monthly noah: nineteen

Goodness this boy is changing.  I can't keep track of every little thing because it just seems like every day is something new.  Our biggest change in the past month has been Noah's language development. He is combining more and more words and making two and three word sentences.  Now they might not always be conventional sentences, but he's working on it and that's what counts, right?

His new favorite phrase is actually pretty gross, but it's from one of his favorite books (Once Upon a Potty) and it's pretty much on repeat all day long.  He loves to say "bye bye pee pee, bye bye poo poo". It's like his code for "change my diaper, woman... ".  It's pretty comical at times, but also flat out gross and sometimes situationally embarrassing.  uh... boys.  What are you going to do with them?

He also knows all of his body parts by word or by pointing to them out to you.  He knows most of his animals and can tell you what sound they make.  He knows how to say "no" and shake his index finger at you.  He loves to copy me as I sing the hymn Amazing Grace.  His favorite parts to sing really loudly are "me" and "see".  hahaha! So he's at least got the last words to the second and fourth lines of the song down.  He loves the book Goodnight Moon (Noah calls it nighnigh moon) and can almost tell me the words on every page.  His favorite part, which he says with the most emphasis, is the part about the old lady whispering "hush".  He loooves that part of the book.  He can say so many words now that I can hardly keep count.  

Noah went through a giant food eating spree last month and it seriously wore me out.  He would wake up a good two hours before his normal wake-up time and demand food.  Then because he was up so early he would require a second breakfast, lunch, three afternoon snacks, dinner and sometimes second dinner if we took too long to finish eating.  It was insane! That lasted about two weeks and then he went back to his old eating and sleeping routine (THANK GOD!).  I really didn't notice a change in size from all that eating, but maybe that part is next to come?  This boy will eat me out of house and home.  He eats more than I eat and sometimes he finishes my plate for me.  He is not picky about eating really... except he is not a huge fan of leafy greens.  He will put them in his mouth and swish them around for a while, but they usually end up in a pile on the corner of his plate.  I give him an A for effort.  Every dinner, Jonathan tells me that I have given Noah too much on his plate and every dinner Noah asks for seconds or even thirds.  In the past few months he has not turned down an offer for food.  He loves most fruits.  While blueberries are his favorite, he recently started eating quartered grapes, bananas and peaches, all which he gobbles up happily.

For the most part his sleep schedule has been really good (except during his growth spurt).  He wakes up around 8:30/9, naps at 11:30/Noon - 2:30 and then goes to bed around 8:30.  We tried napping later in the day and while that sometimes works, usually he asks to go night night around noon.  I figure if he's asking, then he's tired.  He seems to have the most energy in the late afternoon and evening. Maybe it's just the excitement of Daddy being home?  Either way, I enjoy getting to spend time together as a family before putting Noah down to bed and I know that's the highlight of every day.

Jonathan and I are really enjoying this stage in Noah's life.  He is so funny and bright and for the most part happy.  He of course has his pre-terrible-two moments, but for the most part he's just a pleasure to be around.  I can't even imaging what life would be like without him in it.  He is everything we could have hoped for and more.

Sweet, sweet Noah... you are our little blessing and we love you!