today i have an 18 month old

When pre-baby Meghann asked people how old their toddlers were, and they answered something like 19 and a half months, I wrote them off as weird and overbearing. Why not just friggin' say he's a year old? What's with new parents and all the overcalculating?

And now? Now I can tell you that the silly exactness of months is, in fact, meaningful. Because with each aging month, you really are dealing with someone new.

Today, I have an 18 month old.

Eighteen fun facts!

♥ When we ask him how he feels, he says Happy!

♥ He knows before his bath is over, he should put his toys back in the bucket and open the drain to let the water out.

(scroll down and pause the music player before you click Play)

♥ He started eating food instead of just picking. He'll cram strawberries or sauteed spinach into his mouth like they're candy. Other favorite foods? Edamame, apples & spaghetti.

♥ He has a small fear of walking on grass. He feels safer on cement.

♥ He can fit into a booster seat at restaurants.

♥ He waits by the door for his Daddy to come home from work.

♥ He calls his Grandma na-mah and points her out in pictures.

♥ His favorite book is No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed. When I ask him what a monkey says, instead of saying ooh ooh, he points his finger and yells, no more no more no more!

♥ He won't say it, but he knows that signing the word Please will get him pretty much anything.

♥ He drapes clothes, cords, strings, jewelry or fabrics over his head, around his shoulders or around his arm and walks away waving, saying Bye bye.

♥ He just started holding his teddy bear under his arm when he sleeps.

♥ He runs to his Daddy to help him get out of bedtime. He knows Dada will pull him into our bed and let him snuggle.

♥ He makes a hobby out of finding things (lint, dirt, crumbs) to hand us that will get a reaction. His latest? Presenting whatever he can find in his nose.

♥ He yells UH OH! when my phone buzzes or something falls over.

♥ Cats went from a daily obsession to unimpressive toys. He either completely ignores them or tries to throw his ball at them.

♥ After he's done eating and I wipe his hands, he takes the damp paper towel from me and wipes his spot at the table.

♥ He entertains himself in the grocery cart by waving at every single person who walks by. When people see him waving and ignore him, I tell him not to worry, that he's still very cute.

♥ Seeing Mommy run his hilarious.

Vote for my blog if you weren't really planning on pausing to picture the handing off of baby boogers today ...