19 Months

Little Joe playing with pillow forts with Rachael

Little Joe is 19 months old... just about time for me to stop referencing his age in months to other people.  I don't recall hearing anyone saying 'My son is 23 months old.'  It's usually a fraction of a year for a bit and then whole year increments.  I would like to try to keep this blog fresh, though, so I may stick with the monthly convention for now or just convert to the name of the month and year instead.  I'll see how I feel about it over the next few months.

Lots of changes going on here in Belgium for us recently.  We are officially moving home on November 5th and have already scheduled our moving arrangements for when we leave.  It is bittersweet in a lot of ways, but for me the one thing with little Joe I will regret is that he is just now finally in toddler day care instead of infant and seems to be really enjoying his new playmates.  Since he's on the low end of his group he seems to be looking to emulate all of the other kids he's with and the daycare providers have told us that he's been doing very well there so far.

Joe has been talking a lot more even in just the past few days and absolutely loves reading books with us and by himself.  He reads his books in his car seat just about every time we are in the car and he will also pick up his books and read them in the living room when he's playing.  Some of the time he just flips through the pages but more times than not he either tries to say or make the sound of whatever it is he's looking at or will call one of us over to tell him what he is looking at.

He also has learned how to blow kisses, which is part of his bedtime routine, but now also does it with ladies he meets on the street as well.  Rachael says that he constantly flirts with the women in day care or in the store.  He's also been doing very well with going to bed and seems to look forward to his bedtime routine of reading and turning out the lights on most nights.