Nathan at almost 18 months

Nathan is 17 1/2 months right now, and I can tell that his little brain is in overdrive as he figures things out and starts talking, pretending, exploring etc. I am so impressed with what kids can do at this age, they just floor me! It is my favorite age group to teach at Gymboree, and I am making a point to try and capture as much of Nathan at this age as I can, since we are not planning to have any more children.

Nathan is a happy little soul, and I am pretty sure that he just walks around thinking "Life is GREAT! Life is GREAT!" He loves Mere and Toby (our dog) with total abandonment, and the highlight of his day is when "meh meh" gets home from school. He runs to her, shouting her name and hugs her as hard as his little arms can! He is all about being Mommy's helper, he loves to be involved in anything I do, from fixing dinner to changing Coop's diaper. He will even hand me one of his diapers and the wipes, then lay down on the floor with his legs in the air! (Usually right after I have changed him, occaisionally when he is dirty, and he still runs laughing in the other direction when I try to change him unless it was his idea.)

It's not always stuff that should be funny or cute. Yesterday Nathan made a bee-line for the street while I was getting the kids out the door to run Meredith to school. I ran after him (with my injured knee, which made it horrible for the rest of the day.) and scooped him up and told him in my most serious and scary Mommy voice "That is bad! We don't run to the street, it is dangerous. You could get hurt." He flashed me a big, cheesy, tooth-baring grin. When I didn't smile back, he looked serious for a second, then grinned again. He did this several times all the way up the driveway, and he started laughing as he flashed these goofy grins. I didn't laugh, but man I wanted to!

Here are a few of the things that he is up to these days. I am still so smitten with my little boy I can't believe it!

Playing peekaboo through the cabinets with Meredith.