Eighteen Months (Oliver's Monthly Photo)

Ohhh Oliver.  He's fully a year and a half now.  Such a little boy.  The only "baby-ness" left is his predilection for the pacifier and bottle and the sweet cuddles after nap time. 

He's been wanting to sit on the potty lately -- a lot.  He'll actually sit there for quite a while before deciding he's done.  We have no successes to date, but lots of good tries and practice time sitting on the potty.

His vocabulary has tripled -- he now has mama, juice, and dada.  Actually, juice could hardly be recognized by anyone who doesn't know Oliver pretty well.  It kind of sounds like "dutch."  But when you repeat back to him, "you want juice?"  he gets this enormous, relieved grin on his face.  He loves juice.  Actually it's water with a tiny splash of juice in it, but still...



He loves playing with the little wooden train set.  He can sit by himself for quite a while, making choo-choo sounds and running the little magnetic trains over the wooden tracks.  He also really loves playing with the play food toys.



He loves books.  Loves them.  I get a book shoved in my face or onto my lap at least 10 times/day (by him alone) and often more.  He can identify most construction equipment and vehicles and loves being asked, "Okay, where's the..." type questions.



He loves to sign baby.  The extent of his adoration of Charlie is only bested by Lucy's.  He loves holding Charlie, patting his back, and kissing him on the top of the head.  He gets very distressed if Charlie is crying. 



He's getting better and better on his scooter.  He loves riding back and forth on the sidewalk in front of our house along with the "big kids." 



He doesn't really "get" peanut-butter play dough yet.  He doesn't seem to get the play part of it.  But he loves eating it.  The big kids play with cookie cutters, straws, and popsicle sticks while he just munches away at his pile of play dough until it's gone.



He loves tumbling with the kids when they're practicing their gymnastics and dance moves.  He loves jumping off the furniture and back and forth from the ottoman to the couch.  He loves putting his head on the floor and waiting for a little boost to complete his front roll.  In imitation of the big kids, he stands up at the end and puts his hands above his head--like, ta-daaaa!


Oliver, you are smart and spunky and funny and rambunctious!  We love you and have had such fun playing with you and cuddling you and teaching you everything a spunky 18-month old should know.