18 months...

Cole had his 18 month check up this earlier this month. He weighed 31 lbs, 11 oz (96 percentile) and was 35 inches long (99 percentile). I don't know how accurate the measurements were since he was kicking and screaming more than usual but I think it's pretty close. He is just so big!

Cole has really been doing some funny things lately. I never child proofed the top drawers in the kitchen because at the time, Cole couldn't reach. But now it's a total jackpot for him. He is constantly going into the drawers and grabbing handfuls of spoons or pens and pencils, cooking utensils - anything he can get his hands on. Before he would run away into the bathroom and close the door behind him but now he just runs and hides behind the curtains where he can safely take a look at his loot. He is so sneaky!!

He also has more words in his vocabulary. The most popular right now is "Oh no!" Anytime Cole doesn't like something, throws something on the ground, drops something on the ground, falls, etc., it's "oh no!" We're hearing it a lot lately. In addition to his other word "truck" he can now say "bus" which sounds more like "us", "choo" for train, "ish" for "fish", "bA" for "ball" and "da" for "daddy". He actually has quite a few of them now. And he can point out all sorts of things in his books like animals, airplanes, helicopters, different types of automobiles. But still no "ma ma" :(

I've also started to implement time outs. Not all the time, but when he repeatedly does something I ask him not to do. Like pulling my hair, hitting or throwing hard objects at people, etc. And I think it may be working! I'm sure there have been a few times when he had no idea why he was being punished but there have definitely been some improvements. For instance, when Cole throws his food/snacks all over the floor (which is everyday), he will actually help pick it up when I ask him to! I had to threaten a time out several times but now, he just helps when I ask :) He also comes to me sometimes when I need to change his diaper...and when I threaten a time out. They have to be used in conjunction with each other. He is still pulling my hair and hitting though...

This gorilla was the first thing Vere ever brought home for Cole (before he was even born). We always thought it would scare the crap out of him. But the gorilla has turned out to be no match for our big brute!

Here are some latest pics of Cole...

At the pumpkin patch



Cole really wanted to get one of the big ones!



But we ended up taking 2 small ones home.



Handing pumkins off to Daddy.



Cole's first shiner. I'm not exactly sure what happened. He was running his shopping cart into the back door over and over again. The next thing I know there was a crash and this nice bruise. Of course the next day was Cole's dr. appointment. Luckily he was crying so much his whole face was red.



On the Legoland train with Daddy!



Spraying the Legoland frogs.

 

Showing Lucy what he did to the gorilla!



Hanging out with big sister Lucy.



Me and Cole. A rare moment of calm after a 2+ hour nap...which is also rare...

Planes, trains and automobiles...

So Cole is in love with anything that has wheels or flies. It's funny how boys are just hardwired that way. Last month we went to Legoland and the Poway-Midland Railroad. Here are some pics...



Legoland: Cole had to sit in every vehicle we passed.



Ambulance



Go cart



Police car

Poway-Midland Railroad: The steam engine train we went on.



Waiting for the train to move.



And we're off..



Cole held my hand and Thomas in the other for the entire train ride. It did go a little faster than I was expecting.



Train robbery reenactment.



So Vere got Cole a Cars Racetrack with Lightening McQueen and Francesco Bernou that race when you shake them. Cole likes to sit right in the middle of the track to play.  

Cole really needed another toy...



I also took Cole to Sunset Park where they have a splashground. It wasn't super warm that day so I didn't bring his swimsuit or towel or anything.

  

But Cole didn't care!



16+ months

Wow...so Cole is 16 months now! He had his 15 month visit over a month ago and weighed in at 27 lbs 15 oz. (88 percentile) and was 34 inches long (99 percentile)! Everyone that meets Cole thinks he's at least two. He's my little brute.

Cole's first and only word is truck. Everything is a truck. No mama, no dada, just truck.  I guess he has his priorities... His pediatrician said that normally by 15 months kids have about 3-6 words, but he said he would count Cole's sign language as words so we have no, milk, more, please, all done and truck - so that's six! He was also impressed that Cole can stack legos at this age. He said usually block stacking comes at about 18 months.

Playing with legos...

