very patient boy, and can't stand it when you take"too long" to get something!

Reading books is a favorite with him. It's amazing just HOW much he enjoys them! He has his own bookshelf, and daily he pulls every book down, sorting through them to find just the right one. Then it's over to Mommy or Daddy, with a plea of "book?", at which point commences reading the same book as many as 20 times in a single day. Some of his current favorites include "It's Not Easy Being Big", "Maisy's Big Flap Book", and "Mr. Brown Can Moo".

He loves animals, of course! He is his mother's son, after all! Snuggling, harassing, and kissing "Kitty" (otherwise known as Oliver) are common sports around here, and he LOVES helping feed the rats, getting kissed by them, and being tickled by their whiskers. Oftentimes he'll go over to the cage, and ask "wats?", while giving you the biggest puppy dog eyes he can muster.

He's a very smart boy, if I do say so myself! I'm quite proud to say, we still have a very successful nursing relationship. He's learned manners, and to ask when he wants milk, and when he's finished he'll proudly state "Aw dun!", and pull my shirt back down! haha He loves table food as well, it's absolutely amazing how much food this boy can pack away! I swear, there are days he eats more than I do!

Last but not least, he's already showing some interest in potty learning! It's a bit bittersweet, and the thought of not having any cute cloth diapered bum in the house makes me a bit melancholy. Hopefully he doesn't learn *too* quickly! ;) He was doing amazingly well last week, and had one day where he didn't have a single wet diaper while he was awake! Unfortunately, he's a bit under the weather this week, so the potty has taken a back seat for the moment. I'm sure having those four new molars isn't making him feel cheery either, but hopefully he'll feel better soon and be back to his normal crazy self. In the meantime, there's lots of snuggling and cuddling going on, which is quite a nice change!