my world...: Mason 18 months

Holy cow my kid is getting so big! And never mind that this post is happening a little late. Things are finally calming down around our house!

Likes:
-food. This kid is such a good eater and will eat pretty much anything I put in front of him. I know when he doesn't like something because he will eat until he "feels full" and then refuses, whereas if he likes something he keeps eating until his plate or bowl is empty, and then usually wants more. Also, he has developed an extreme love for pickles. As in, I open the fridge and he makes a beeline for it before I shut the door so he can point to the pickles. Takes after me.
-popcorn. This can be a separate category, right? More than once he has been a terror...until I pop popcorn and then he's angelic and we sit and eat happily. Love it
-being outside. Whether he's being pushed in the stroller or walking with me or running around at the park, he loves being outside. I'm pretty sure if he were older, he would have the biggest crush on Elsa from Frozen, because the cold seriously does not bother him.
-washing his hands. We watch Daniel Tiger on PBS Kids, as it is the only show that holds his attention. I can only assume its the frequent changing from singing to talking. He loves it. Anyway, on the potty episode, they stress the importance of washing your hands. "If you have to go potty, stop and go right away! Flush and wash and be on your way!" And they make a washing hands motion. Mason picked it up and now will walk up to me rubbing his hands together. And he wants to use soap too. Thanks Daniel Tiger!
-animals. He is really getting into animals and animal sounds lately. I've had to get used to hearing him growl at things. I'll hear it from another room I run in to make sure he's not mad about something (lions, tigers, bears, dragons, and dinosaurs all sound the same as when he is mad) and most of the time he is just growling because he found a lion on something. It's so cute :)
-playing catch. Seriously! He figured out (also from watching Daniel Tiger) how to catch a ball. (Keep your eye on the ball, and then hug!) Our best bet is a football or basketball, and we toss it back to each other, but he has a little stuffed basketball toy (probably about the size of a bell pepper) and he can catch that as well. He figured this out right before Christmas.
-helping me do the dishes. At first I didn't want him "helping" because he stands on the dishwasher door and who knows how long that will last. But he gets so excited, and when we are done he closes the dishwasher door and automatically holds up his hand for a high-five. How can I say no to that? Appliance related, he also likes starting the dryer when we do laundry, and closing the microwave when it's open.
-his blankets. We have these two very fuzzy fleece blankets, and he has claimed them as his own. We don't leave the house with them but if we are home he will grab them and curl up with a book. Often on my lap. It's so cute. And in the morning he needs both of them, not just one, when I get him out of his crib.

Dislikes:
-when I take my phone away. He has always liked watching videos on my phone. I try not to do it very often because he gets bored with them. So usually if he finds my phone I take it away very quickly and he does not like that. That's usually when I stick a pickle in his hand and that calms him down lol.
-when we can't figure out what he wants. Poor kid just will not talk. He points and gestures (which is apparently totally normal for a boy his age) and sometimes we cannot figure it out. He's gotten pretty good at pushing something away if it is not what he wants, or signing "please" if it is what he wants.
-the end of bath time. More specifically, when I lay him back to rinse his head off. Not a fan of being on his back in the water. We're going to have to work on that kid. But he has no problem blowing bubbles. Maybe it's because he can see what he's doing, but can't on his back?

Other notables:
-signs "please" when he asks for something. Sometimes I still have to prompt him but mostly he does it on his own.
-knows what a dog and lion say (this was at 18 months - he knows a couple more now).
-sleeps really well. He will sleep 12-13 hours at night and takes a 2-3 hour nap during the afternoon.
-gets cranky when he's hungry. Usually if he starts trying to hit or push, I know it is time to feed him.
-climbs everything, surprise surprise
-has 12 teeth. Four top, four bottom and all four molars. The molars all came in within 2 weeks, and the first three I found all in the same day. Good times!
-knows all the signs to Popcorn Popping, Itsy-Bitsy Spider, Wise Man and the Foolish Man, Pigeon House, and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (the nursery leaders made up actions for that), and he is working on Head Shoulders Knees and Toes. It is so cute to watch him do his little hand actions! My favorite is "It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be" and he wags his little finger.
-I can't remember where the papers are with his height/weight, but he is around 30th% for weight and in the 60th% for height. He is growing like a weed!

Now for some pictures! We love our little toddler man!

He learned how to point so we could tell him what things were.

Anyone need air in their bike or jogging stroller tire?

I love my little family :) I also need to have people take pictures of us more often.

We love the park. His climbing instinct is in full swing all the time.

Not even a lollipop could keep him awake this time...

We got him allergy tested since his pediatrician was worried when I told her he got trashy when he ate eggs and milk and soy sauce. He came back negative for everything, meaning his little tummy is just not ready for them yet. (PS, milk is almost totally fine now).