A Flavorful Adventure

I've taken several months off from Tucker Tuesday, mostly because I got behind and didn't know where to restart, but I've also been trying to focus more energy on my personal interests. I realized that I was much happier when I didn't go months without scrapbooking, reading, or having some alone time. I wasn't willing to give up my precious time with Tucker, and I couldn't quit work (darn!), so I've made some minor changes to ensure that I can enjoy my time with Tucker (and Jeremy) and still have some "me" time. I'm planning on doing a long Tucker update today, and then I will try to do a shorter update on a monthly basis. So, let's get on to the reason that you are all still reading...Tucker!

It has been about six months since I've posted, but I will try to keep this as brief as possible and post lots of pictures (because he is still pretty cute). His last doctor's appointment was when he was 15 months old. He was 30th percentile for both height and weight, which is slightly lower than he had been, but the doctor was not concerned and thought he looked extremely healthy. He scored very high in the development categories, and his vocabulary at that time was around a 21 month old! He is growing into a little boy with a big mouth!

His vocabulary is incredible, and I LOVE listening to him talk. He has at least 40-50 words, but some of my favorites to hear are please, thank you, outside, and hot cocoa. He also loves to make animal sounds, and most animals are named by the sound they make. For example, if he sees a sheep, then he says "baaa" until he is sure that we've seen the sheep as well. He makes sounds for monkeys, cows, horses, pigs, elephants, lions, dinosaurs, owls, birds, beavers, turkeys, and of course, kitties.

Tucker turned 18 months old on January 17th, so we celebrated with a "half" birthday cake. He also went pee pee on the potty for the first time. We've had his potty chair for awhile and he sits on it when he feels like it. When I was putting him to bed that night, I could tell that he needed to go, so I offered the potty, and he went. As I put on his diaper, he kept saying "pee pee" and "potty." I don't think that he really understood what happened or why we were so excited; although, he was more than happy to eat the chocolate that he earned.

Tucker loves to play make believe. He likes to pretend to go "night night" when we are out shopping and he sees a mattress or if we're in his bedroom. For Christmas, he got a kitchen set and a workbench, and he loves "making" coffee and "washing" his hands.

He also loves the "typical" toddler boy stuff. He likes cars, airplanes, and tractors. He loves animals, especially kitties and dinosaurs. He also loves to read books. He has several wood puzzles that he is getting very good at. He has lots of balls of all sizes, and he likes to throw them around.

Tucker is still a great eater. It is easy to get fruit and vegetables in him, but sometimes we struggle with protein. Lately, he has really liked all sorts of meat, but we also fall back on peanut butter or cheese. He pretty much eats whatever we're eating, and we try to expose him to a variety of foods. He loved the Indian restaurant that we tried a couple weeks ago, and he usually loves Chinese and Italian food. He loves to dip EVERYTHING--cookies in milk, stromboli in pizza sauce, crackers in hummus, apples in peanut butter, and anything else that I can come up with. Tucker is getting pretty good at using a spoon, and he is starting to use a fork. He is just starting to eat at the table instead of the tray of his high chair. He uses a sippy cup most of the time, but we try to use a regular cup at least once per day. He is beginning to refuse his sippy cup in favor of a cup, and everything seems to taste better from Mom's glass or water bottle.

Tucker has turned into a great sleeper! Our little baby that refused naps at daycare now sleeps for around 1-1.5 hours at daycare. At home, he will sometimes nap for 2 hours, and his record was 4 hours (but that only happened once). He goes to bed around 6:30-7 PM and wakes up between 7 and 7:30 AM. We've developed a good bedtime routine that works well for him, and he now gets to sleep with his blanket and Foxy.

Overall, Tucker has been really healthy. He had a cold in December, but has only had one fever since last summer when he had hand, foot, and mouth disease. This week, he has had a stomach bug that has given him a terrible diaper rash, but he is getting better. We feel so fortunate to have a healthy boy!!

Tucker is turning into quite the little traveler. Last fall, we took Tucker to Seattle to see my brother and sister-in-law. My parents retired and they road tripped out there with my Grandma, so we all got to spend a week together. Tucker was a little angel on the plane, and we soaked up the compliments for our "good little traveler." A week after we got home, Tucker and I went on our own adventure. We met my parents for the last stop of their retirement road trip in Lincoln, NE. Tuck and I flew to Denver, survived our layover, and then made it to Omaha, where my parents picked us up. We spent several days with extended family in Lincoln, and then drove seven hours home. Again, he was a little angel, and he loved having Grandpa and Great-Grandma in the backseat with him for the drive home.

