Our baby is now 18 months - 1 and a half years old, I just cannot deal. Where does the time go?

I thought I would do a full update on Cai every 6 months or so, to document the changes and it will be something nice for us to look back at. I get super emotional as he grows, I literally cry when I sort through his clothes once he outgrows them.

So here is the 18 month update on our little prince.

Clothes : 12 - 18 months and some 9 - 12 months also, however we will be buying 18 - 24 & 24+ months for autumn/winter. We tend to buy bigger so he can get more wear out of them.

Shoe : size 6

Nappies : 5 or 5+ Asda Little Angels

Cai's speech and understanding is just developing every day! He baby babbles all day long and I'm not joking ALL DAY. It's the cutest thing though, as he babbles full sentences and you always know when he is asking a question.

He is able to say a few words within the right context - bye, hi, hiya, pwease, wow, up, wait, oh dear, no and bubbles. Most recently, with daddy in the bathroom he says beady beady ahhh as in ready steady go. Grandma used to be neh neh, but she is now Banma. 

I am however still Daddy :( I only get called Mum Mum sometimes.  

He also knows and understands that 'dwoo' comes after one. We have been practising numbers for a while, but little did I know that through all his laughing, he was picking up what we were saying.

Cai is a very happy, well behaved, independent little bunny. He is VERY ENERGETIC, I mean the energiser bunny has nothing on my son. He runs all day long and he is so quick. He only sits down to eat, be changed, when having a bot bots or if there is a special song on Disney Junior. 

He also gets so shy with people at times which is so cute. He has always been a very strong little boy, strength wise and personality. From birth he has been such a strong character and I'm glad that this is still following through to toddler-hood (remind me I said this during the terrible twos). He is so funny, we all laugh every single day, such a small person has created an exceptional amount of joy in our lives.

He is also trying to test boundaries as they do. I have recently noticed that when in front of others, is when he will really test/show off. I'd love to know why that is. We are staying firm and strong, as I do not want to always have to RAISE my voice for him to know I'm being serious.
However, when someone else tells him off, no matter how naughty he has been, I just want to cry lol. It is the strangest thing because I do not feel that way when I am doing the telling off.

He usually wakes between 8 - 8.30am. We lay in bed for a few minutes, brush our teeth, have a top and tail, then go downstairs.

He will have a cup of water and breakfast at 10am.

Breakfast is Weetabix's or toast followed by fruit. 

Lunch is at 2pm and will usually be fish/meat with veg, plain rice or pasta, with fruit for dessert.
Lunch is then sometimes followed by an afternoon nap at 3pm.
Depending on the lunch he has, he may have a bottle while going down for his nap or after.

If he naps he will usually wake at 5pm.
If he doesn't have a bottle when going down for his nap he will have one at 5.30pm.  

He may have a small snack - some fruit, cucumber, water crackers/yoghurt on a special day, rice cakes or organix snacks.

Dinner is then at 7pm, where he usually has a small portion, then either fruit or a fruit pot for dessert.

Bed time = Wine o'clock joking - kinda.

Bed time is then 9pm, after bath time, he has a bottle with some nutmeg and cinnamon.

Daddy tends to put him to bed :). When I was pregnant we jokingly said he would do the night time duties and since we've been home with him, he has rarely missed an evening to put his little bear to bed. He is amaze-balls.

His eating on a whole has been pretty good. We have finally upgraded to a few other options including pasta, cheese, spinach, grapes, spare ribs and plantain. 

His current favourite foods are: rice, pasta, mutton, fish, corn on the cob, water crackers and fruit!

He has also started to feed himself with a spoon and fork which is great and just, mess is an understatement. 

Bubba currently has 2 x 180 ml bottles a day. We try to alternate between whole milk and SMA 1 - 3 years. Throughout the day he drinks water which he loves. As a special treat we will occasionally add a small drop of no added sugar dilute juice to his water, or water down juice. I will begin to juice oranges and try him with that soon.

In the day Cai used to nap at 3pm - 5pm, with no problems. Of recent, he has been fighting the day time nap and refusing to sleep, then getting incredibly frustrated and sleepy at around 5pm. I'm not sure why this is, but will persevere in trying to make him have a day time nap even if it is a small one.
Cairo tends to sleep through the night in his cot. Thank you Cai! He will usually wake up if he has a cold or if not feeling well, we will then bring him into our bed. But seriously, he must be the worst little sleeper ever. He literally does gymnastics in the bed and you cannot sleep. I mean....what is that about.

I usually try to attend a play group, baby group, play and stay whichever they are called, once a week. Within 5 minutes walking distance of our house we have two great play groups so we alternate between the two. 

However, there are many times when I just think he wants to run wild and not be so restricted; so we go to the park which is 4 minutes walk away from our house. Our house location is just YES, I absolutely love it. Thank you mum.
We also have a play date with family or friends once a week. 

So that is where we currently are. It has been an incredible pleasure to watch our little cherub grow and develop. He is such a happy, boisterous, funny, loving, smart and independent little boy. He has such a special relationship with his dad, it is just amazing to watch and I feel so so privileged to say he is my son. It almost doesn't seem real sometimes, when do you get used to it? Is he really mine?
I feel like I die a little everyday because my heart just .... He just makes me melt. I don't even know how to articulate it lol.

Thank you Cairo for being you.
We love you so very much!

Until the next 6 months .... Don't grow too quickly.

xx