Notes on my wonderful boy at 18 months

This should have been published back in June, but somehow I never hit the publish button on it.  Fun for me to re-read it now a few months later!

My wonderful boy, W is 18 months old and truly remarkable!  For the past year and a half he has enriched the lives of all who love him, family and friends alike.  

These days W is filled with love and likes to show his affection for those around with him with a zeal, his mother and cat can only describe as painful.  He constantly tried to hug and kiss the cat and gets on top of him in an attempt to keep him still long enough for said hugs and kisses.  The cat runs away for a moment, but always comes back for more.    At the moment, I personally have a nose injury resulting from W's head when he tried to very forcefully hug and kiss me yesterday.  We are working hard to tone down the intensity of his gestures and show him how to be "gentle and loving".  I have to admit though, his hugs and kisses are amazing and I love receiving all of the ones that do not result in a cracked nose.

Also, W would rather be outside than inside most of the time.  He loves to go for walks, play in the park, play in the sandbox, play in his kiddie pool, go to the botanical garden, help me in our little garden and go to the farmers' markets in town.  He thinks that creeks are truly joyful places for splashing and exploring.  When we say the word "out" we have to be ready as two seconds later, he is at the door grabbing for the door knob...no shoes necessary...just like his mama.  He loves trees and is particularly fond of the crape myrtles in our apartment complex. He finds lots of fun playing in between their branches.

 He also, like his mama, and his grammy loves magnolias, both the leaves and the lovely lemony scent of their flowers.  This past week at the farmers' market a plant vendor told W he looked like a "plant guy".  W vigorously shook his head yes and I agreed as well. This is a very accurate description of   W. After examining all of the plants for sale, W and I chose a lovely coleus from which we are rooting additional cuttings and a dill plant.  W loves to touch, smell and taste different herbs and I think dill might be one of his favorites.  At the botanical garden I have to drag him away from the dill so he does not pick and eat it all by the handful.