The Developing Imagination--20 months

I intend to post more about imagination development and how to encourage it among children, but for right now, I just have to post how Josiah's and my pretend play went Saturday.

Josiah: Night night.  Lays down with a blanket and pillow.
Mommy: Goodnight.  I'll see you in the morning.
J: Gets up and waves bye.
M: Bye.  Where are you going?
J: Signs work.
M: Oh, you're going to work.  Where do you work?
J: Baaa. (Meaning he's going to go take care of the sheep like Daddy does.)
M: Have a good day.  I'll see you when you get home.
J: Gives Mommy a kiss and starts to walk away.  Signs car.
M: Are you going to drive your car to work?
J: Yep.
M: I think your keys are in your toy box.
J: Looks through toy box and finds keys.  Waves bye.  Walks to door and puts key in safety knob hole and turns it.  Comes back to living room and waves hi.
M: Hi!  Are you home from work?
J: Yep.
M: How was your day?
J: Good.

This scenario is repeated over and over throughout our play time.  Sometimes he has a shoe on before going to "work."  Sometimes he "leaves" for work, gets partway and comes back to give me a kiss before heading off again.  Sometimes he chooses to drive to work on his play motorcycle.  I love watching his pretend play develop into this first stage of imagination where play is all about mimicry.  We're going to have a lot of fun times ahead.

2 months

Jonathan at 2 months!

My Stats:

Length: 23.25” (50^th percentile)

Weight: 12 lbs. 2 oz. (35^th percentile)

Shoe Size: 0

Clothing Size: 0-3 months

I have 0 teeth!

 

Some of my favorites:

Book: whatever Brother is reading and especially if Grandma Joi is reading it

Food: breastmilk

Toy: I just like to look at stuff

Activity: talking to my family

Song: “You Are My Sunshine”

Game: tickles

Accomplishments:

·         rolling from my tummy to my back—three times for Dad on the couch and three times for Mom on the floor
·         smiling
·         cooing
·         holding head up

 

Mama’s Favorites:

I love when you have to take a break from nursing to look at me and talk.  I love to hear what you have to say and see your smiles.  You are my happy, that’s for sure.  Your smile starts in your eyes.  Even before your mouth could do it, your eyes would smile and now that your mouth can smile I can still tell that you are smiling even if I can’t see it just by looking at your eyes.

 

Life’s Funniest Moments:

Josiah loves you so much and just wants to take care of you so badly.  He tries to wipe off your mouth and give you your pacifier.  He smothers you with kisses.  He really wants to give you five, knucks and noggins.  He’s been trying to teach you how to give knucks and blow it up.  When you are on your blanket he gets right down there with you.  He waves when we tell him to talk to you.  I have to laugh when he tries to take you from me so that he can hold you.  You just look at him and smile and coo.  I think you love him just as much.

 

Chilln' with Unc!

Memorable moments:

·       Our first church service in our new building
·       First Down Home BBQ at the farm
·       Farming Tuesdays
·       First 4^th of July (you slept)
·       Celebrating both Daddy’s and Mommy’s birthdays

19 months

19 Months!

My Stats:

Height: 31.5”

Weight: 24 lbs. 11 oz.

Shoe Size: 5

Clothing Size: 18 months

I have 12 teeth!

Words: Daddy, Mama, Grandma, thanks, Yep, Yesh, NO! (complete with adamant hand wave), more, apple, banana, moo, baa, up, ummm, good, e-i-e-i-o, itsy bitsy, Amen, good, mmmm, cockatoo and emu (after mom)

Signs: more, down, dog, hungry, water (signed as drink), milk, fish, please, banana, apple, peach, grapes, train, airplane, car, work, Dad, Grandpa, auntie, uncle, yes, no, rain, cold, hot, baby, brother, bird, sorry, shhh, outside, help, rabbit, cat, crying, sleep, cookie, girl, thank you, fly (not the real sign but one he does),

Always on an adventure

Some of my favorites:

Book: any naming type book (pictures with words underneath)

Food: yogurt

Treat: cereal

Toy: kitchen stuff

Activity: going outside, reading

Animal: bird

Song: “Baby Shark”

Game: chase

 
Accomplishments:

·         climbing up onto almost anything
·         running everywhere
·         being a helper with cleaning and carrying things
·         asking to pray by holding hands and bowing your head
·         becoming a big brother
·         weighing choices vs. consequences

 

Mama’s Favorites:
You love your baby brother so much!  You just want to kiss him and hold him and help by giving me his pacifier and picking out his blankets.  You like to rock him in his chair or car seat.  Except when you don’t, and you just want to pull him off the couch or plug his nose or rip the pacifier from his mouth.  Being a big brother means a lot of patience while waiting for Mommy and some shared time which you are not sure you like.  But you always tell me when Baby is crying so we can get him, and you knock on his door now rather than just running into his room, and you are learning that you have strong muscles and he doesn’t yet.  You usually don’t mind sharing my lap with him, especially when he is smiling at you and there is plenty of room for you too.  There will always be room on my lap for the two of you.

Life’s Funniest Moments:
You copy EVERYTHING Daddy does.  The funniest is watching you trying to catch a fly.  We try and get you to do it whenever anyone new is around because it is the cutest thing.  You lean waaaay over with your arms completely outstretched to your sides and slap your hands together quickly.  You know the flies hide behind the curtains and blinds so you always check there.  J  You also know they are yucky and make the face with your tongue sticking out every time!

 

Memorable moments:
·         Meeting your Baby Jonathan for the first time.
·         Teaching Jonathan how to give “knucks” and “blow it up.”
·         The beginning of the repeating everything phase which started with “Oi vey!”

True brotherly love!