Hi friends! This is a wacky season for our world living through a pandemic but I am so thankful to be the proud mama of two healthy children who have kept us grounded on what’s most important this year. It’s wild to think Ollie is inching closer to two years old – where does the time go? I feel like it was just yesterday I was waddling around the house chasing Annie with my pregnant belly slowing me down. There are so many similarities between Annie and Ollie – similar facial expressions, both adventurous eaters, both very ticklish – but also plenty of differences that keep us on our toes. Ollie keeps things interesting and he is changing so fast I can barely keep up – here’s a look at what he’s up to these days.
Motherhood Update: Ollie at 18 months
Size: 30 pounds (that’s one pound lighter than his almost four-year-old sister)
Nicknames: Lolly, Ninja
Sweetest thing he does: This is a tie! 1)He spontaneously will blow kisses – at neighbors, friends, family – and is so proud of himself. 2) He has started following suit when we pray before meals, bowing his head and putting his little hands together while also half looking up, always ready to eat.
Most frustrating thing he does: For whatever reason he has decided it’s so much fun to throw down whatever cup he is using and when I say throw it down, I mean with the strength of a super baby because inevitably, a part of the cup breaks and there’s a mess. A big mess. Some days I feel like all I do is clean up after his spilled drinks. He did this with his milk this morning and before I could say something to him, Annie looked at him and said, “Lolly, why would you do that? It’s not okay.”
New words in his growing vocabulary: No, Pwease, Dog, Nana, Gaga (instead of Dada), Nannie (for Annie), Woody (Toy Story), Wow
What he has a lot of: Teeth, facial expressions and energy
Favorite foods: The boy will eat anything but his current favorites include blueberries, avocado, and deli turkey.
Biggest obsessions: Playing outside. Reading books. Throwing balls or anything that resembles a ball. Anything Toy Story – if we ever want him to sit still for a few minutes we turn that on and he sits and giggles for as long as Woody and Buzz are there.
Morning person or night owl? Morning person
Introvert or Extrovert? Extrovert
Biggest difference between him and Annie: He is ALL BOY. While she never tried to eat dirt or rocks, he eats plenty on the daily and we routinely find him throwing things in Buddy’s water bowl or the toilet.
Most surprising thing about this age: I am amazed at how well he communicates and how much he understands. He doesn’t miss anything, and you can see his little mind going on hyper speed as he tried to figure out how something works. What’s also amazing? Is how quickly he’s outgrowing clothes and shoes.
Favorite part of this age: It’s amazing to watch him and Annie together, how much they love to play together and for now, always want to be together. He will not go to sleep before he gets loving from Annie and vice versa, and he is always ready to wake her up in the morning. He gives the best open-mouth kisses and loves to snuggle, and we’re all soaking that in every chance we get, his big sister included.
Katie Powell Bell 