Zachary's Progress at 18 Months

Zachary will be 18 months tomorrow and it's amazing how he's changed over that time. 

Zachary can:

• Walk very quickly, especially if he knows you're chasing him

•  Understand most of what you say. He demonstrates this by responding to commands such as: close/open the door, give an item to someone, bring the remote, turn the light off/on, put his toys away, give someone a kiss etc. He answers 'yes' when you ask him if he wants various things such as a drink, food, to go outside/upstairs, a cuddle or a certain toy. He can point on demand to the following: his head, his hair, his eyes, mouth, teeth, knees, shoes, socks, feet, trousers, jumper, a bed, a mirror, door, window, floor, ceiling, TV, remote, Mummy, Daddy, Bumble, his drink/food, his bookshelf and a few other things.

•  Talk using single words. He can say the following words with meaning: Mum, Dad, cheese, juice, row (as in row, row, row your boat), yes, there, this, ball, yum.

• Join in with songs, doing the actions. His favourites are row, row, row your boat (which he can request himself and lets out a very animated scream when he sees a crocodile) and wind the bobbin up.

Zachary likes:

•  'Helping' with the things Mummy and Daddy are doing

• Throwing things down the toilet

• Tipping his drink upside down to empty it onto the carpet

• Running around with no clothes on, playing his belly like a drum

• Hiding behind curtains and in cupboards, then jumping out to surprise passers-by

Zachary hides inside Mummy's pantry cupboard

• Wearing sunglasses

• Flicking light switches on and off

• Animals, especially dogs, of which we tend to see a lot

Playing with Daddy in a home-made den

• Eating - his current favourites are satsumas and blueberries. He usually polishes off most of the food on his plate.

Enjoying his grapes

• Reading - he has a box full of books which he loves to get out, particularly enjoying the ones with flaps. He has a bedtime story with Daddy every night which is one of his favourite parts of the day.

Zachary likes to turn the pages a little faster than Daddy does

•  Going outside - he loves walking and automatically holds onto your hand or the buggy

Off to splash in puddles with Grandma and Grandad

• Buses - our house is on a bus route and Zachary loves watching the buses drive past. He also enjoys trips to see the buses with his Grandparents in Leyland.

• Bath time - Zachary could play for hours in the bath if he had the chance. He loves his bath toys and always cries when you get him out.

One of Zachary's last times in the baby bath

• Brushing his teeth - he likes the taste

• Balls - he loves to throw them and has been enjoying the ball pool that he got for Christmas.

• Emptying drawers and cupboards - especially Mummy's drawers in the kitchen.

He throws all of the balls out of his ball pool, then puts them all back in again

Zachary hates:

• Wearing hats - he pulls them off at the earliest opportunity

Zachary removes his hat

• Mummy or Daddy leaving - he cries when Daddy leaves for work, or if Mummy drops him off at Bumble's.

• Being told not to touch something he's interested in 

• Loud noises - particularly Henry the Hoover 

Zachary is still sleeping badly, waking approximately every 2 1/2 hours (he has had some better nights where he's only woken a few times, but recently has been worse), but we're well adjusted to it. He has breast milk at night before bed. He goes to three toddler groups a week which he loves and he usually has an afternoon nap each day. Zachary now has 10 teeth, including 2 upper molars.

Christmas...2!

It was Zachary's second Christmas (hasn't time flown!) and we all had a fantastic time with family and friends. Here are a few highlights of the Christmas period.

Decorating our new house - It was lovely to be able to make our new lounge look Christmassy and Zachary had fun trying to pull baubles from the tree.

Cosmeston Christmas - It was that time of year again and Zachary had a fantastic day with his favourite Cardiff girls. We were thrilled to hear the news that Auntie Beckrum is expecting a baby - Zachary will enjoy having another little one to play with at next year's Cosmeston Christmas (under close supervision!)

Present opening fun with Auntie Phobe

Playing with 5 little ducks, made by Auntie Beckrum

Our own little 'Dobson' Christmas - We had a little Christmas day before Christmas, as just the three of us. We had a lovely roast dinner and an afternoon stroll to the Exeter Christmas Market.

Our first Christmas meal in our new dining room

Fun at the Christmas Market

Christmas at the Lewarne's - A few days before Christmas we got together for a lovely buffet and presents at Bumble and Grandad's house.

Zachary had some lovely gifts from Bumble and Grandad, including a paddling/ball pool and Harold the helicopter

Christmas dancing with Bumble

Christmas with the Dobsons - We had a wonderful time spending Christmas day and the surrounding week with Grandma Jeanette, Grandad Harry, Uncle Bar, Uncle Humphrey, Auntie Amanda and Auntie Marilla.

Santa's little Elf is ready to help open the presents

Zachary loves seeing the buses with Grandad Harry

Zachary wants a different kind of bath

New Year's in Cardiff - We stayed with the lovely Mr and Mrs Lacy-Brown and enjoyed a few parties and days out, including a trip to Caerphilly in which we walked past the Castle and ended at the only Wimpy in Wales.

Fancy Dress at New Year's - what we wanted to be when we grew up

Auntie Bev and Zachary plan a siege