Happy 18 Months to Jax!!!

Warning: BORING POST TO ALL NORMAL PEOPLE.  Grandparents will probably be the only ones to enjoy.  :)  If you're "normal" then just skip to the very bottom and look at his cute face in the pictures.  :)   

Small Snippets about Jax at 18 months:

• Weight:____ Height:____(We haven't been to the doc yet.  I'll fill this in later)
• He loves for us to read him books ("ck, ck, ck").  His favorites at the moment are We're Going on a Bear Hunt (We do the actions with it and Jax says "uh-oh" at the right moments....I've maxed out the number of times I can renew it at the Library-time to buy the thing), and any lift-the-flap peek-a-boo or pop up type books.  Dear Zoo has been one of his favs for a while. 
• He's somehow learned the "shaking his whole body when he's excited" skill from his cousins, Austin and Creed.
• I love how he tries to jump.  He bends his knees low and pops up without leaving the ground and then claps for himself. :)
• Jax loves music.  He claps, nods his head, taps his feet, and spins around to music.  We often have mini-dance parties during the day and he loves it.  Sometimes, I will "drum" on the table or a pan and he he nods his head or pops his knee to the beat.  So funny!  He loves to climb on my lap and play the keyboard any chance he can get.  He has learned how to turn it off, on, and add the background synchro filler in, which is always an exciting moment! 
• He is obsessed with TRUCKS.   I guess we live in the right place since there are tons of trucks here. :)  He says "kuk, kuck, kuck, kuck" over and over when we're driving in the car.  He's been making vehicle noises for a long time now and continues to do so.  Our neighbors gave us some fun new toys that their boys have grown out of.  One in particular has seemed to become a favorite and he has loved driving the cars down the ramp while making car noises.  He's also pretty good at making jet noises.  We hear them often fly over our house.  
• Jax is a friendly little dude.  He says "hiiieeee, hi, hi, hi, hiieeee" to everyone and anyone we see out on our walk, at the store, or just out and about.  He's not a shy kid, that's for sure!
• He loves nursery!  He would much rather be in there playing, singing, and eating snacks than go to Sunday School with us. (who can blame the kid?) If we even walk by the door, he runs over to it and wants to go in.  We are very happy about that and we hope it continues!
• Words: "Hiiiieeeee" bubble "bubba", pop!, key (going to check the mail is one of his most favorite things to do each day.  He loves to hold the key!), Jax "ack", dada, mama, temple "pempo", Jesus "eesshus", baby, go, diaper "po-po"??, binki "kee-kee", snack "ack", hot, dog "dah", boo, bye-bye "die, die" :/, uh-oh (we hear this on a lot) :),up "bup!" (when he wants to sit on our lap or for us to hold him), ball "bah", cracker "caca", milk "kulk", walk "gok!", fish/goldfish snack "shishhy"  He's mastered the /ck/ sound and most of the time it's hard to tell what he's saying unless you know from being around him. 
• Animal noises: dog, cat, monkey, horse, fish (kiss), dolphin (sounds the same as a dog but he also adds the clicking noise in there...cuteness),  gorilla (pounds his chest), duck (still does this with gusto!)  Duck is probably still is favorite animal.
• He is very intrigued by babies.  It's amazing to me the special feeling a tiny baby can create, even in a toddler like Jax.  He loves to say "baby!" and then put his face towards his shoulder and say "oh"  He puts his cheek/side of his face towards his shoulder when we ask for a hug.  I think he's giving himself a hug or something??? I don't know but it's tender.    
• Outside is his favorite place to be.  He begs to go "siiieee" (outside) many many times during the day.  He does his little fake whine, goes to the door, and says "siiieee" or "bubba....pop!".   He loves to swing and pop bubbles.  He also loves to play with the hose and dirt in the flower pots.  We go on a walk most days and Jax loves to go to the garage door and say "gok, gok, gok, gok" until we finally go!  It's just one more way  
• Jax has always had a happy-go-lucky personality.  He's still a very friendly, happy, and content kiddo.  We love him for that!  He smiles a lot, which is so contagious.  Jax loves to make friends with whoever he can.  He tries to play with the big kids at the park or wherever.  He's a pretty good people-watcher, it seems.  He watches what kids are doing and then copies whatever they do.  I really have to watch my back.  :)  I wiped my face on my shirt sleeve today and then he grabbed my sleeve and immediately wiped his mouth on my sleeve,  just like I did.  Yikes!   
• I love how exciting the world is to Jax right now.  It's such a joy to see him take everything in for the first time.  I love his innocence and trust that he has in us.  He's just the sweetest little baby in the world!  And no, I'm not biased at all.   ;)

THIS KID HAS CERTAINLY CHANGED OUR LIVES AND ADDED SO MUCH JOY TO OUR MOMENTS.  WE LOVE LOVE LOVE OUR LITTLE JAX!  

Sometimes, I wish I could somehow stop the clock.  He's growing up so quick.  :(