These are a few of my favorite things...

I'm still not sure who planned Hardin's birthday at the end of the month, but I came home so exhausted yesterday I couldn't muster up the strength it would take to write about my EIGHTEEN MONTH OLD.  Holy Toledo.  How did THAT happen? 

I remember it like it was yesterday, this was the age that Cathy and Justin first left Cawley for a few days so Justin could run the NY marathon.  I remember loving every bit of those four days, and thinking Ahhh, I see. This is why God starts you out with a baby and not an 18 month old.  They are as busy as they are magnificent.  Now I see how awesome and important all that busy is.  

I started thinking about my many favorite things about this age, but thought I'd rather write about Hardin's.  So here are just a few...

Go Awe Sigh- That is hands down his favorite thing to do.  He wakes up saying go awe sigh (go out side).  He will get a fist full of your clothing and drag you to the front door.  He stands with his entire body pressed against the floor to ceiling windows by the front door.  If he is cranky, all you have to do is open the door and he's instantly better.  I can't say enough to explain how much the child LOVES to go awe sigh. 

Basch Tee-  Hardin has tooth brushes all over the house.  He knows where they are, and where the "melmo" is.  That's what he calls tooth paste because Elmo is on the tube.  He stands right beside us in the morning and brushes his teeth mimicking what we do.  Yesterday he reached his little arm on the counter and found his "choo-choo" (his tooth brush with Thomas on it), opened my vanity drawer and dug around reaching until he found melmo, and brought them both to me and started banging them on the shower door until I opened and put his melmo on choo choo so he could basch tee.  Crazy kid. 

Bee-Es- Hardin has never reached his natural stopping point eating blue berries.  He wold literally eat them until he got sick if you let him.  He's going through one of the $8 Costco containers about every 4 days.  I'm not exaggerating.  If you try and give him anything else first thing in the morning he looks at you like you're off your rocker.  Then proceeds to scream Bee-Es, Bee-Es, BEEEEE- EEEEs, until you give him a hand full.  I suppose there are worse things to be addicted to, but at this rate he may be staring as Violet in the next Wonka film.

Gigi-  Nuff said really.  I try and remind myself that he has to like me more, I'm the mama.  But sometimes I'm not so sure.  He is obsessed with her.  Can't blame him really, you would be too if you had a Gigi. 

We Boots- Pronounced with the boo from book, with a T instead of K, not boots like the shoe.  He has also never found his natural stopping point with reading books unless someone comes home and interrupts.  He will hand you book, after book, after book, after book, and sit and read them intently with you.  And don't try and skip a page either, he sees right through your game and you end up having to start all over.  His favorites are the Usborne Find-It books.  They are amazing.  We started with Find the Duck, and I got so tired of finding that stinkin duck that now we have Find the Bird, Find the Piglet, and Find the Dog.  They are basically Where's Waldo books for toddlers.  He can breeze through all of them now finding the appropriate animal.  And although he reads them every day, he still excitedly proclaims DARES DA DUCK on every page.  He also loves anything Elmo, farm, car, animal, counting or moon related.  His bedtime book is Goodnight Moon (or nigh nigh moooon, as H likes to say).  He also loves to find the moon outside. 

And last but far from least.  Ball.  He is still infatuated with any and all balls.  He's got a great throw (seriously, he throws very straight and right to you), he kicks pretty well, and has started making solid bat/club contact with his toy sets.  For the record, we have not encouraged or discouraged this.  It is all him. 

There are many more I'm sure, but those round out the top of the list quite well.  I haven't had the big camera out this week, so here is a pic I snapped with my phone this morning while we were watering the flowers, and one tonight as we cuddled watching a little choo-choo before bed.  As you can see he's all but lost interest in looking at the camera.

Little baby Hardin, at 18 months you are simply amazing.  You are the center of our little world, and that makes us the luckiest of the lucky.  Thank you little guy.