Sebastien at TWENTYONE months

Sebastien stays still just long enough to have his photo taken... and then he's off!His Council of friends has Thomas the Tank Engine as permanent members - and really, we should be including his cars and trucks that are semi-permanent extensions of his arms.
Here is Alex (with Daddy) at the same age:
He still has those baby blues, though they are grey in some lights. He is not yet at the stage of posing for photos although he is aware that phones take photos as so many people take his photo with their phone cameras and then show him the pictures.Just like his sister, he has taken to wearing Mummy's hair elastics as bracelets. Unlike his sister, he doesn't insist on pushing them right up to his bicep (and risk cutting off the circulation) - he is content to have them around his wrists.
Still adores his sister and will insist on joining the hugs and kisses line at the door each morning as she and Daddy head out to school. His hug needs a little work though as it's more like a "lean in and headbutt"... He does offer his check to you to kiss,should you so desire.

Also like his sister, he is a fan of the sound of high heels. His sister has inherited two pairs from previous Fulbrighters and so there is no need to fight...
Along with the baby blues is a crop of golden curls that really spring up in the humidity. Mummy remembers that Alex had curls too...until her haircut. But we will need a trim at the back soon as it is getting rediculously long - though nothing on top.
Sebastien is delighted whenever the crayons come out and utilises a "two fisted" approach to his art. We guess that this is the best way to achieve maximum coverage.He is existing on a 'white diet' - oats and milk and fruit for breakfast (his bowl is bigger than his Daddy's, no lie), a sandwich of (usually) jam for lunch with some more fruit and rice for dinner. We're slowly introducing different tastes with the rice but it has been a real struggle.

His routine has started to change, with the (sometimes) merging of the morning and afternoon naps into one mega-long midday nap (of sometimes 2.5 hours). He will bring you his shoes to let you know that he wants to go outside and now that it's summer, will point to his cap and sunglasses (and Mummy's cap) to make sure we're all suitably attired for the outside world.

At long last he will let Mummy or Daddy finish brushing his teeth though he hasn't got the "teeth together so we can brush the outside" bit quite yet. He has been sitting on the potty morning and night (because he's started saying "Pooh" after he's done one) with nothing happening - other than getting straight off the potty and doing his pooh in the empty and dry shower 5 minutes later...

He talks up a storm, in his own words, but also uses american sign language, english and chinese words to communicate - oh, and the more-than-occasional grunt'n point! He loves story books and will often get his sister's books and "read" them to himself.

His routine for bedtime includes dinner, shower, pj's, teeth, story, nursing and bedtime (complete with song chosen by his sister). And he knows what the routine is - turning around from placing the book back on the shelf, making the sign for milk whilst saying "muhlk" and running straight for Mummy on the couch, launching himself those last two steps so that if she wasn't ready to catch him...

Nursing is slowly being reduced, this is one kid who would not self-wean. Mummy doesn't want to cut him off completely until after his operation (by 18 months Alex was weaned) but he is down to twice or three times each day.

When he's tired, or just wants to be held, he'll jam his hands under your armpits - not nice if his nails need a trim. He still sleeps on his tummy and insists on being covered by his version of his sister's cool quilt. He still goes to bed at 7pm but has started waking a little later than 5 - 5.30am which has been nice for his parents. We are trying to train him to wait until the alarm goes before getting out of bed - and setting the alarm a little later each time.

Hmm, let me think... he's not really one for songs though "If you're happy and you know it" is one that he'll ask for again and again. He's definitely an action boy, always out and about. He's started walking backwards and trying to balance on whatever is around. He knows when he is doing something you asked him not to as he'll look sideways at you, start to smile a cheeky little smile and shuffle in the direction of trouble. Usually that is Mummy's computer in her room. Which leads me to him having a "thinking" time out in his room - which he hates. Just wait until the minute and a half gets boosted to two minutes in September! He still has a tendancy to hit when he isn't getting his way, although 4 out of 10 times he'll just stand there with his arm straight up in the air - paralysed - because he wants to but knows he'll get taken to his room.

I can't believe he's almost two already! The past couple of years have definitely passed quickly (possibly aided by an insomnious-induced haze). Hopefully we can get him to sit still long enough to get some vital statistics for his birthday!