I'm really loving this age because he's understanding so much now. I think he pretty much understands everything I say, whether he chooses to listen or not is a different story. He's still totally crazy with energy and constantly moving but sometimes he'll chill out and sit on my lap for 5-10 minutes. It's nice... and I'll take it :)

Here are some of the things Cole has figured out in the last couple months:

-Turning the lights on and off. Well, he can turn just about anything with a button on or off.

-He can also unscrew just about any cap. He loves putting lids on things and he knows which lids go with what.

-The power of the remote. He's always has a small obsession with the remote, but now if he doesn't like what's on the TV, he brings the remote to you! And if you don't change it, he just starts pushing buttons and watches the TV to see what happens.

-He has tons and tons of little cars and trucks. Lately I've noticed he'll pull out all of the cars or trucks that came in the same set and just play with those. Right now he loves to line them up and push them all together like a train.

Cole has also picked up some funny habits...

Cole does this funny thing after he takes a drink. I think he learned it from daddy. Just the aww... part, not all that other stuff afterwards.

 Cole has also picked up a fakey laugh, which I have no idea where he got it from.

Here are some pics of what Cole has been up to...



At the park on National Springbok Fan Day (or something like that?)

 

At another park with Tutu

  

At the beach with his buddy Edward.

 

Pushing the pink stroller with the girls...maybe he's smarter than I think...

 

At the beach on a super sunny day

 

At the beach with Reecia (Catrie's daughter - 2)



Another day at the beach. Cole likes to feed people his food. He's sharing his cookies with Lucy.

 

...three of them

 

For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to share my ice cream bar with Cole. He really liked it!

  

...until I wanted it back



See, he does chill every once in a while.



At Feather Acres Farm with moms group

  

Fun in the backyard!

Playing with trains at the San Diego Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park.

2011 Koga Family Reunion - Palm Springs

Last week we had our annual Koga Family Reunion. SO MUCH FUN! We rented this cool house in Palm Springs and just hung out at the pool, played games, ate tons of good food and did puzzles all weekend. I just love our family. I mean seriously, what other family would have paper airplane flying contests, make their own IRON CHEF competition and play pin the tail on the donkey all to win a coveted KUP made out of an old coffee maker??

I think Cole was a little overwhelmed with so many people around. He was a little clingy and didn't sleep very well. It was kinda nice though because on 3 of the 4 nights we brought him into our bed when he woke up in the middle of the night and he actually fell asleep. Cole has never been a cuddler and he has NEVER felt comfortable falling asleep lying next to us. So it was kind of nice to have him sleep next to me even though we were getting up in the middle of the night and waking up super early. I hardly took any pictures but here is what I have...

Cole with cousin Maya

Apples to Apples - seriously one of my favorite games!
(Auntie Cheryl, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Curt, Mom)



Cole playing with Great Grandpa



Puzzle 1 completed.



Iron Chef Koga - Brother vs. Brother
Secret ingredient: OPO??



The winning team (Dad and Tommy)



The close runners up (Uncle Curt and Bobby)



In 60 seconds, blow the cotton balls into the cups that are laying down, then bounce the ping pong balls into the other cups - AWESOME GAME! Dad apparently finished on time.

Cole getting help down the step from cousin Kalia



Grandma and Grandpa with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.



Grrr... I mean this year's Koga Kup winner. Congratulations Tommy!



Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Ben and Auntie Midori



Auntie Midori, Uncle Ben and Jan



Puzzle 2 completed...just in time to check-out



On a different note... my goodness do the diapers pails stink!! Last year around this time when it was hot, I was still nursing Cole and he was not eating solid foods. I think you get the picture...

Anyways, speaking of solid foods, here are some latest pics of Cole eating.

Yogurt!

 

Rice, Chicken and Broccoli!



Homemade raspberry popsicles!

 

OK, maybe raspberries wasn't the wisest choice...



I'm still relatively new at this... lesson learned.



So we've had this toy for almost a year now. When Cole was really little the dashboard came off and we put it on the floor for him to play with. But it's been a little scooter for at least 7 or 8 months now. And Cole has finally figured out that he can sit on it. Needless to say, he's pretty stoked on his new toy.