That brings me to our next travel adventure. Next week, Jeremy, Tucker, and I are going to Puerto Rico. We will be gone for a total of ten days, which gives us eight full days in San Juan. Tucker loves to dance, so we're hoping to see some Salsa dancers. He already says "Hola" and I can't wait to see if he picks up any other Spanish words. Jeremy and I failed last year in Florida because we never got Tuck to the beach or to swim in the ocean, but we are staying only a block from the beach this year so we will not make the same mistake again! I'm looking forward to fresh produce, lots of sunny days, and unlimited family time!

Here are six months worth of pictures of our happy, little toddler!

I can't wait until summer, so I can swim in my pool again. I love the water!

We went to Minnehaha Falls last summer.

I went through a phase where I was mean to Oliver. He was a good sport, but now I'm more gentle.

I love my Cozy Coupe. I play with it every chance I get!

We have a membership to the Minnesota Zoo, and I loved the farm animal exhibit last summer.

Mommy and Daddy took me to Seattle for vacation and to visit Uncle Rob and Aunt Cailie.

Grandma and Grandpa met us out there during their 6 week retirement road trip. We went to the Aquarium.

I played with dirt when we visited Mount Rainier.

I tasted the dirt. It was gross.

That's Mount Rainier in the background.

I LOVE laundry basket rides!!

Mommy took me on a plane ride alone. We visited family in Lincoln.

Grandma and Grandpa were in Lincoln, too. We went to the zoo.

We went to the Lincoln Children's Museum, and I got to play the piano.

Of course, I loved the water exhibit.

Mommy loves to take me for walks. Sometimes, the school kids wave to me on their way home from school.

I like to pick at flowers.

This is a nice place for a snack.

I had to make sure that Minnesota dirt tastes as bad as Washington dirt.

This is my room. I love looking at pictures of myself, so there are some on the wall.

I love going down the slide.

We went to a pumpkin patch in October, and I got a pumpkin to bring home.

They had a tractor that I could "drive."

I love apples. We went to an orchard, and I loved squishing the rotten apples on the ground.

Daddy helped me carve my pumpkin, and I got to scoop out the insides. I liked to squish the guts and seeds.

I was a dinosaur for Halloween. I love dinosaurs. Grrr.

Dinosaurs like to go down slides, too.

Even dinosaurs need their Grandma sometimes.

I went Trick or Treating at daycare and got lots of yummy candy.

I played in the first snow of the year, but I didn't like that it was cold. It was hard to walk in my boots, but it's getting easier.

This reindeer is in our plant during Christmastime, and I liked to kiss it every time I walked by.

I loved the tree with lights, and usually I could resist touching the ornaments.

I know that Santa says "Ho!" but...

...but I didn't like taking pictures with him.

I liked my Christmas pictures with Grandma a lot more than Santa!

Uncle Rob showed me some of the ornaments.

I got a tractor and book that I like to play with.

I got my own kitchen with food, and I love making coffee for Mommy and Daddy.

Mommy, Daddy, and I got ready for the holidays with Christmas nachos and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." They never let me watch TV, so it was a very special night.

I thought the stockings were awesome! I kept going back to make sure there weren't more presents later in the day.

My cousins, Jake and Josh, were fun to play with.

My Great-Grandma gave me this great workbench, so now I can use tools like Daddy.

I like to play "piggy in the pen" with Grandpa. Sometimes, I make my puppy play, too.

I give great kisses!

I call him "Baba" now since I can't quite say Grandpa.

I get to sleep with Foxy and my blankie. Usually, I sleep with clothes on, but Mommy and I were just pretending.

I love to be naked!

Strutting my stuff :)

I can make anything into a toy!

I'm learning to drink out of cup.

I love to dip my food. Here, I'm using herbal tea to soften up my animal crackers.

I still have great eyelashes.

I am such a happy boy!

I like to stand on my head and say "Hi."

Peek-a-boo!!

I don't let the snow keep me off the roads! I'm practicing my winter driving skills.

I'm getting used to my sled. It's pretty fun if it's not too cold.

Mommy made me a cake for my half birthday. It was messy and delicious.

Beep! Beep!

I love playing dress up! I'm trying to find my own fashion style!

This is a good look, right?

Here is the half of a cake with 1.5 candles for my half birthday. Peanut butter and chocolate chip cake with a peanut butter and chocolate ganache--yummy!