20 months

Dear Xander,

You are 20 months old and growing so fast! I just love watching your personality develop and getting a sense of what you will be like when you are older. You are a delight.

You are my little introvert, my kid who will happily hang out in your crib for an hour after you wake up, just waiting for me to come get you.  You get overwhelmed by lots of chaos or noise and you will retreat to a room by yourself sometimes when there are lots of kids over.  At the same time though, you aren't too shy, and when we go to the grocery store, you say "hi" to everybody who walks by!  Several people have told me that you made their day.

I used to be worried that you might have a speech delay, but around 18 months your language just took off.  You are a normal boy, I just didn't know what to expect.  You will imitate lots of words, and have a decent size vocabulary. Recently you started saying very simple two-word sentences, such as "hi Dada."   You used to say "no" to everything even if the answer should be yes, but recently you have started nodding your head or saying "uhuh" to some questions, which makes communication a lot easier!

You love to play with your cars and trucks, they are your favorite toys. Especially your "dum dow" (dump trucks.) You also love animals and animal noises. You will lie on your tummy and play with your Little People barn and animals and it's adorable.  You get very excited when we go outside in the wagon or just running around.  We make you leave your wubby in your crib now, and you get so excited when we go upstairs and you see it.  You love to run the other way when I say to come here.  You love Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and ask to watch it every day, and it's a challenge to come up with some other activity when you have your mind set on "meow meow." You love smoothies, but hate the loud blender.

I hope I never forget the way you run upstairs for your "bapfff" (bath), run to the window every time you hear the trash truck coming, which you call a dump truck (close enough), or how your little hand pats my back so sweetly when you give me a hug.  I love your infectious giggle when Daddy is tickling you and playing with you...you adore your Daddy! I giggle when I call you my "little dude" and you repeat and say "dood" in your little voice.  

You rock my world little man.  I love you so much.

Love, Mommy