Pics of Caleb 6, originally uploaded by StephLewis.

This past week, Caleb hit his 18 month mark. I’m not going to go into lists of words, because there are getting to be too many to list. Let’s just say, if you say it, he repeats it. He has also been putting two words together frequently to express what he wants. He also uses sign language frequently. I think our favorite word that he is currently saying is “bubble,” which he says “bau-baooo” with adorably puckered lips and a high pitch voice.
His favorite thing to do is anything outside (especially at Grandpa Whiting’s farm), and anything that involves helping. He helps me empty and load the dishwasher, change laundry loads, sort socks, feed the dog, fill the bird feeder, restock diapers in his dresser, cook (especially EGGS!), vacuum, dust, and anything else! He also loves to write in the snow with sticks and climb on anything he isn’t supposed to climb on. Caleb is still going to Musikgarten and loves everything we do there. He is an energetic little boy who is just delighting in exploring his world!
Here are his stats from his 18 month doctor’s visit:
Weight: 22 lbs., 5.4 oz. (9%)
Height: 31.1 inches (18%)
Head: 18.5 inches (28%)
He is healthy and growing and so much fun! And I LOVE being his mama.

Let’s see, what is Caleb doing these days? Well, besides being funny, he’s been really talking and moving! Here’s the list for all who are interested (I may add more when I think of more):

Words He’s Saying

• Ella
• Grandma (“Ramma!”) & Grandpa (“Ram-PA!”)
• Mama & Dada
• Names of some people (Jenna as “Enna”, Elise as “Eesh”, Kristin as “Tih-tih”, Marcus as “Arkuh”)
• All Done (Ah-Duh!)
• Baby (“Bah-Bee”)
• Night-Night (“Nigh-nigh”)
• Kitty (“Tee-Tee”)
• Light (“Aight-ah!”)
• Foods: Banana (“Nah-Nah”)
• Art (“Art-ah!”)
• Rock Rock (i.e. sway. “rah-rah”)
• Clean (“Gn-gn”, impersonating a song we sing)
• Yes (“Yeah yeah yeah”) and No
• Hi & Bye Bye
• Tree (“Ree”)
• Wiggle (“Giguh”)
• High (“Aiiiiiiii” while he puts his arms up)
• Animal/Object Sounds: Dog, Cat, Bird, Airplane, Lion, Bear, Crocodile, Bug, Firetruck, Car/Truck, Sheep, Frog, Duck, Lizard, Snake, Tiger, Monkey/Gorilla, Chicken, Baby Chick, Alarm clock, Tick-tock clock, Sizzle

Words He’s Signing

• More/Again
• All Done
• Art
• Sizzle (from all of our cooking)
• Shake
• Drink & Eat
• Deer/Horse
• Grandma, Grandma, Mama, Daddy (some confusion of signs)
• Dog
• Fish
• Cat
• Bird
• Round & Round (like a fan, a wheel, or a circle)
• Car
• Ball
• Nurse (milk)
• Sleep
• Phone
• Airplane
• Water
• Pointing to body parts – eyes, ears, head, mouth, teeth, tongue, hair, belly button, chest, hand, feet, nipples (he’s fascinated by his nipples)

Great Feats of Movement and Strength

• Up and down the stairs for long periods of time, has several different methods
• Loves to stand on his step stool for helping in the kitchen & brushing teeth
• Climbing, sometimes I look up and he’s standing on an end table! Gasp!
• Enjoys homemade obstacle courses through chairs, cushions, step stools, etc.
• Carries around the 8 lb. bag of potatoes and loves it (who knows…)
• Empties out the pan corner cupboard so he can sit in there with the door shut
• I don’t think he knows how to walk anymore. It’s run, run, run!
• Loves to dance & hop. He can get both feet off the ground sometimes.
• Loves balls – he throws them & kicks them
• Playing with Ella – this involves tug-o-war, throwing her toy for her, and just running around crazily

Big Helper

• Helps load/unload washing machine, helps sort laundry into piles
• Throws away garbage (and sometimes things that aren’t garbage)
• Open/close cabinets when asked and retrieve some items (crackers, towel, etc.)
• “Sweeps” the floor & uses his popper vacuum when dad vacuums
• Helps let the dog outside, put dog in/out of kennel, change towels in her kennel
• Loves cleaning with his sponge (sometimes cleans after himself without being asked!)
• He puts things away when asked & on his own (I keep finding Little People & Duplo blocks in neat rows in the cabinets or in my drawers)
• Knows how to make popcorn and “helps” me do it, he even knows which pan to get out of the cabinet & where all of the ingredients are located

More Silliness

• Burped the other day and has been trying so hard to reproduce this
• Will make zerberts on other people, they are great ones of high quality that produce much laughter
• Has running gags like the other day when I hurt myself and exclaimed “Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!” He’s been hopping around impersonating me ever since. Also has a “Blug! Blug! Blug! Blug!” running gag with Josh referring to some experience blowing bubbles in the tub
• He puts things on his head that don’t belong on heads and belly laughs and hits the floor he thinks it’s so funny (like a monkey doll, a measuring cup, towel)
• Shuts himself in Ella’s kennel and shouts “Woof! Woof! Ella! Ella! Woof!”

Budding Creativity

• Loves to color several times a day, when you ask him what’s in his picture it is always, “Ella!”
• Goes in the tub for painting time
• Carries around his paintbrush and pretends to paint the whole house
• Paints with water on paper sitting at his “big kid” chair & table
• Carries around his drum and loves to drum to music. Sometimes he even keeps a beat!
• Sings all the time. When we sing the “Lewis Family Night Night” song he will sing “Ahhhh daddee, Ahhhhhh mama, Ahhhhhh Rampa!, Ahhhhhh Rammma!” It’s so sweet. He also loves “My God is So Big” and “Jesus Loves the Little Ones Like Me” and knows the actions
• Choreographs his own dances when you turn on music. Yesterday he spun around, put both hands on his forehead, palms out, and wiggled his fingers while hopping. It was hilarious.
• Reading all the time. He carries books around and asks to be read to. He also will sit and look at magazines or catalogs, muttering to himself the whole time.