Life with a 21 month old is interesting, to say the least. And before Bradley hits 22 months in another week (a few days, now that this blog got delayed), I wanted to document his milestones, and our daily routine at this point since I haven't done that in a while. So bear with me as this is a long post mostly for me, so I can remember everything about this age.
I rarely have use for an alarm clock as Bradley normally wakes me up every morning somewhere between 7 and 7:30am. We eat breakfast together not too long after getting up, and Bradley now exclaims "Cha Cha" for Chandler, and asks for juice by name. A typical breakfast for us is fruit and cereal. Mondays and Fridays we go to mommy & me stroller classes, and for the past 6 weeks we've had toddler story time at the library on Tuesdays, but now that's over until the fall. Kindermusik is on Thursday mornings. We play inside, go out back and blow "buh-boos" (bubbles), eat lunch, and then Bradley naps from 1-4pm. This is when I get the bulk of my housework and emailing done, as well as showering! When B gets up from his nap he usually has a snack- animal crackers, goldfish, or fruit snacks- his favorite- although now he also knows the word for cookie, and so he stands in front of the appropriate cabinet asking for them by name. (See, there's a positive and a negative to his vocuabulary exploding)
He watches Sesame Street in the mornings, and there are certain segments he does not like, and certain ones that he does (Elmo!). In the late afternoon when I'm trying to start on dinner is when I usually give into the "momo" requests, and let him watch an Elmo dvd so I can cook. We give baths every other night, and the bedtime routine commences at 7:30 getting into pjs, brushing teeth, and reading books, with lights out at 8pm.
Bradley is a stubborn little boy who does Not want to stop what he's doing to come and get dressed or have his diaper changed. It frustrates me to no end to wind up in a battle over something as simple as getting his shoes on so we can leave, but I guess in his little world, that's about all he has to assert his independence over. I try to stay cheery when I'm making my requests, and then when that doesn't work (when, not if), I count to three, and then after that, he gets a swat on the bottom. I will ask Bradley, do you want a spanking? And he shakes his head and says no, and then I respond with, then come here! Sometimes this works. Sometimes not, and I have to follow through with my threat.
In the past week or so, Bradley's learned the phrase "I dooit" which means he wants to do something himself- mostly brush his teeth, or feed himself, so I let him! Below is the first time I let him feed himself an entire cup of yobaby yogurt.
Snug as a bug in a slanket! I bundled him up to watch Sesame Street on one particularly chilly morning.
B still has his buddah belly, and weighs 28 pounds. We haven't started potty training although we do have his little potty sitting out and sit him on it from time to time when he shows interest. Bradley loves to wave bye bye to people and cars, and even the excrement in the toilet. He repeats everything now, and is learning to count. He can throw a ball in the air and catch it, which other people say is amazing for a toddler his age. He still doesn't sing, which discourages me a little, but I know he loves music, so I know he will come around. I can't believe my little guy is quickly approaching two!
