After Ephram’s Monthly post at 18 months, I decided to stop.  As a toddler, his diaper size, clothing size, nap schedule, wasn’t changing quite as often so it made sense.  But over the past couple of months, I feel I’ve stopped documenting his growth in other areas, such as his personality.  So I’m starting Ephram-isms.  I know that as his language and personality continue to grow and develop, things will be changing quickly in the next few months and years.  So here we go, Ephram-isms at 20months.

*this conversation happens no less than 25 times before daddy arrives home from work each afternoon*
ephram: Dada? (or Mama? when I’m not home)
me/beau: He/She’s at work.
ephram: Oooooh…

*once daddy arrives home*
beau: BUDDDYYYY!
ephram: DADA!!!
*it’s about the most wonderful thing since sliced bread

beau: show me your muscles
ephram: *squeezes hands, lifts them straight into the air and growls* arrrrrgghhh!

*beau or I inevitably take out our iphones to check mail*
ephram: Gugl?! (obviously asking for Gugl or Carl)

Frequent words:
Cooking?? (said whenever he sees a pot or pan or spatula, even while walking through Ikea’s kitchen showrooms) said more like “cookieee?”

mote, meant as remote

seeee? said whenever he wants to see what I’m cooking, see out the window, etc.

*i may add more later since whenever I’m always forgetting these little things, but these little things are something I want to remember so badly.

*and a recent photo + story behind it: a fry pan on the coffee table might seem unusual to most, but not in our home. See whenever I cook these days, it means Ephram also will ask for a pan to cook in. This day, he took the pan to the living room, then came back to ask for a snack. See, cheerios in a fry pan on the coffee table really isn’t that crazy, is it?

Age: 18 Months
Weight: 25 lbs (yes, i think he actually lost a pound!)
Length: 32″-ish?
Size: Slowly growing out of 12-18 month clothes, wearing some 24 month, size 4 diaper, size 5 shoe
Hair: More and more hair, everyday. Trimmed the back a bit again, but filling in nicely on top!
Teeth: I think we’re at 9, close to having a 10th come in. Lots of finger chewing goin’ on.
Sleeping: Bedtime 7-8pm, Wakes up 6-7am.
Naps: Can still get him to take two naps if timed right. But on daycare days, just one from 12-2:30.
Eating: Two weeks ago, he wouldn’t eat much of anything. This week, I think he’s going to clean out the fridge! Loves cheese, loves most fruit, loves noodles, but he’s not so in love with veggies still. He did learn to heat corn on the cob though, and liked it!
Movement: A few new dance moves, climbing onto couches, walking around in adult shoes. And running. I don’t think he knows how to walk anymore, just run.
Milestones: Throws garbage away (even things we don’t tell him to throw away but he knows are garbage), rubs lotion/soap on himself, points out his feet/nose and sometimes his bellybutton, and putting puzzle pieces in the right wholes.
Outings: Dropping off and picking up daddy from the airport, Lake Billesby for a Potluck/picnic, up to the cabin for Uncle Blake’s wedding.
Favorite toys/activities: Any ball, firetruck/garbage truck, anything with wheels, stuffed animals, pots and pans, cups, puzzles.
Words/sounds: The word explosion has begun. He repeats lots of words, and most noises (from the sound the blender makes to the train in the distance to exhausted sighs by Beau or I at the end of the day). He definitely knows kitty, puppy, diaper, stinky, ishy, garbage, ball, hey, hi, yeah, buh-bye, and will say even more words than this if I say it first – including the word ‘no’.
Memorable moments: Grandma Barb stayed with us for a weekend while daddy was out of town for work. Uncle Blake and Aunt Tanya got married at the cabin – Ephram showed off his fancy new dance moves at the reception (as seen below).

Ephram wasn’t all too happy about me taking pictures of everyone instead of spending the day playing with him at the wedding…
(E and his cousins)

Age: 17 Months
Weight: 26 lbs
Length: Guessing 31 or 32-ish?
Size: Mostly 12-18 month clothes, some 24 month, size 4 diaper, size 5 shoe (no change here, but some 12-18 month clothes are seeming small, while others are still huge on him)
Hair: Had his first trim, just to the rat-tail he’s been growing since birth. The rest is filling in nicely. Love how blonde he is, just like his daddy was.
Teeth: Doubled his teeth by pushing through 6 more just in the last two weeks.
Sleeping: Bedtime 7-8pm, Wakes up 6-7am.
Naps: 90% of the time we are just doing one nap now – usually 1.5-2.5 hours.
Eating: Still loves berries, cheese, noodles. Doesn’t like tomatoes, or green beans, or peppers. All of which we are growing in the garden this year. Oh well, more for mom!
Movement: Runs everywhere, does a ‘run in place’ type dance that he loves to do when he’s got his shoes on so it sounds like tap dancing. Starting to climb things, like the bench in the entry way.
Milestones: The biggest one this month was again more understanding of what we are saying, AND trying to say what we are saying. AND finally starting to identify parts of his body when asked.
Outings: South Dakota vacation!
Words/sounds: In addition to perfecting ‘mor’ and “uh-oh”, he attempted to say pizza, balloon (baba), and ball. He learned “woah” while on vacation and will repeat me when I say “can you say mama?” which just about makes my heart burst.
Memorable moments: Our whole South Dakota trip was memorable with Ephram. He did so well in the car with his cousins and loved being outside playing with rocks at the campsite.

