The Gillespie Family

22 Months

At 22 months Luke is a precocious, but loving, little guy. He loves to test his limits and will look you right in the face, do something he knows not to do, and laugh. The child is in timeout about 20 times a day. We have a no tolerance policy for this behavior. He sits in his timeout chair until the timer goes off (30 secs) and then we talk about what he did wrong. My mom always thought I deserved a run for my money just as I gave her and I think her wish came true. Only problem with that wish is that it affects her, too, since she watches him while I work. Ha!

Here are our 22 month updates:

Weight ~30 lbs; wears size 24 mo-2T, size 8-8 1/2 shoe; size 5 diaper
Is tall! He was in the 95th percentile for height at 18 mos and has not slowed down. There is a ledge on a kitchen counter that sticks out like a breakfast bar; 6 months ago when we moved here, he cleared it easily by a good 3-4 inches. He now hits his head on it unexpectantly because he has become too tall! That's a lot of growing in 6 months.
Getting better at puzzles, matches shapes and colors
Can count to 3, but loves counting everything "one, two" and pointing out any time he sees two of something-- "oh, two!"
Loves the letter B. Not quite sure why.
Talks constantly. Speaks in phrases and very short sentences. Has a word for most things, but does not always choose to use it. For instance, he can say "thank you" and uses it when he really wants something, "cookie, pease? ank you." but only when he wants to use it. He has started adding "Ma" to the end of his questions to me: "more, Ma?" "Book, Ma?" "Fi-truck, Ma?". Also often calls for "Mama!" to come get him from his crib in the morning when he wakes up vs crying.
Has become more interested in books and actually sits with Mommy to read them, but still prefers his picture books vs a full story. He loves to point out the pictures and tell me what they are and what noise they make.
Loves animals and trucks and wants to see them in books, on DVDs and especially on YouTube. He brings the laptop to you and says, "truck? truck?" and we navigate from trucks to lions roaring to cows mooing back to firetrucks, etc. The boy is especially obsessed with firetrucks. There are a couple places on our way to nursery school or church where he knows he will see trucks or school buses and he looks for them each time, knowing they will be there. It amazes me that he knows our driving route!
LOVES to help cook and pretend to cook. My mom is great with him. He pushes his helper stool over to the counter, grabs a bowl and spoon and helps Grammie or Mommy cook. Sometimes he's a little more help than we might like. ;)
P-i-c-k-y eater. Drives me crazy. Even though he has the stature of an older two-year-old, he does not eat much. I try to make sure that what he does eat is healthier for that reason. However, he often refuses what is put in front of him, even when given a choice of things to eat before it's made. Sigh.... I do no intend to be a short order cook in the future, but I don't feel like I can just refuse him food now if he chooses not to eat what he's given. Something to work on....
Still LOVES Barney and has now added Caillou to the list. Can sit through most of an episode now, whereas before he had a 10 minute sitting-still limit.
Loves to play any game that involves sequencing: ready-set-go. He repeats "set, go" over and over.
Will tell me "I kay" when he falls before I can even ask him. So funny.
Is getting much closer to a true little boy walk/run vs the toddle. Sad for me. No longer climbs up the stairs on hands and knees, but walks up by holding onto the rail. Will even take a few steps holding onto nothing at all!

Here are the latest pictures:

I came home from shopping one Saturday when Daddy was babysitting and found this. Apparently he realized too late Luke had a onesie on following a diaper change and settled for snapping it outside his pajama pants.

The way he sleeps cracks me up: always up against the side of his crib, legs through the bars. He refuses covers, hates them, but it gets so cold here. I found a big kid sized sleep sack with feet holes and it has been perfect.

Playing outside on a chilly day.

He loves Grammie's snowman. It sings and dances and he thinks it's so funny.

Holding the step stool for Auntie as she puts the garland around the door.

Until he heard a firetruck and the whole world had to halt to a stop for a minute...

Tell me this face is not precious?!

We went to visit Granny recently, Allen's 95-year-old grandmother. Luke did not want to held still for a picture. There were so many cool things to touch (read: attempt to destroy).

He loved playing with Granny's phone. She didn't mind, but he kept pressing the nurse call button. Oops.

We have graduated to a booster chair. Not permanently, we still go back and forth with the highchair, but a big move!

I sold the M. Zoo as an account recently and they were telling me all about Zoo Lights, their holiday zoo attraction. We decided to check it out. It was COLD and Luke was really not happy to be both cold, tired, and restricted in a stroller. Not one of our better outings...

He wore the cute bear hat Grammie bought to support girls in India who make these hats as a means to earn income. Appropriate for the zoo, right?

Luke's nursery school program. Our first little program of his to watch! What a fun parent moment. Of course, most of his class just sat in their chairs without participating. But hey, we were so proud he sat there without running amuck instead!