Little Update on Patrick

Patrick is 18 months old now, and I thought I would give a quick update on him and his cute personality.

• He's healthy. We have been lucky enough to get through the winter so far with only one runny nose and a couple of coughs. No earaches or bronchitis or fevers so far.
• He's happy. Patrick wakes up happy and is pretty much happy all day long unless he gets really tired or really hungry. And then he is still quick to laugh.
• He eats well. For a toddler. He still eats the majority of his calories at breakfast, but dinner is usually not too much of a battle. He tries more and more to feed himself. Today at Wendy's he was a pro at dipping his french fries and chicken nuggets in the ketchup.
• He's a magician. Seriously. I don't know how this kid eats the way he does and has never choked. Today he put half of a chicken nugget in his mouth and just chewed, chewed, chewed, and then he swallows with his neck all strained forward. One day it was half a banana in just two bites. Reed think he is half PYTHON because he just swallows everything.
• He sleeps. We have mastered one nap a day, and he needs his 12 hours at night, so he pretty much sleeps from 7-7. This is heaven for us right now, because I don't think I have the good fortune for all of my babies to sleep like this.
• He is starting to talk. Like everything else developmentally, Patrick does things on his own time table. I don't know why I bother reading What to Expect; he's just going to do things when he's ready, including talking. The only frustrating time is when I am feeding him and he just points and does his whiny nasally noise. He does have a few words now, including: mom, dad, dog, go, yum-yum, and oddly, "clean up." He knows the animal noises of the alligator, lion, and monkey.
• He is still busy. If possible, more busy than before. But he is also starting to listen, which is nice. He kinda know what things are his to play with and what isn't. He doesn't always care, but he knows. The only thing I can't get him to really listen to is when the stove and oven are hot. Which is frustrating because I don't want his curiosity to get him hurt!
• He is making friends. We are making friends in the new ward, and so is Patrick. There are 4-5 little boys in the ward about his age, and we have had a few play dates. Miles lives just a couple streets away, and he play with him often. Miles is older and very verbal and bossy right now, so it is very amusing to watch them play.
• He loves nursery. As long as mom doesn't come anywhere near him.
• He finally gives kisses! But don't ask him to cuddle unless the puppy movie is on. He loves the puppy movie (Milo and Otis), and it is the only thing he will watch. He only watches it when I am either getting dressed or trying to cook dinner. He even laughs at his favorite parts.