20 Months Old!

A brief post of what you have been up to lately:

• The past few months have been a word explosion!

• We’ve taught you to say, “Please” when you want something, which is great…

BUT this has started to backfire as you’ve started repeating this word over & over with more urgency instead of saying the name of the actual thing that you want.

Sharing ice cream with Uncle Kyle at Sparky's in Columbia.

• Favorite foods: bread (any kind), yogurt, fruit smoothies. You’ve never turned down a dessert.

• You LOVE Schatzi! She is usually your first word when I get you from your crib, and who you are looking for when we pull into the alley to our garage.

o You also love Schatzi’s “tail” (or nubbin'). You try to grab it and then squeal/giggle with delight.

• You definitely like to climb... furniture, ladders, stairs… Just like your daddy.

o As you attempt to climb on top of the coffee table, you look to me for a reaction because you know it’s wrong.

Sitting atop our china hutch, trying to get ot the laptop and your cup of Cheerios.

• Like most kids, you REALLY enjoy electronics. You can literally work my iPhone better than some (you always get into the photo section and watch videos and flip through the pictures).

• You’ve still proven to be an awesome traveler! Our 11-hour stretch to Missouri has not been a problem (without a DVD player)

• Almost every time I pick you up from the nursery, you have seized Marissa and she is reading a book to you.

• You are a great sleeper and a champion napper. I hope you never stop taking your 2-hour mid-afternoon nap. I’ve started having you nap on “the big bed” with me in the afternoon.

You read your book as I read mine, and then you drift off to sleep while holding my hair. I’m trying to get you used to the idea of sleeping in a BIG bed.

o I know you’re awake when I heard a thud from our bedroom, followed by bedroom doors closing (you’re recently obsessed with opening & closing doors now that you can effectively reach the handles)

• You get nervous around strangers or people you haven’t seen in a while; you pull your shirt up to expose your belly button and won’t make eye contact for a few minutes.

• You still love the bath & race to the bathroom if I mention the word.

• You've also used your potty several times, which has been AWESOME! I'm thrilled you're showing an early interest in this!

• MY favorite new thing: if you accidentally spill something, you say, “Uh-oh” and “towel” as you speed off to the kitchen to get a kitchen towel to wipe up the mess. THEN you attempt to put the towel back on the rack.

• You enjoy doing little chores for me around the house like throwing things into the washer,

bringing me Schatzi’s (empty) water dish, setting silverware in the dishwasher basket. It’s usually a good distraction if you’re starting to get upset about something.

“Hey Kaden, can you please find my… … … ?”

Kaden Benjamin Dow

April, 2011

I know I say this every few months, but I have enjoyed you more and more with each passing week. You are developing quite a personality and have proven to be a wonderful companion.

You are the best!