One and a Half

We went to a park the last week of December so I could snap some pics of our almost 19-month-old. I thought it was funny that the last time Jer bought me a new camera body, I tested it out on Brock for his 18-month photo shoot! I was still getting my new camera settings adjusted so I was fighting with my focal points the whole time while chasing around this busy boy. We got some big smiles to document our one and a half year old. But that night after having to trash too many pictures because they weren't in focus, I sat down and figured out how to change my focus setting. Then after a few weeks of dreary and rainy weather, we took Cael out for a walk to get a few more shots of him in action. 

Cael "runs" all of the time. Though he has a decent appetite he's a skinny little dude and has to wear belts and hidden suspenders to keep his britches up.

At his well-child visit, his doc checked him off developmentally as a two-year-old. He has a decent vocabulary though he won't try to say every word he hears yet. Some of his recent words include: Bath, all done, hot, shoes, boots, juice, bus, apple, balloon, book, yes, help, ouch!, dog, up, eyes, nose, and he still loves to holler out, "DAAAD!!"

He loves to point to his glasses when people compliment how handsome he looks wearing them. He'll also point to his nose when asked, ears, tongue, eyes, open his mouth as wide as he can while pointing to it, but once we say bellybutton that's all he wants to point to because it gets tickled; and he loves it.

Cael's favorite "things" are his books. During Christmas he would sit by our huge pile of Christmas books and flip through the stories. We have to read a handful of books before nap and bed time, and he usually insists on holding one while he falls asleep.

He is a lover of carrots, apples, bananas, and chocolate.

He adores his brothers.

He has figured out that he can be LOUD. 

(getting a hug from dad, a little tear on his cheek:(

Cael despises sleeping in his crib for his nap. I figure that a good nap is better than fighting with him over it. So, this little 2 1/2 foot body gets to sleep in a king size bed for his 2 to 2 1/2 hour nap; and he has to be rocked to sleep. I'm fine with that too since he falls asleep so quickly. When it comes to bedtime though, he's ok with being put in his crib while he's still awake. Silly boy. 

(after a few rainy weeks)

I had my little buddy with me running errands while the big boys were at school. We were standing in line at a pharmacy and the lady behind us couldn't get enough of Cael. She told me that I wouldn't want her to babysit him or she would "Eat him UP!!" 

He has a touch of stubbornness and we always know when he's getting upset. He has a certain "stare" which we all have grown to recognize really quickly, his breathing rate quickens and gets loud, and if he has something in his hand it gets thrown, usually followed by his glasses getting ripped off his head so he can pop out a lens and chuck his specs.

He's our climber, drawer digger, cook, vacuumer, duster, and toy picker-upper. He still doesn't have much interest in watching the tv, yet.

Cael does great in nursery. He misses me "just enough" during his first few minutes in there but always has a fun time and greets me with a huge smile and hug when I pick him up.

I had an epiphany last week:) The letters in Cael's name transpose to spell out Lace! 

Cael loves being carried but when we put him down at places like grocery stores, he bolts.

Cael adds just the right touch to our family!