Leftover pictures, videos, cute antics, and noteworthy tidbits from October

Time is just flying by.  We are almost half way through November and I have a bunch of pictures, videos, cute antics, and noteworthy tidbits to report from October, so let’s jump right in. 

• Graham has a new batch of cute words and phrases.  He says “horrible wound” when I am washing his hands because a few weeks ago, I found a scrape on his hand while washing it and told him it was a horrible wound.  He shouts “you did it” or “Mommy did it” or “Graham did it” for every accomplishment from spearing a piece of food with his fork to successfully opening a box (he also uses “you fixed it” in the same way).  He says “really cute” when he is checking himself out in the mirror or watching a video of himself.  He says “arrr matey” when he is requesting that I read him his pirate book or when he sees his pirate pajamas.  He says “get bug wand” when he sees a bug and wants me to get rid of it.  He is still taking long afternoon naps, but now he says “no nap, not sleepy” before I put him down and “sleep sack off” as soon as he wakes up.  He says “automatic timeout” when he gets close to touching a forbidden electronic device and now knows and uses “you’re welcome” as much as “thank you.” 
• Graham has started experimenting with his clothing, smock, bib, and sleep sack, mostly by testing how to take them off on occasion.  I had to laugh at some of the pictures I got of his experimentation (22 months, 3 days old and 21 months, 29 days old ) and this video when he is singing a seductive song (totally off key) because he managed to get himself completely undressed before I got him up in the morning (note: in this video, he also demonstrates saying “arrr matey”) (22 months, 5 days old):

• He has started saying “what’s this?” and dramatically pointing to pictures in books.  We think he is doing it to copy us when we ask him to identify things, but it is serving a dual purpose as it helps him learn more words ;)  
• Whenever I walk in on Graham having done something shocking/bad but not really bad (such as walking in on him having taken all of the hot mitts out of the drawer) I say “oh my god” or “oh my goodness” or “OMG.”  Graham has adopted the phrases and will now warn me when he has done something by saying “oh my goodness” before I even see what he has done.  I was telling my friend Natalie about this and it prompted Graham to demonstrate two of the phrases.  You can hear Natalie laughing in the background during the videos (22 months, 5 days old):

• Content, as always, when he gets to read a book with Daddy (22 months, 6 days old):

• Graham made a ghost at Growing Times in preparation for Halloween.  He enjoyed watching his ghost hang as he played, then kissing his ghost, then carrying it around with him (21 months, 28 days old):

• Out of the blue, Graham started calling me “Tammy Taub.”  I couldn’t figure out where he  got that from because I changed my name before he was born, but out it came as clear as day.  My latest guess is that he has heard me giving out my email address, which includes tammytaub.  I’m still Mommy but if I say “who is Tammy?” he will say “Tammy Taub.” 
• It is hard to tell, but Graham is trying to use Daddy’s earphones and thinks he is pretty cool (21 months, 29 days old):

• Graham grabbed one of his stuffed monkeys and insisted “sleeping monkey, monkey sleepy.”  I finally looked and saw that the monkey's eyes were horizontal lines and I thought it was very clever of Graham to recognize that the lines indicated closed eyes, therefore the monkey must be sleepy.
• Flipping out!  Out of the blue, Graham started doing somersaults.  I got a video of the very first time I saw him doing them.  Now he is even better, knows how to say “somersault,” and will do them on command when I feel like he needs to burn off some energy.  I got pictures and a video of the big event, along with a look of concern when I made him pose for a picture after his big accomplishment (21 months, 29 days old): 

• Graham is officially a jumper.  He has been flirting around with it for a while but now he does it (with both feet successfully leaving the ground at the same time) over and over.  He loves jumping with Daddy after dinner.  Here is an early video where he gets in one successful jump right at the end (22 months, 6 days old):

• Graham discovered a trampoline at a friend’s house.  It took him a while to figure out how to use it, but then he had so much fun I was convinced I should buy one until he toppled backwards and then I was just glad the trampoline was on grass (21 months, 27 days old):

• Graham’s buddy Rylan came over for an evening play date.  Graham thought it was endlessly fun to take away and then give back one of Rylan’s toys.  He did a great job saying “give” when he was about to take the toy, “thank you Rylan” every time Rylan gave him the toy, and “thank you Graham” every time he gave the toy back to Rylan.
• I still wouldn’t call Graham a snuggler and he doesn’t usually enjoy hanging out in bed with Mommy and Daddy, but he will tolerate the bed long enough to read a story or two before he is ready to get up and play, and I thought he looked so cute with all the blankets that I had to take some pictures (22 months old): 

•  Sweet sleeping boy (21 months, 27 days old):

• While Nick was gone on a business trip, Alethea came over to keep me company.  Graham just LOVES her and they had a great time together (22 months, 2 days old):

• Graham was running wild in our neighborhood park and started doing laps around the perimeter of the playground.  At one point, he flopped down on the sidewalk, went into full sleep position with his bum in the air, and said “sleepy” then 5 seconds later (after his rest was done) he was back to running in circles.
• Graham has been a pretty good lunch-time-turkey-eater, so I was bummed when he started refusing the turkey, but Mommy prevailed and I’ve convinced him to love turkey again by offering it to him as an exciting turkey roll (21 months, 29 days old):

• While Nick was away, I cut Graham’s bangs again, and again they didn’t turn out so well, but I’m just not ready to say goodbye to his ‘wings’ and his bangs do grow out quickly, so this will just have to do until I’m ready for the professional haircut and the official goodbye to the wings (22 months, 3 days old):

• Graham still loves his books.  He says “one more story,” “pick story,” “last story,” and “different story,” all in an attempt to get in a few more books.  He will say “really good one” when he likes what I pick.  When I am tired, I’ve started asking him to read the story by himself.  He will say “read self” and then open the book and flip through the pages, identifying (and reading aloud) parts of the story on each page.
• I took Graham to a new park and had to take a video when he skipped all the play structures and went straight to cleaning up leaves for almost 20 minutes.  Silly boy (22 months, 3 days old):

•  Vroom, vroom – Graham using the edge of his crib as a ramp for his toy car (22 months, 6 days old):

• We rarely get babysitters so when we did have a night out, we were thrilled to see this note when we came home.  In case it is too small to read, it says "Graham ate all 5 chicken nuggets and the whole squeezie after drinking all of his milk.  He finished at 7:40.  I changed his wet diaper at 8:15 and began the bedtime routine.  He didn't fuss at all and was down at 8:45.  He was great!":

• I got a video of Graham singing “the wheels on the bus.”  I’ll sing what is happening (ex: the windows on the bus go) and then Graham will sing (up and down).  He knows the window, wipers, doors, wheels, mommies, and horn, but I only took a video of windows (22 months, 10 days old):

• Graham is now using full size utensils with every meal.  He can use a fork and spoon in either hand with ease but we still have not introduced the knife.  That may be a while.
• Graham is working on reciting the days of the week, is still fairly good at his ABC’s, and can now count all the way to ten instead of getting stuck at nine, but usually says “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9!, AND, 10!” 
• Nick was listening to a recording of someone playing a classical piece of piano music.  Graham was in the other room but shouted “daddy play piano” when he heard the music.  Nick was pleased at the compliment :)
• Graham has started stepping on the scale in our bathroom in the morning and saying “what number” while he waits for the number to appear.  Looks like our boy is 29.5 pounds (22 months 18 and 20 days old):

Such a big boy and growing and changing every day!