Ryan is 18 months! (halfway to 2?!?!)

Our sweet baby boy is now officially one and a half! I wonder if that means I can actually start saying that instead of how many months... I enjoy saying he is "1", but then people always want to know exactly how old (probably so they can compare developmental progress...) Anyways, the year is flying by and now he is halfway to age 2 which is just crazy to think about! Ryan has his 18 month appointment on Monday so I will add his stats then. **Stats from 8/8/11: 34 inches long (90th %), 27lb. 6oz (almost 75th%), head circumference 48.5cm (75th%).
Here is the overview of Ryan as a one and a half year old:

New vocabulary:
Apple
Purple
Chew Chew Chew (during meals and as a train noise)
Keys
Ki Ki Ki (for kick while swimming and kicking his legs)
**I have been writing a list the past few days of all the words he says that I can think of to put into his baby book. As of right now my list has 39 words and 7 animal noises. Such a smart boy! It must be all those books he loves to read!

Books:
Current favorites include any animal books, his new "ELMO's Potty Book" which is a search and find, a new "I can drive a car" book which is interactive, "Peek-a-boo bath time", "Words" and "First Words" books. He loves reading books during the day and before bedtime and has recently begun opening them up on his own more often to browse through the pictures. If he finds one he really likes or wants me to read then he will bring it to me even while I wash dishes or do laundry and I try to take the time to stop and read it when I can. Ryan is definitely very interested in vocabulary and language right now.

Foods:
Ryan has finally gotten back to really enjoying fruits. We are still working on veggies and are lucky if he has 2-3 servings a week, but he is certainly having his fair share of all the other food groups. Milk is still of course his number one favorite and he will ask for it as "Muh". Turns out he likes yellow peaches just not white ones. Also, currently loves cantaloupe, Rainer cherries, bananas, dried fruit, and watermelon. Likes strawberries and nectarines OK and is back to eating apples if the whole apple is presented (he seriously ate 3/4 an apple in one sitting last week). Other foods he enjoys include chicken nuggets, mac 'n cheese, peanut butter, cheese, crackers, sweet potatoes, edamame, squash, corn dogs, and the privilege of holding his own Popsicle. Perhaps it is food on a stick that is so fun...

Other things "Ryan" this month:

• Loves to wash his hands. Especially since I started letting him use the kitchen stool to stand on while washing them in the bathroom.
• Went pee pee in the potty for the first time 7/23 after a 2.5hr nap and waking up dry.
• Loves his baby pool and swim table
• Loves all balls and especially throwing- hasn't quite figured out catching yet
• Dad plays tickle game which Ryan mimics and tickles himself saying "dee dee dee haha" it is hilarious!
• Ryan loves pointing to body parts on himself and then whoever else is in the room ie: ears, eyes, nose, belly button, etc.
• Ryan is still loving his Little Gym classes and we are currently trying to decide if we will continue them in the Fall.
• Ryan started and finished 8 swim lessons called "First Splash"- the first class he was clapping, smiling, laughing, kicking his feet and trying to drink pool water and as happy as can be, the only thing he didn't care for was laying on his back. He even does two fingers up in the air as we count 1,2,3! The next few classes as he started having to go under water he would come out screaming and choking on the water and would sometimes cry for awhile, but by the last 3 classes he was wiping away the water and crying some, but got over it fast and loved clapping and giving "high fives". He loves praise and affirmation for sure. I am glad we did this so Mike and I have activities to work on with him in the pool. Overall, he loves swimming!

• Ryan loves to climb and has gotten really good, and fast! A few weeks ago I turned around while I was fixing dinner to see him sitting up perfectly in his booster seat on top of the chair. (I knew he could get in the chair, but just not the one with his booster seat). He enjoys climbing up into his car seat and he can now get on the one couch in the house that he had difficulty before. He also is able to get up on our bed via the hope chest that sits at the foot of the bed. We are encouraging him not to get up on things like that unless Mom and Dad are in the room and say it is okay. (we pray climbing out of bed is not on his list since I want to wait a little while before he moves to his toddler bed.)  Update- Aug. 4 he climbed up over the crib rail to climb out and get his brown bear which he threw and I grabbed him before he got out and told him we need to ask Mom and Dad before getting out of bed. Looks like toddler rails may be in the picture sooner than I thought, yikes!