21 Months--"No, No, No"

Well, Little Dude has finally learned how to say "no" and he's not afraid to use it. This month he has really left baby-hood behind him and seems like a little boy. He has opinions now and expresses them whenever he can--he wants his boots and not his shoes, he wants to wear the brown pants and not the blue ones, and so on. It's an adjustment from having a little baby who is so adaptable to having a toddler that has definite likes and dislikes. Despite the fact that he has started to get a wee bit more difficult, Little Dude has also become a lot more fun. While we still don't get very many words and no sentences, he is a great communicator. He can do lots of animal sounds and tons of signs. He loves to read; two of his favorite books right now are Pinkalicious and If You Give a Mouse a Cookie. His favorite sign is also "cookie" and he begs for treats after every meal. He also has started doing more pretend play--he loves playing with the toy food and with the baby dolls. Babies are one of his obsessions and he points them out wherever we go. He also loves balls, trains, balloons, buses, and Dora the Explorer. The weather has been a bit warmer lately and he loves spending time outside climbing on the playground and collecting rocks. Little Dude is still very sweet and cuddly and we love having him around. Lately he's become very attached to "Daddy" (he actually calls him that now) and asks for him throughout the day. He also loves his big sister, although I'm still waiting for him to say her name. Maybe next month!