Carter - 18 Months

Here's a quick low down on our little man at the ripe old age of 18 months.

Favorite Food - EVERYTHING. This kid is a monster eater. He inhales food at a rapid rate and pumps his arms in the air asking for more. He eats an entire hot dog before Brooks has even had 2 bites. I swear he's training for some kind of competitive eating event. His favorite things are blueberries, cheese, and bananas. 

Favorite Book - He's obsessed with "Cars and Trucks and Things that Go" which was also a favorite of Brooks' (and still is). He has memorized the precise placement of Goldbug, the little yellow bug hidden throughout the book. Within seconds of turning each page, he immediately and enthusiastically points to Goldbug with his pudgy pointer finger squealing "BOL-BAH!" (which is Carter-speak for "I'm really pumped! I just found Goldbug!"). 

Favorite Things - No surprise here... constructions vehicles and firetrucks. He indiscriminately points to all trucks and says "nee nah." While Brooks is quick to correct him that "only firetrucks say nee nah," Carter doesn't seem to care. To him, all trucks are "nee nahs," and that's final. He can, however, correctly identify a bulldozer from a cement mixer to an excavator to a dump truck with that dextrous pointer of his. He's also a huge fan of the vacuum! Every time we use ours he won't stop fussing and grabbing until we let him push the thing around. Fortunately, we got him a miniature toy Dyson Ball (with real suction power!) that he joyously and proudly struts around the house. At the rate we're going he's either going to be construction foreman or a devoted janitor.

Favorite Game - Running laps back and forth between all the rooms upstairs while striped down naked before the bath. It is especially thrilling for him if you pretend to chase him. Or if you sneak away and pop out from hiding places. He and Brooks LOVE this game and request "naked time" almost every night.

Party Trick - Plasma car speed racing. Carter has impressed us with a true dedication to perfect his "plasma game." From the second he mastered riding around on it, he's looked for ways to improve. He can now zip around at speeds we didn't think possible, hugs corners Nascar-style, and pivots out of tight places like a plasma magician. He has most recently implemented a "glide" move where he gains momentum, leans forward, lifts his legs up, and just cruises effortlessly across the room. 

Vocab - Your usual Mama and Dada with a wide array of animal sounds peppered in. Moo, baa, hee haw, hisssss, woof woof, and tweet tweet. Duck (which he says with a German accent "Dack!") was his first true word after Dada and still remains his favorite. The aforementioned nee nah. Ahnee (Annie). Bah (Ball). Nana (banana). Baba (when he used to get bottles), ha dah (hot dog), and "uh oh." Heard a few times but not as often repeated: dis (this), cheese, booberwe (blueberry). 

Height - 34.25 inches (97th percentile)

Weight - 27 pounds 12 ounces (91st percentile)

Overall, a real peach. The sweetest most mischievous and loving little 18 month old we know.

WE LOVE YOU MEATBALL!