Version 1.5

Y'all, Zilla is 18 months old.  I am blown away at how fast the last 6 months have gone.  I mean seriously, I still look back at pictures of his birthday party as though it was yesterday.  I would say without a doubt the past 6 months have gone by faster than the first or second 6 months of Zilla's life.  Now, granted, the first 6 months was filled with screaming and crying and not sleeping (am I talking about me or Zilla?  I'll never tell...but probably both). So I'm not surprised that the first third of his life sometimes felt like it would never end.

But gosh, 18 months?  He is officially growing too fast.  The other day someone pointed out that he doesn't look like a baby anymore and looks more like a little boy.  I think it was meant as a compliment, but also it made me cry.  I read his baby books to him and right when I get to the punch line about "I'll love you forever" or "You changed me for the better" or "wherever you go my love will find you" I. Can't. Squeak the words out through my sobbing.  Hubskie thinks I'm little bizarre, but I get more and more emotional each day about him getting older.  Which is an issue, as he also gets older each day.

Okay, so what to do for the 18 month old post?  Well, I'm going to try to avoid much therapy/Scottish Rite talk because that's all I've written about lately and ultimately, that is just one part of Zilla's life.  He is a growing (have I mentioned that?) boy with so many facets to his sweet little self.  So let us begin:

Favorites

Doll: One day I decided to move all of Zilla's dolls to his top shelf of his closet because he never touched them and they were taking up space in our living room.  The next morning when I woke him he started to panic and point frantically at the corner of the shelf.  Bewildered, I went over and picked up the bear he appeared to be pointing towards and handed it to him. He grabbed the bear, squeezed it, and kissed it.  Zilla and Brown Bear have been besties since.

Book:  Zilla has really started to enjoy reading books with us.  He's not as interested in the ones with lots of words.  But enjoys books with lots of pictures, some basic words he can understand, and items he is familiar with.  As it turns out, he does enjoy the book Brown Bear, but it is not his favorite.  

The Ball Bounced might be the most boring book ever written.  But don't tell Zilla that.  To him it is a literary masterpiece.  And I read it to him at least 3 times a day.  And by read I mean recite, because it has been memorized.  The other day I sang the words to the tune of "Favorite Things".  That helped a little. 

Activity: Going outside.  Zilla is an outdoorsy kind of kid.  He loves being outside whether it is going for walks or going to the park.  This is a lot of fun for mommy who also likes to stay active. 

Toy:  Balls balls and more balls.  Zilla loves to throw, kick, roll, and carry every ball.  In fact, it has become an issue with therapy (ahhh I'm breaking my promise) because there's a large ball pit in the room where we have his sessions and he could not be less interested in the therapy activities.  But it is incredibly adorable because he is just so happy playing in there. 

Food:  Bananas.  If this was one week ago I would have said crackers or bananas.  But bananas have won out.  Most days he eats at least two bananas.  I make regular runs to the grocery store to stock up because heaven help us if we run out of "nanas" when this child wants one. 

Game:  Peek-a-boo.  This one never gets old.  Just evolves to wandering around the house and having mommy jump out from behind corners and doors

Chore:  I love how much joy Zilla gets out of being helpful.  He just wants to participate in everything.  Please let this stick around.  Right now his favorite thing is throwing away trash (or "gah" as he says it).  Luckily he's pretty good at distinguishing between what is and isn't actually trash.

Moments: It's just not even possible to narrow this one down.  So this is the 14 things, short clips version:

1. Zilla tried to do burpies with mama and do the "Thriller" dance

2. Zilla cannot contain his excitement over seeing dada when he got home

3. If hubskie or I aren't there, every few minutes he will ask where the other half is.  He just know that it's best when we're all together.

4. Zilla has a step in our house where he goes to eat his banana and crackers

5. Zilla's first horse ride

6. The way Zilla's eyebrows raise when he sings

7. Zilla singing wheels on the bus and loving the "babies on the bus go wa-wa" verse
8. The first time Zilla folded his hands during prayer time and tried to do the sign of the cross (heart melting)
9. The way he picks up the picture of us at his baptism and every morning and tells us that ma-ma and da-da are in the picture

Added by Hubskie (his version of a guest blog):

10. Playing football with Da-Da. I don't know if he will ever get a chance to play the sport, but Da-Da will always be his biggest fan regardless. 
11. Aidan climbing into a diaper box. And being angry when he can't get out.

12. Aidan playing on a treadmill

13. Aidan going to put on his cowboy hat before bedtime. 

 

14. How the word "pasta" is always said in a whisper, and it's the only word he whispers. As if it's just the best thing ever and if he mentions it too loudly it might cease to exist.

 

Struggles:

1. Mass.  Turns out Mass isn't made for wiggly kids.  I went alone a couple of weeks ago and had this huge moment where I realized I had forgotten how beautiful the Mass is.  Don't get me wrong, I love that we all go to Mass together, and taking Zilla up with us to communion is still a favorite, but gosh it is so hard to be totally present when I'm mostly just trying to find a new way to distract him or keep him from touching all over the other parishioners.  

A friend of ours who has a kid who sits so well during Mass suggested that we trying sitting in front so that Zilla could see what was going on and have something to pay attention to.  I thought this was a great idea until I remembered that Zilla can't even pay attention to a cartoon much less find a church service interesting. Unfortunately, I did not remember this until after we had made the "walk of shame" up and down the aisle three times carrying a screaming child.

 

2. Stubborn.  My child is stubborn.  Like, whoa.  
 

3. Zilla's friendly pat can often be mistaken as hitting.  His cousin unfortunately takes the brunt of this one.  The concept of "gentle" just hasn't quite set in.  

The neighbor's cat also knows the feeling

 

Reese is just not going to handle it anymore

4. Similarly, Zilla isn't so much into sharing right now.  He's more into not sharing. 

None so pleased with his toy being used by someone who is not Zilla

 5. One of the things I love the most about him, his adventurous spirit, combined with his stubbornness can often result in some issues.  Like: no you cannot stand on the rocking chair.  And no, stop climbing up and standing on the table.

Joys:
Every moment and memory since 1.5 years ago.
 

Woohoo!  We did it!  We made it 18 months and they just keep flying by.  Feel free to slow down any day now, Zilla.  I love you to the moon and back!