Spencer update

Spencer's developmental updates, for journaling purposes

New words or phrases developed in the last 6 months:

"That's cute!" "Truck" "Tractor" "Airplane" "McDonald's" "Snake away" "Elephant" "Owl" "help" "Swimming" "more ba ju" "Baby bear" "Baby Zeke" "Bike" "Book" "Book..ss" "Shark" "Spoungebob" "Turtle" "Shoe" "Sock" "Church" "Night Night for a bit" "Me" "You"- Plus all of those intermingled with "More" and "Please". Also, after learning "Snake away" which I'll explain, he added "away" to other animals he knows.

Spencer is currently picking up on colors. He's had a color poster in his room for awhile now, But is slowing starting to distinguish the colors. He can't say them, or won't, but he can show you pink, blue, red, yellow, and green.

Favorite songs: Wheels on the bus, which has been a fave for a while. If your happy and you know it. Spencer and I go to a movement and music class at the library, and he usually sits there while I do his hands in the hand gestures, but he will always stand up and do "If your happy and you know it." The Choo Choo Soul Theme song if a favorite, also "Hop up, Jump in" from Handy Manny. Those two songs, he can sing a long.

Favorite books: Franklin the Turtle first, then pretty much any book after that.

Favorite animal: He, like most other kids his age, likes animals. Dogs have always been high on the list. He loves watching birds, accompanied with a "quack" sound. Horses, cows, pretty much any animal. He's proficient in animal sounds, even a lion and an elephant. Spencer also loves dinosaurs.

Favorite food: He'd be happy if he didn't ever have to eat. If it were up to him, he'd live off of juice. The minuscule list of foods that he will eat includes: hot dogs, chicken nuggets, Campbell's chicken noodle soup, ramen, water chestnut, peanuts, chex mix, chips, fruit snacks, chocolate, snow cones, cereal and yogurt. And out of that list, it's still hit and miss. Some days, he'll eat great, then the next he won't touch it.

Favorite athletic activity: Jumping. He loves the trampoline, and loves to jump off of about anything. That's all he does right now is jump. Jumps down stairs, off the bed, off the couch, down the hall, basically any time he's on a raised platform of any kind, he'll jump off of it. The other day, we were at a park that had a climbing rock thing, about five feet high...of which he attempted to jump off. Also, he loves to kick balls....must be related to his dad. And swimming...must be related to his mom.

Favorite movie: Harry Potter. Spencer has never been huge on watching shows. He likes them on, in the background, but he will never sit an watch them. There are 2 parts on the 1st Harry Potter that he loves. We have to skip between them, and watch them back a million times in a row. He loves that part in the beginning, where Dudley is having his Birthday at the Reptile house. When Dudley upsets Harry, Harry unintentionally makes the glass between them and the snake disappear. Dudley falls in, and the snake comes out. This is where the phrase, "Snake away" came from..."The snake is getting away." He also does sound effects, and mimics the people screaming as the snake slithers past them. The other part of the show is where he goes through the barrier and sees the Hogwarts Express for the 1st time.

Favorite place to sleep: Still in our bed, no comment.


Other explanations on his phrases: "Baby Zeke" is my cousin's baby. He calls him, "Baby eke." "More ba ju" - "More ba (bottle) ju (Juice)" He's slowly transitioned into a sippy cup bottle, slightly different from a babies bottle. When he wants juice, it's any combination of more, ju, and ba, as fast as he can.

Favorite thing to do: Watch you tube. This is where his phrase, "Baby bear" came into play. One of his favorite youtubes is called "scared panda." It has a baby panda bear....so anytime he sees a panda bear, he calls it baby bear. And pretty much now, every bear is "baby bear."

Favorite you tubes: Baby bear, cat dancing, the winnie the pooh ride at Disneyland, It's a small world Disneyland, Girl Launched to Clouds, and anything with sharks.

Spencer's physical update: Spencer has always been scrawny, due to lack of interest in food. He has always been in the 75% for height and 10% for weight. However, at his last doctor appointment 4 months ago, he fell down to the 50% for height and 5 % for weight. He's ruffly give or take 23 pounds. Spencer had always had skin problems. He was diagnosed as atopic dermatitis. However, we think it is slowly becoming something worse. It looks like a bad case of eczema. He has dry patches all down his legs, his arms, and the top of his feet. It is really bad in creases, such as his wrists, or ankles, and his cheeks. Then everywhere else, just feels dry. We have to lather him in lotion, and steroid cremes, then put long foot pajamas on him, so it can soak in. He hates lotion.

Spencer has always had rhythm. He dances anytime he hears music. He also gets really excited when he sees a truck, tractor, or Spoungebob.