IJG is 23 months old!

6.6.11

IJG is recognizing more letters in the alphabet. He still doesn’t get colors. We have been working on counting to five. He can say each number and gets the order somewhat but still needs help. He has finally started putting words together. Instead of just labeling everything “mama” or “dada” he started putting the word for objects with our names so he says “mama keys” or “dada car.” He also likes adding “baby” to animal names like “baby cow” and “baby cat.” Ever since I tried to get him to say “Happy Birthday Dada” in April, we revisit the phrase occasionally and he is now hooked and yells “Happy Birthday” several times a day and will add a “me” or “dada” to the end. When he wants a drink he says what sounds like "new" or "knew" (I actually imagine it being spelled "gnu" with a silent "g"). I have no clue why. I taught him to say “two!” when I ask how old he will be in July. He is increasing his vocabulary rapidly and adding new words daily. He is saying a lot more food words lately. He has a habit of making the second syllable of words “ahh” no matter what it is if he can’t pronounce it. For example, he says “muff-ahh” instead of muffin. He uses “me” or “lany” to refer to himself. He has also started repeating whatever I might say when I have a quick reaction….meaning, he is cursing. He can use the regular swing at the park now but has a re-found enjoyment of the baby swing and requests to go “high” and be pushed hard.

IJG’s school year ended two weeks ago and he began summer camp last week. He has left the Dolphin class and is now a Butterfly. His class has doubled in size for the summer and there are 16 kids (the 8 dolphins are still together). In the last few weeks of school he started saying several of his classmates’ names and will now name 6 of the 8. Almost all of the kids were crying and screaming on both days IJG attended school last week due to it being the first week in a new class with new teachers. But IJG was fine. He just walks in and plays with the new toys, even though his friends are crying and doesn’t mind when I leave.

We still try to use the potty at home and IJG still resists using it. We attempted using it behind the curtain since he has recently begun hiding behind curtains to poop in his diaper…didn’t work. He does love the subject of using the potty and requests his potty book on a daily basis by reaching for it and saying “peepee” repeatedly.

IJG’s schedule has remained the same. He is resisting naps but once he falls asleep will usually sleep for two hours. He no longer wants to go to sleep alone for naps or night time and needs someone to sit in the room with him until he is asleep. He is breastfeeding at most 3 times a day but frequently skips or shows no interest. On the other hand he is breastfeeding his own toys and stuffed animals much more often. We’ve found one TV show that he likes and I approve of, that is on at a good time for us (Yo Gabba Gabba) and we’ve incorporated that into the schedule on most days.

IJG got congested twice this month and had a cough with the first although neither seemed to affect him much.