Funny Face

This is the face Graham made when I told him to eat his strawberries. He usually loves them, but we've had a lot of them lately, so I think he's tired of them.

Graham does something Behn and I call 'deflection.' He deflects/distracts us when he doesn't want to comply.

Example: "Graham, eat your strawberries."
Graham makes a funny face in hopes that I'll laugh and forget about the demand I just placed.

Example: "Graham, pick up that toy you just threw; you don't throw toys."
Graham begins showing off all the words he can say or babbling in hopes that I'll praise him for his verbal skills and forget that I told him to pick up a toy.

Manipulation? I think yes!

What Graham is up to these days (at nearly 18 months):

• Playing with toy cars, his own original motor sound included
• Will run when you say 'run!' Head down, arms swinging, little legs moving quick!
• Is finally calling me 'mama' and Behn 'dada'
• New words: says 'flowers' (zowuhs), 'toes,' balloon' (badoo), 'up,' 'hat' (at-uh). He also says uh-oh and oh no. Lately he hasn't been learning new words so much, just a ton of babbling and mimicking what we say. 
• Follows instructions when he wants to, such as 'come here,' 'give me a hug/kiss,' 'get that book.'
• LOVES having his teeth brushed or brushing them himself.
• Has been eating a little better! Will try more new items. Still generally picky though.
• Favorite toy continues to be a ball. He adores the basketball hoop we got him. Best investment ever. 
• Is into body parts. Likes to poke our faces and have us label things for him. He's always showing us his belly button. 
• Favorite activity: tossing rocks into mud puddles. He could do that ALL.DAY.LONG. 
• Tantrums are now part of the scene! He usually throws a fit when he's frustrated or I take something away. He gets frustrated over things like trying to put a lid on a pen (which he shouldn't be playing with anyway) or not being able to fit a shape into his shape sorter. He does the full-on plop to the floor, screaming action kind of tantrum. Usually it's short-lived, but I'm trying different ways to talk to him and discipline him while he's upset. 

Yesterday I took him to Boxerwood Garden for a playdate. It's been raining on and off all week, so I knew it would be muddy. I went ahead and let him do his thang though, I like him to get dirty and have fun. He found a GIANT mud puddle in the mud pit (yes, this park has a mud pit called 'Dig Your Way to China.' This park is awesome). He quickly slipped into it and was immersed by mud! But he was having fun! I wish I'd had my camera. He ended up going home stark naked- not even a diaper! (I had a spare diaper to put on him, but it was storming so I just put a towel on his carseat, tossed him in, and booked it home for the bathtub.)

So, that's my Graham-Boy update!!