Corey Update - Part 3 of 3

Wow, today is February 3rd,  and Corey Michael just turned 22 months on the 1st...only 2 more months until the little man is 2! Yikes!

Hello

To continue on with our Corey updates..... (I know these are long posts, but I have to have a place to put down these memories. I don't want to forget a thing...)

Having Fun with Nanny during our trip home to NJ in December

Our little man has been communicating more and more lately. He may not know how to tell us something verbally, but he is much better at showing us what he needs by getting our attention and then pointing to the object or thing that he wants/needs. If I am repeating what he says incorrectly, like for instance, he is reading his books in the living room and says what sounds like "peety" and I'll say "yes, it's pretty" from the kitchen. He will call "Mama" over and over until I come in from the kitchen and then he'll point to the bird on the page and say "birdie" and then I will say "oh, you were saying birdie, not pretty".  Then he smiles. He knows that I misunderstood him, and had to show me what he was saying. love it.

He and Ashley LOVE to play together. We (Santa) got Corey a Plasma car to match the one that Ashley has since the two of them love to play on that scooter. Now they race each other all around the house. They are ALWAYS laughing together.

On a walk last weekend

Ashley having a blast on her Plasma Car

(these are the cars that the kids race on inside the house)

My Loves...

BUT their favorite thing to do together right now is to dance to the Wii "Just Dance" games. Every day that we get home from work, Corey runs for the Wii remote control and immediately starts saying "dints" (dance).  He actually follows the choreography pretty well along with Ashley.  It's adorable. I just smile away while cooking in the kitchen, listening to them giggling and catching a glimpse of them movin' and groovin' to Take On Me by A-Ha, Dynamite by Taio Cruz and Barbara Streisand by Duck Sauce. They also love this Japanese song called "Spectronizer" by the Sentai Express. The choreography mirrors moves from the Power Rangers and oh my gosh it's hysterical to watch! The video below is from them dancing to the song "Lollipop". This isn't the best video/song that they dance to, but you get the idea (and it's the only one I could quickly download from my iPhone.) Ashley does the majority of the dancing. It's so cute.

Raising Corey is A LOT different than raising Ashley. I always hear myself telling other people, " I barely had to childproof with Ashley, but not with Corey. I can't imagine NOT child proofing. He's into EVERYTHING." The coined term ALL BOY, definitely applies to this little guy. You can't turn your head for a second. The next thing you know he is standing on the coffee table and smiling from ear to ear, like as if to say "look and me, look at me!" We've even caught him trying to climb the dining room table or getting a small chair and using that to try and get the into the cabinet drawers that he can't reach.  It's CRAZY. We also find him coloring the floor with crayons, drawing all over his body with markers, feeding the dogs his food from the table, and even sneaking some dog food from their bowl. Bath time is still an Olympic sport in my book. He skips, hops, dumps and splashes water everywhere. I am literally soaked most times after bath time. I find myself saying the phrase "NO COREY!" more than I'd like to. And just a couple of weeks ago, he started saying "No" just to say it. Ashley is even reprimanding him now. She says to me "He's crazy!" There is literally never a dull moment. Although, he does try to get away with things with that sweet little face of his. And unfortunately, I have to admit it is very deceptive and and I have fallen captive many times to that adorable little face and gorgeous blue eyes.

Watch out...I bite!

Back in Part 1 of the updates, I touched on the biting. Well, he still bites. We will have good weeks and bad weeks. Some days I am nervous to pick him up from Judi's and find out if another child fell victim to his teeth again.  It's stressful and we have tried all the remedies that the blogs, websites, doctors, books have said. But ultimately, they all say that.....it is "just a stage" and "he will grow out of it", but in the meantime it is really embarrassing and upsetting to know that YOUR kid is the biter. And he doesn't just do it because his mouth hurts from teething. He does it out of frustration and anger that he didn't get his way or the toy he wanted. So far the last week has been good, so we'll see... *crossing fingers*

What IS that thing down there?

Corey 21 Month Development Quick List:

• Knows some animals sounds/words - Monkey (mon-a) - says "oo-aa-aa", raff (giraffe), says ROAR when he sees an alligator, Yi-Yon (lion), e-fint (elephant), up-fi (butterfly), adding new ones all the time...
• When you ask him to point to the moon/stars in a book, he'll say "How I wonder"(Ha a wunna) ....like in the song "Twinkle, Twinkle"
• When he blows kisses, he does the motion, but holds onto the "mmmmmmm" and forgets to say "wah" 
• Sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and ABC's (Since December) 
• Favorite foods are yogurt, applesauce, Monkey Bars (healthy granola bar) and fruit snacks. He isn't a big fan of pasta or any carbs really. Been VERY PICKY with his food lately at home. Not a big milk fan and prefers to drink apple juice and water.
• Cries for "Nemonems" (M&M's) all the time
• Started recognizing colors, but says "red" for almost everything. Says every number he sees as "5" and will count (with help) to 9. 
• Knows where his Eyes, Nose, Mouth and Ears are (ears are little difficult but gets the others right all the time)
• Says "Ewww" when he thinks something is gross
• Says "Pew" when he smells his stinky #2 diaper while I am changing him
• Says "D' ent" (the end)when he finishes a book
• LOVES his Thomas the Train "Lift the Flap" books and always points to the upset face on one page and says "Oh No!". (the train was going too fast and all the packages fell off the train)
• Some words he says:
• He-no-me - Help Me
• saus - socks  
• hunree - hungry 
• cacker - cracker 
• money - Bunnie (he's been saying this for awhile but I forgot to include it - he's slept with his "money" every night since he was 5 months old)
• hat (with a strong emphasis on the H in hat), and hot (blows on food)
• wed - red

We are crazy about you "Little Dude". Mommy and Daddy and big sister Ashley adore you. It's amazing watching you grow and learn every day.  Thank you for bringing so much joy to our home. Although your energy is a bit "overwhelming" at times, we wouldn't have it any other way. You keep us on our toes and that's what makes life with you so fulfilling and wonderful. Your affectionate and loving nature can't be replaced and we couldn't be more proud to be a part of your life.