Sawyer at Almost 18 Months

Since being in Virginia (and actually just since starting this trip), I've noticed some things about Sawyer's development that I hadn't before. Maybe simply because we were at home and I got used to the environment, or because the new settings and people are revealing new things about him.

One huge thing that astounded me was how well he did in the car. I had a DVD player, but used it as a very last resort, and most of the time in the car, he was awake. Ginny and I sat up front, and he would really entertain himself. He could reach the toy bag I packed and would take out a toy at a time (or sometimes dump them out everywhere) and play with that one toy--spinning the propeller of the helicopter (reminding me of his cousin Caleb) or making the people do things or driving a car up and down his legs. I was really impressed with that ability to entertain himself.

I was prepared to be stressed out when we got here simply because the house isn't used to having children. I figured Sawyer would be into everything and it would be quite the task to watch and keep up with him, as it can be if I take him to non-child homes sometimes. So far, we have yet to put up the baby gate. We do keep many of the bedroom doors shut, but the living room and dining room are totally open, and he hasn't seem interested at all. Bonus! He has mostly gone back and forth between the two areas with toys, and for the most part, stayed out of trouble. That is really a huge step for him, as for months it has been a really hard job to keep him away from things he's curious about that are best left off-limits.

I knew he'd been talking more and more, but have also just seen how exponentially his vocab has increased. Ginny and I saw him repeat things like a parrot in the car, such as "Where are you?" which I said while on the phone with my parents. He doesn't pick up on everything, and most especially not the things you necessarily try to teach him to say, but this little story illustrates how sharp he is and how short that connection between brain and mouth is becoming.

We call my Dad Grandpa Turkey, though he goes by Rick in real life (except for a few family friends that do call him Turkey). He leaves lovely comments on here sometimes--thanks, Dad! We've been working on Sawyer to say both Gammy and Turkey, which he hasn't picked up as easily as Gigi or Geoff, for whatever reason. But the other day he walked into the kitchen where my Dad was and said, "Hi, Rick." Several of us heard it, so I know I wasn't imagining it, and it was hilarious! Those little wheels are turning....