While still trying to understand good vs bad behavior, he seems to test out every bad behavior whenever he performs a single one and gets scolded. For example, if he hits, we’ll tell him not to hit. Then he follows it up by hitting more, then biting, then hitting his own head on a wall or the floor, to which we continue to say no. Then he shakes his head and puts on a very sad face.

He continues to be very sensitive, so when you tell him not to do something, he may burst into tears (usually when it’s someone other than me scolding him – if it’s me, he just laughs). Even something as simple as declining a goldfish cracker when he offers you one may cause tears, or at least a sad face + shaking his head.

The photo below is a blurry example of Ephram’s scared face. This was at Wall Drug in South Dakota when seeing the dinosaur from Jurassic Park. (We’re wonderful parents.)

Age: 16 Months
Weight: 24.5 lbs
Length: Guessing 30-ish?
Size: Mostly 12-18 month clothes, some 24 month, size 4 diaper, size 5 shoe
Hair: Tons of hair. It’s everywhere. Crazy, wispy, sometimes curly, thin blonde hair.
Teeth: I’m not sure he’ll ever have more than six teeth at this rate! Actually, the recent increase in drool, biting, and crankiness is hopefully a sign of more teeth.
Sleeping: Bedtime 7-8pm, Wakes up 6-7am.
Naps: Sometimes two. Sometimes just one, which usually leads to a stressful evening of crying.
Eating: Blueberries, noodles, bananas, strawberries. Not liking meat (maybe it’s hard to chew with just six teeth?), not very interested in bread unless it’s from our plates instead of his. Loves his milk. Loves cheese.
Movement: Tried to climb up on the couch by raising his leg, and can almost do it. Runs, spins, tries to jump.
Milestones: I think the amount he understands was the biggest milestone this month. I tell him we need to change his diaper and he runs to his room where the diapers are. I tell him to get his shoes on or take them off and he attempts to do it by himself. Tries to take his clothes off when I tell him it’s time for a bath and he needs to get naked first. Sits in his chair to eat when I suggest it to him (because he’s begging for food).
Outings: Visited the cabin.
Words/sounds: “Mor” for more, “Mil” for milk, and continues to say “uh-oh” all the time, along with “good-bye” (and waves), “the end”, “all done” (with sign language sometimes), but it’s more of noise imitation than pronunciation of the word still. But like I said, he understands a bunch.
Memorable moments: Hmm… biting mommy and daddy? Whipping his head back when mad and hitting it on the wall, resulting in bumps and scratches? Grabbing mommy’s curling iron off the counter and burning his hand? All very memorable this month. But he also helps daddy push the button to grind the coffee beans, and helped assemble the garden hose house with a screw driver. Anything he can “work” on. Oh, and he can twist a bottle cap. And of course, continuing to be the sweetest little boy in the world.

Holy cow! How did my little boy get to be such a big toddler? It’s so amazing watching him become this little person with opinions (as frustrating as that may be sometimes).

Age: 15 Months
Weight: Guessing 23 lbs?
Length: Guessing 30″?
Size: Mostly 12-18 month clothes (Even though some 12 month clothes still fit, most of his 18 month wardrobe is Summery, so I’m putting it to use whenever it’s warm enough), size 4 diaper, size 5 shoe
Hair: My little blonde boy. Seriously, I had dreams about this, and his hair is finally growing. That, or the humidity and warmth is making it more voluminous.
Teeth: Still just six. I can’t even remember the last time he got a tooth. He’s had six for so long now.
Sleeping: Bedtime 7:30ish. Wakes up between 5:30 and 7am. Very good sleeper at night.
Naps: Will take two naps on non-daycare days, but when at daycare, he only gets one… (hoping to push for two next week. makes for a much happier Ephram in the evenings.)
Eating: All of the place. Sometimes he likes food, sometimes he hates food. Most of the time, he’s very cautious of what I’m offering him. But if I force him to taste it, he likes it about 70% of the time. Loves smoothies, cheese, snack food (of course), fruit, granola bars, cherries, bananas. And he now knows to run to his high chair and ask to sit in it when it’s time to eat or when he’s hungry. Communication is a beautiful thing, really.
Movement: Oh this boy can move. That’s for sure. Walking, almost running. Can walk through the grass. Climbs into Beau’s bedside table cupboard to “hide” from us. Spins in circles on command. “Ephram, Do Circles!”
Milestones: Up and down stairs like a pro.
Outings: First trip up to the cabin on the year.
Words/sounds: Still not saying much. But actually, he is. Confusing? Well, instead of words, Ephram mimics the tune of words. Yep. I’ll say “bye-bye” and Ephram won’t enunciate the word, he’ll instead, sing the same tune I said “bye-bye” in. I’ve never heard of a baby doing that, but he understands a ton of words and everyday I’m noticing more mimicking of words without syllables. They’ll come someday, I’m sure. (Note to self: post videos of Ephram “talking” because it’s so hard to describe in words and I’m sure I’ll forget all about this stage in 5 or 10 years)
Memorable moments: This one.