1...2...3...our baby is counting!

That's right, Ethan is counting!

It started when we got back from Florida, he was really clingy and needy (we found out later that week that he had an ear infection, so that explained some of the behavior) so I had to get really creative with keeping him entertained while he wanted me to hold him all the time. So, to keep my sanity, we started counting things... everything we could find. We walked around the house counting the blades on the ceiling fan, light switches, lights in the kitchen, handles on the cabinets, dog toys in the bin, birds in the yard... you name it, we counted it!

This lasted for about 4 days, until I took him to the doctor and discovered he had an ear infection (no temp, just red ears). I have also been working with him on answering the question "How old are you?" and showing him how to show the number one.

He picked up the counting, and before we knew it, while changing his diaper one day, he started to count the ceiling fan blades all by himself. "One, Two..." I was amazed at what I was hearing. He is only 16 months and he is counting! I don't know if it is the associations he has with the sign language, he knows that when I hold my finger up it is the sign for 'one' or if it is that he is really good at sequencing, but he has it down.

After he started to show an interested in counting we went to the Clive library and checked out books on counting, numbers and colors. He really enjoyed looking at the pictures in the books and counting the pictures we would see. Also, I picked up a few books at Kidding Around, a second-hand store in town, and we enjoyed reading those too. We also continued to count things we saw, as Ethan thought it was 'normal' to count the birds and animals outside as well as the blades on the ceiling fan is still an easy distraction in the morning when trying to change his diaper.

Today, while putting his socks on, he started to count his toes, or 'piggies' as we call them. I sat and listened, not helping at all, and he counted all the way to SIX! I didn't even know that he knew six, we usually stop at 5.

Every day we are amazed by what new things Ethan can do. He is amazing and we enjoy every moment we get to spend with him learning things though his eyes and mind!