Oh my, I have certainly been behind on Ian's milestone reviews. So here goes:
This month was all about imitating. We taught him how to do a "high ten", and he was able to imitate it like a pro. We taught him how to do the fist bump, but instead of giving us his fist, he would point his index finger to our fist instead (but at least, that's a start). We showed him how to play peekaboo, and he had a fun time doing it back to us. We also taught him how to kiss our cheeks, and he was able to do so easily. Of course he forgets everything pretty quickly, but since their mind is like a sponge at this age, I'm sure if we practice it a few times, he would have no problems remembering it.
He also loves to imitate our cough. If we give him a sip of water and cough afterwards, as soon as he swallows his drink he would also imitate the cough. Super cute! I even have it captured on video.
Loves banging on my tummy. He would even push my t-shirt up to bang on my tummy! Sometimes he would put his mouth to my tummy and even blow to tickle! *
* And he would push my tummy up whenever he wants to - in public, at my in-laws home... I always have to push his hands away in panic whenever he has the urge to bang on my tummy! *
Knows how to get on the dump truck by himself, and push the truck back and forth with his feet. He also knows how to get into (but not out of) the yellow Mini Cooper car by himself. Once we found him in the Mini, and he was turning the steering wheel and working the gears - just like a real car!
This month was all about achieving independence. For instance, he didn't like being forced into the baby chair. Instead, he prefered to sit on a proper chair like any other adult. So nowadays during meals, we make him sit on a chair just like everyone. For dinner, he would have his own chair and own plate (filled with crackers, cereal or even telur dadar), and he would happily munch quietly in his seat. (Unlike Aiden who dislikes having to sit at the table during dinner. He prefers for the maid to suap him food in the living hall while he watches TV *shakes head* sigh...)
Continuing his love for imitation, he enjoys imitating Aiden.
Monkey see, monkey do! If his brother roars at him, he will roar back ("
Aaarrrggghhh!!") If Aiden shakes his head, he would imitate. Ian definitely adores his big brother! When Aiden received a wrist watch as a present from my SIL, Ian received one too, and as soon as he saw Aiden put it on, he wanted the same too.
Loves to ransack my shoe cabinet and try out my shoes. Once we caught him wearing my high heels (both feet) and walked click clacking in the living hall. Still enjoys opening kitchen cabinet doors, he would even peel off the sticky tape holding the doors shut. Sometimes he even ransacks the freezer, opens the ice compartment and then munches on small pieces of ice!
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| Wearing a wrist watch, and his Mummy's shoes... |
If he sees the stairs gate open, he would run up to it and try to climb it. Once he gets pass the gate, he would actually turn back and "close" the gate, because that's how he sees us do it all the time.
If he sees me working on the computer at the dining table, he would walk up beside me, then stamp both his tiny feet (in a cute way!) which is his way of telling me he wants to sit on a chair too.
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| Intently drawing. |
Doesn't drink milk as much as before. Probably about 4 times a day. He even sends his bottle to the kitchen after finishing it. *
goodboy* To compensate for the (lack of) milk, he eats a full bowl of porridge every meal. Unfortunately he still hates rice so we're still depending on Cerelac complimented with puréed vegetables. Loves macaroni and cheese - so potentially looking at a Western baby, this one!
He has finally (sort of) grown out of the phase of putting things in his mouth! Although he still cannot resist putting bottles and interesting knick knacks into his mouth. He can also sit still while I cut his fingernails. He will even help by holding out his hand! And last but not least, to wrap up the month, his 8th tooth sprouted!
Ian at 17 Months
This month was all about communication. We discovered that he was able to understand us better, and he was actually able to tell us what he wanted.
For starters, he now knows how to say
Hi (his second word!)... Nothing is more satisfying than coming home, getting out of the car and being greeted by an enthusiastic
"Hi!!!" from Ian. Just the other day, he had a tummy ache so he cried out, walked up to me, lifted his t-shirt and started hitting his tummy. After applying some
minyak, he calmed down. He can also point out to things too. Like pointing to the light switch or lift button to press it. When we ask him "
Susu?", he would point to the fridge (cos that's where we store sterilized bottles). He can also point to something that he wants while saying
"Nak". And if we hand him the wrong thing, he would shake his head to indicate no. It's much easier to understand what he wants nowadays.
Loves to cheer for himself by saying
Yeay!!! (his third word!), and even clapping his hands enthusiastically. In fact he says
Yeay for almost anything. Once, at bedtime he was drinking his milk quietly on the bed while hubby was praying. As soon as hubby gave the
salam, he sat up and said
"Yeay!!!" while clapping his hands. It was so funny! Same thing happens when we arrive home (happy to see us), or parking at a shopping mall (happy to get out of the car), he would say
"Yeay!!!" gleefully!
He also understands what we say to him. Once, Hubby got "angry" at him for doing something naughty, and he just sat still looking at his Daddy, while being reprimanded. In the end, Hubby said "
Pegi depan" and pointed his finger to the living hall. And we had to stifle our laugh when he actually walked away and headed to the living hall. He also recognizes the name of our family members. Once he walked up to me and showed his hands stained with cookie crumbs (usually his way to tell us he needs help to get his hands washed). I told him "
Go and wash your hand with Kakak", and he immediately walked to the kitchen and held his hands out to the maid!
