Happy 18-months to our little man!

Owen is eighteen months old today. I cannot believe how fast the time has gone by. It seems like just yesterday he was cutting his first tooth, and now he's getting ready for his 2-year molars! (Hence, the non-stop drooling.)

He continues to amaze us with the new things he learns to do and the phrases he is starting to say. Just last night when Ben was putting him to sleep, Owen sneezed, then looked up at Ben and said "bless you!".

At a year and 1/2, here's what he's been up to lately:

~ Wakes up every morning around 7am (going to bed around 7:30pm)
~ Naps every afternoon from about 12:30-2:30, sometimes longer
~ Is talking up a storm! We can't keep track of everything he's saying anymore. Just this week he has started to put two words together (Mommy's shoes, Daddy's mote (remote), Climb up, black truck, etc.)

~ Has started to learn his colors (just today he pointed out the window and said green - I looked over and saw a green truck next to us!)

~ Can sing the first few letters of the ABC's (Aye, Bee, Cee, Dee - we're working on the rest.) :)
~ LOVES the playground. Just this week started going down the slide by himself. Yesterday he went down one head-first - luckily I was there to catch him at the bottom!
~ Still using baby sign language (in combination with talking). Favorite signs are: more, milk, please, apple, carrot, airplane, fast, car, motorcycle, bus, doctor.

~ No longer uses his paci for nap or bedtime. But always sleeps with his "sleepy bunny" blankie.

~ Enjoys watching his Baby Signing Time and Elmo DVD's giving Mommy time to do dishes or clean.

~ Can feed himself using a spoon and fork, although it's still easier and faster for him to use his hands.

I wish I could put this time in slow motion because I feel like he's growing up too fast. But at the same time, it is so incredible to see how far he's come in 18 months.
To document his 18-month birthday, we did a little photo shoot at the playground today. Here are the results: