Theo at 18 Months.

(I never did a year post and this is almost a month late, but I want to remember some stuff about this delightful second son of mine!)

He’s funny and assertive and friendly. When we walk down the sidewalk and someone passes us, he stops and smiles and waves. Even the coolest hipster usually cracks and smiles back.

He licks our cheek as a puppy kiss because it makes us laugh. (Thankfully, he gives real kisses on command, as well.)

If he wants something, he doesn’t hesitate to make his desires known. He doesn’t talk much, but he can still communicate surprisingly effectively. Sometimes it involves shrieking and pulling a toy out of Gabe’s hands. (He’s lucky Gabe is the most patient brother there ever was.) Usually, it involves pulling our hand over or incessantly pointing and saying, “up!”

We always call him Curious George. He’s climbs onto everything – including the table and a stool. He often unrolls entire rolls of toilet paper. He throws things down the stairs and plunges his hands into your glass of water and has broken 6 ceramic dishes in the past 3 months. He’s determined and focused and I think that will serve him later in life.

He doesn’t eat very much – but his favorite foods are tofu stir fry, Cheerios, and anything chocolate. I think he’s average, size-wise, maybe a little skinny but tall.

He loves us all so much – but is especially fond of my dad and me. Me mostly because I still provide the milk, I think. He wakes up in the morning and often asks for “Dada?” He calls both Mike and Gabe Dada, so this is confusing. (He just learned how to say Grandpa: Merry Christmas, Dad.)

We joke that he’s going to learn how to ride a bike before Gabe – he’s just so physical and confident in his physicality. There’s zero timidness or fear for this kid unless he’s in the shower. The shower makes him scream and shake, poor bud.

It surprises me how quickly his babyhood has gone – his clothes will no longer have months on them soon! The whole experience of motherhood the second time around has been so different – there’s less time to savor when it’s not just one kid, I think.

I feel like we’re just getting to know him, really. His personality is emerging and I think we’re in for a treat – this kid has a BIG personality.

He and Gabe adore each other – but Theo has been more interested in clinging to me lately. I have to hold him while I do everything – from cook dinner to put makeup on. Otherwise, he follows me around whining like a puppy dog. Clinger. Gabe is sweet and persistent and truly like a third parent. So helpful.

Like I said, he doesn’t speak much, but says stuff like up, Mama, Dada, out, Hi, night night, Grandpa, Cheerio, uh oh, this, shoes, etc. And signs eat, more, all done, thank you. His favorite way of communicating, though, is to sit back and have us ask him “Do you want this?” about everything ever while he says yes or no. It’s not exhausting at all.

(Neither is the fact that he’s still waking up once a night because I’ve been too lazy to re-sleep train him.)

For Gabe, I did a video for each year the first few years of his life. For Theo, he’s gotten nada. So he doesn’t get jealous in 10 here, here are 2 minutes of Theo from the past 6 months, aka: Everything Toddlers Do is So Damn Cute.