Loves to sit on my lap after
solat. He would then raise his arms with palms open facing up, as if to
doa and then quickly wipe his palms to his face when I say
Amin. He also knows when I'm done with my
solat, as he would tug on my
telekung to pester me to take if off. And when I take off my
telekung, he would then tug on my
kain pulak insistently.
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| Aiden wanted to colour... so Ian wanted the same too! |
He can now play with Aiden's toys. Sometimes, he would say "
Cheeww cheww", as if making a shooting sound. Sometimes he says "
Shhhh" as if the toy is flying in the air! He also understands how to play peekaboo. When I say "
Peekaboo?", he would immediately bring his hands (or hand) to his eyes and close them. And when I say "
Fist bump!" and offer him my fist, instead of giving me his fist, he would push my fist up (like Baymax's
balalala).
Starting to show signs of bergaduh with Aiden. Aiden loves to kiss, hug and hold Ian's hand. Ian would get angry and push him away and yelp in irritation. Sometimes Aiden would take it to heart. Ian also doesn't even allow Aiden to hold his hand when walking in public. But if Hubby or I do so, he would oblige easily. On the other hand, sometimes when Aiden is lying down, Ian would then pull Aiden's hair or tug on his hand. Aiden would then get angry. So yeah... Expect sibling fights to start soon!!!
That being said, Ian
kuat merajuk! He would push his body back and lie on the floor (actually anywhere... even the garden, on the porch) for the slightest things. But the thing is, he doesn't throw a tantrum. After just a few frustrated cries, he would just lie there motionless until one of us go
pujuk him. But sometimes we just leave him lying on the floor. Cannot
layan sangat hehehe!
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| Can you believe it.. that middle pictures actually shows a silent cry. Then he laid down and waited for someone to pujuk him. *chuckles* |
Sometimes, when Aiden and Ian share the same bed, Ian would start his habit of sleeping sideways and start getting into Aiden's space. Ian also has a bad habit of poking his feet under the body or putting his hands into the clothes of the person sleeping beside him (usually me!) so when they are on the same bed, Ian would do the same to Aiden. It irritates Aiden immensely!! I don't know how I'm going to transition them into the queen sized bed in the next room. (
Dulu Aiden only puts his hands under my
ketiak. But with Ian, he brings it to a different level - he puts his hands under my clothes and his feet
IN my pants to keep warm!!!)
Insists on having his own
air kotak. Doesn't want to share with his brother. Even if his brother graciously passes the drink to him, he would hog it! So to prevent "fights", we would end up buying one for each child. At the dinner table, he also insists on holding his own cup! This one certainly has a feisty personality. *
smiles*
Ian at 18 Months
Ian now understands more basic instructions. He knows how to "
kiss" (he will offer his cheek to your cheek), "
salam" (he will take your hand and pull it towards his cheek). When he sees a pair of spectacles, he knows how to put it on, on his own. Having said that, he also knows how to wear his own Crocs (although usually it's on the wrong side)!
I am also starting to teach him basic words, such as eyes, nose. But when I ask him “
Where’s your nose?” he would point to the back of his hand instead! *
epicfail* In fact, if you ask him anything, even "
Where's Ian?", he would point to the back of his hand! He also recognizes words and points to it while saying "
aiiii aiiii" as if reading it!
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| Future piano protege? |
Ian also understands that certain things belong to certain people. Once he took Hubby's
tafsir Quran and walked around the house in search of his Daddy. He refused to pass it to the maid or even to me when I offered to take it. He insisted on passing it to only his Daddy.
Ian now knows how to open doors. If the front door is left unlocked, he is tall enough to reach the door handle. Once unlatched, he would use his nimble fingers to push through the small opening of the door and crank it wide open. Whenever he hears the doorbell, or the familiar horn of Aiden's van, he would quickly walk to the front door and open it!
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| Hugging his brother and posing on his favourite dump truck. He can now whiz confidently around the house, maneuvering accurately and swerving to avoid obstructions! |
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| Sometimes Aiden 'bullies' his little brother by asking Ian to push him on the dump truck. |
Unlike Aiden, Ian is fearless and more adventurous. I was dumbfounded when I saw him hanging off the kitchen table, fingers holding the counter top and swinging his legs back and forth like a monkey. *giggles* Since he can now open doors, once he opened the store door and accidentally closed the door behind him. But instead of wailing in fear or panicking in the dark, he just said "ehhh ehhh", until the maid found him and rescued him. Tsk tsk tsk *shakes head* It's funny how the two brothers can be so different! However, we did discover one fear that miraculously manifested itself this month - Ian is scared of loud noises. He would cry (real tears) whenever the vacuum cleaner is turned on, or the maid is using the blender in the kitchen.
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| Fearless Ian - doesn't mind being swung in the swing without any adult support! |
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| The two best buddies. |
And that brings us to the close of Ian's 18th month. Happy 19 months old, baby!
