Hudson’s 18 Month Update

Our little guy is officially a toddler!  He turned 18 Months on September 15th! I can’t believe how fast the past 1 and 1/2 years has gone by!  Hudson is fully walking now (which started about 16 months), and he loves to explore!  He’s such a happy boy and brings so much joy to our lives!  There is nothing in the world that I’m more grateful for then him.

He had his first haircut!

I was holding off on having his hair cut as long as I could.  I just loved his long curly locks, but he kept being mistaken for a girl!  It was so long in the back that his baby mullet was getting matted when he slept.  Hubby kept saying he needs a cut, so just before our trip to England, I finally gave in!  It wasn’t easy seeing his lovely locks chopped off, but I love his little haircut which shows more of his cute face!

He’s got quite the vocabulary!

He is saying so many words, and especially loves farm animals and sounds right now.  Some of his favorite words are: Duck, Car, Mama, Dada, Uh-Oh, No, Banana, Potato, and Bye Bye.  He babbles non-stop and likes to have full-on conversations with himself and his favorite stuffed animals.

He’s a world traveler!

At the beginning of the month we flew from Vancouver to London, and we are currently in England visiting my in-laws.  It’s Hudson’s second trip to England and he’s loving it here.  Flying with a toddler is not as easy as flying with a baby, but we managed and he adjusted to the time change quite quickly.  He’s now traveled overseas to England, Spain, and Australia.  We are heading back to Barcelona next week to visit family!

He loves the sand and the sun!

We’ve had some sunny days in England, but not quite warm enough for a swim unfortunately.  Hudson loves to play in the sand and pick up rocks and shells.  He’s quite the little explorer and squeals with delight as he runs around in the sand.

He’s a bit of a picky eater

Like most toddlers his age, he definitely has his moments.  Some days he can eat a ton, other days he will barely touch his food.  We found out he was low in iron about a month ago, and since we started giving him an iron supplement, he has started eating a bit better.  He loves fruit (especially peaches, mango, and oranges), hummus, and spaghetti bolognese.  He’s a huge fan of peanut butter or avocado on toast and likes to feed himself.  Eggs are hit or miss lately, as well as fish, but we will keep trying!

He’s a real sweetheart!

Hudson loves to give kisses and pick flowers for his mama.  He’s a great little cuddler and shows so much affection to his family and friends.  He formed quite the bond with his “Teta” and “Auntie Ana” both of which he calls by name.  He loves watching his older cousins and following them around the house.  We’ve been face-timing with grandma back in Canada and he’s been giving her kisses through the phone. So sweet!

He Loves the Outdoors

In England, the grandparents have chickens and he is so interested to watch them as they roam around.  They have a huge apple tree and blackberry bush, so he’s had great fun picking fruit and eating it straight away.  The tractor ride has been so much fun as there are acres to explore outside.  It’s been so nice for his daddy to watch him enjoy the home and area where he was born and raised.

He’s a great napper still!

Most days he still has 2 naps and sleeps through the night.  His bedtime is 7:00 – 7:30pm and his morning nap is usually 2 hours long.  Although being away from home, some days he’s only had one nap, I hope to continue two as long as possible.  I know sleep is so important for this little guy who is growing and learning every day.  He definitely sleeps better when in a separate room from us, but unfortunately that’s not always available when traveling.

I am still nursing him 1-2 times a day, and he will drink “warm whole milk” from a sippy cup at times also.  I was in the process of weaning him, however I love that bonding time first thing in the morning, and I know how good it is for him.  In Canada they recommend breast-feeding until 2 years of age, although I’m not sure we will go for that long, I’m pretty proud of our 18 month journey so far!  In October I will be going away for 6 days without him, so it’s definitely something I need to plan for as it won’t be easy for either of us.  Any tips?

He has almost all his baby teeth (if not all of them) and he loves to smile!  His laugh is one of the best sounds I have ever heard! We went to a wedding last month and brought him with us and everyone kept saying how he was the “best behaved” little guy they had ever seen.  He still LOVES books and a good read will keep him occupied for ages!  Happy 18 Months Little Man! xxx

XO, Candice Renee