So much growth has happened in the last 3 months since Jayden's 18 month update. He is no doubt taller, heavier, and much, much quicker at life! He fills out his 2T clothing well and sometimes I think we may have to jump to 3T shirts by summer to cover his stout self. His talking is nonstop. I guess I had no expectations when it came to talking since every child is different but I just had no idea his vocabulary and ability to talk in full sentences and paragraphs would be happening at 18 and 19 months. He uses Rance and I's exact same expressions and often times I will think ~ "where did he get that from?" only to realize he got it straight from ME or Rance! Yikes!
Some of my favorite things he has said over the last 3 months are:
- "I have an idea!"
- "Mommy, I need coffee too!"
- "I am daddy's buddy!"
- "mommy let's cuddle!" ~ I thought I'd never hear this!
- "Jayden is a strong boy!"
- "we chased that possum up that tree didn't we?"
- "that dog ate that nut didn't he?"
- "I go check trap with daddy."
- "daddy is working with Ben."
- "daddy studying bible with David."
- "where did daddy go?"
- "mommy help Jayden clean up."
- "Jayden put hands in pocket."
- "I want my hood on."
- "Brrrr it's cold I need my toboggan."
- "I need my jacket on."
- "what's she doing?" or "what's he doing?" (he asks this about everyone) OR "who is that?"
- "let's hold hands to pray."
- "I SHOT DAT BEAR DIDN'T I?"
- "I'm gon climb up der (up there)"
- "Where is Jayden's Bible?"
Other fun memories:
- Jayden has a memory for names better than me. He literally can call out everyone's name as we walk into church!
- Speaking of church, HE LOVES BEING AT THE CHURCH HOUSE! He gets so excited and will take off running to the nursery the minute we walk in the door.
- When he first meets someone, he will study them, and within minutes he feels comfortable and his crazy, entertaining side comes out.
He LOVES Jasssss and he LOVES riding the rhino!
His hair gets blonder and blonder! Notice how he holds on :)
HE LOVES MEXICAN FOOD!
He loves tools and can use them well from hammering to drilling, etc.
*He has loved being outside since the day he was born*
He loves to just lay down in the grass, mulch, snow, wherever and GRIN!
Continues to love his sandbox!
He LOVES other kids and THRIVES off being with them!
I think he has seen this done before ;)
Like I said, he copies everything he sees!
He LOVES playing on the top bunk bed!
He has spent a lot of time in the bathroom with his sick pregnant mama these last few months and he plays quite well in there :)
That grin and those teeth!
He loves to watch videos of himself and Wyatt/Josie!
He likes brushing his teeth himself but still will often throw a fit when we tell him we (mommy/daddy) must brush them first. Just ONE example of Mr. Independent/Strong Willed Jayden
Checking the trap every morning with his daddy is a FAVORITE. It's even better when he has caught something :)
He's into guns big time and in the last few weeks has learned to SHOOT IT SO WELL!
This gun was for 6 years and older (from his nanny aka nana) and he can now shoot it like a boss! He'll aim at his stuffed animal bear or sheep or at the deer on the wall and NAIL it!
He loves to throw a ball and that's his classic excited face!
He is a BIG fan of Harley (the dog) and Kelly & Landon & Cody (our neighbors)! We are SO grateful for where we live and these sweet kids!
Yes, we visit the horses almost daily and feed them apples or hay!
Jayden still puts out corn for the squirrels and whatever other animal that desires some corn!
This is a VERY frequent position - Jayden standing in the front of the house staring down at the CRISP business checking out the bulldozer, track-ho, tractor action!
He LOVES his hands in his pocket and wearing his hat like Pa and let's not forget his boots!
Oh just a mud slide fall after not obeying his mama! What a great day to teach a lesson :) Like I said, he learns he best lessons through letting him 'experience' it all!
It's the classic excited face again! He is so proud of himself ha!
We turned his car seat around (before they suggest to which is at 2 years old) because his legs were all scrunched up and boy it wasn't comfortable. WE LOVE him being forward facing and so does he!
He's been using this orange blanket (from RACHEL) since the day he was born! He doesn't have to have it but if he sees it, he loves to 'cuddle' with it!
Always helping daddy every chance he gets!
The playground continues to be a favorite and we are SO pumped about spring weather!
He continues to LOVE eating! We hit a spurt of him not wanting to eat his veggies anymore but being totally into the other stuff (whether meats, potatoes, fruits, pizza, etc.). No veggies means no treat and no more additional food so he is learning to EAT them!
Tangerines have been a new favorite the past couple of months and he can peel them so well!
He loves a biscuit and so does his mama & daddy!
Jayden LOVES exploring in the woods behind our house (which Rance cleared out so well)!
He loves getting big sticks and knocking them against the trees.
He loves water whether in the bathtub, a mud puddle, a bucket of water, or wherever he finds it! He also wants to help do whatever we are doing...
Jayden adores Wyatt, his buddy, his best friend! Everytime we leave the house, he says 'we are going to see Wyatt Josie's (Wyatt and Josie - brother/sister)'
He loves to read his bible and will ask for it or go grab it when he sees us reading ours first thing in the mornings.
His serious, observant face!
and another...this is him watching someone else or something else and CLEARLY checking things out...
he does this face often and people think he's mad and he's just observing and literally taking in everything in that little brain ~ maybe this is one reason he learns so quickly?
He LOVES to sit on the kitchen counter - maybe b/c Rance and I do as well - and he loves to play in the canisters! Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do when it's time to cook!
Meet his best friends, Wyatt & Josie!
Meet the WILD child! Cannot take my eyes off of him...
Swinging from the sunroof in my car!
Picking flowers!!!
LOVES helping!
One thing I don't want to forget about Jayden: He does NOT like to be forced to do anything. He has never liked when people grab a hold of him and squeeze him or anything that makes him feel restricted. BUT when he has a CHOICE to hug or a CHOICE to give sugies - HE LOVES TO GIVE THEM OUT! I have learned to ask him if someone is leaving "Jayden would you like to give such and such a hug?" If he doesn't want to, I never want him to feel FORCED to hug - b/c hugging is not a requirement to LOVE well! The funny thing is - most of the time he will run to the person leaving and say "I NEED A HUG ____" when he feels free to give without being forced! It's a beautiful thing to watch!
Still loves swinging except now he wants to swing in a big swing ALONE (yikes)! He's already learned when he lets go he hits the ground :)
Jayden's nanny (Nana who he renamed) got him this new table and he LOVES sitting at it!
That's probably enough for now!!!
