I'm writing this post as Daddy puts you to sleep, and the sounds from your room are heartwarming. I can hear your sweet giggles and laughter as you wind down your night. Just moments before I said my goodnights to you, I was kissing your neck and had you giggling the best giggle. Our noses were buried in each others' necks, and, oh - how I could just stay in that moment forever. You're officially 18-months old as of yesterday, which means you are now closer to being a two-year-old as we march away from your first birthday. Time is flying!
We've had a great month. You went to the Arboretum again (with Grandma, Caden, and me - pictures below), and you celebrated your second Thanksgiving with lots of family members. And two nights ago, Daddy and I took you to your first Candlelight experience, too. You also spent an entire week at Grandma & Papa's when Daddy and I went out of town for our cruise. That was a really hard week to be away from you for so long, but I think it was a good thing for all of us - and you had a wonderful time with lots of different people that week! When Daddy and I came home, you were super-excited to see us, as we were you! But, those first couple of nights home were a little hard on you. You kept asking for Grandma ("Mawmaw"), and I felt so sad that I couldn't bring her to you. I know our trip and our being gone really made you attached to her, Papa, Kiki, and Uncle Erick. You're also very clingy to us these days - seemingly worried that we are leaving again. When I put you to bed, you yell for Daddy who just left your room. When Daddy puts you to sleep, you yell for me even though I just walked out of your room - as if you want to make sure we're not going anywhere again. The other night when Zaide came over, you wouldn't say hi to him and went to the opposite side of the room while you said, "Mommy, Daddy, Mommy, Daddy." I think you thought we were leaving again and Zaide was staying with you.
What else have you been up to this month?
TEETH: 3 new teeth this month - your lower left incisor (FINALLY!), and your two upper canines are coming in. This looks painful! You handle teething so well - always have. You get a runny nose and you would keep something in your mouth at all times if I would let you (your hand, a toy, a paci), but this month, teething can be blamed for your heightened temper. On days when you've been super-cranky, it helps if I give you some Tylenol or Advil (which seems to work better for you).
NEW WORDS: off, away, fish, ear, taco, tortilla, noodle, potato ("taytoe"), Cookie (for Cookie Monster, but you say, "Kee-coo"), outside (no more "ra-ra," you can now perfectly say "outside"), and our favorite: "Luf you"
FAMILY NAMES: I am now officially "Mommy," much to my disappointment. I liked "Mama" better, but you pretty much called Grandma and me the same thing for the past couple months until now. I'm "Mommy," she's "Mawmaw" and sometimes "Memaw." You've also moved from saying "Dada" to "Daddy" - again, something I'd rather you not have changed! I liked Mama and Dada - and now you when you call us you sound like a 5-year-old yelling "Mommy, Daddy!" In addition, you love to name everyone in the family, as if you are taking roll: NaNa, Paul, Zaide, Gayle, Mara, "Kay" (for Caden), "Gock" (for Brock), Kiki, Papa, "Mawmaw," and your funniest new word: "Uggy" for Uncle Erick. This is my favorite thing - waiting for you to say family members' names for the first time and what you will come up with to improvise for their names. Uggy is by far my favorite. It makes me laugh every time I hear it.
TRICKS & TALENTS: You love puzzles these days, especially the vehicles one. You've mastered the individual-slot puzzles and like to do them over and over again. You've figured out the shape sorter, too. Grandma discovered that you can match memory cards (when face-up), too... you can find the two snakes or the two lions, etc. You're learning colors. We started with yellow and blue, and we're adding in green. I'm just focusing on one color at a time so you can master it. Daddy's colorblind, and we won't know for a while if you are or not - so I'm just taking it easy on that for now... hoping you can tell the difference between colors. You "shimmy"! It's another dance move you like, and it's my favorite move to watch: a shoulder shimmy and shake. The best part is that you keep your hands stiff and open in front of you, right below your chin. And you know you're cute when you're doing it! :)
WHAT YOU LOVE: buses! You can't get enough of them, and you ask to watch the "Wheels on the Bus" YouTube videos we've found over and over again. Every truck or SUV you see is "Bus, bus!" You also enjoy swatting at us or pinching us when you don't get your way... but honestly, I prefer that to the biting you were doing a couple months ago. You know not to do this, but you also don't know what to do when you don't get your way. This is a work in progress! You also love your pacifiers these days. You're always asking for them, but the rule is that they stay in your crib. You're happy to have bed/nap time knowing you get your pacis. You love Elmo and Ernie still - and Cookie, too. You love corn-on-the-cob (can eat an entire ear of it!), Yo Gabba Gabba, being outside, music, saying Ella's name, visits from your family members, and climbing up on anything and everything.
-CHECK-UP: Your 18-month check-up went mostly well. Daddy couldn't come with us due to work conflicts, so I invited Aunt Kiki to go with us. I always like to have another pair of hands and ears if I can, so it was nice of her to join us. It was a good thing, too, because this was by far the most difficult appointment. You got a great check-up, and Dr. B was really complimentary and impressed with how you are growing, learning, developing, and staying healthy! AND, we get to add in peanut products to your diet (in about 10 days - once any possible side effects of your shot wear off). Yes, you got one shot today: MMR. It was the one we have put off until this point. I am praying you tolerate it well and have no adverse reactions. Developmentally, you are still way ahead of the curve. It's expected that a toddler your age would be saying anywhere from 10-15 words. You, my dear, are saying over 50 (not including family members names or animal sounds)! The only things on the developmental questionnaire that I said "no" to are: building a tower of 3+ cubes (you could SO do this I bet, but you would rather knock them over than build with me when I try to get you to build, so I had to say no), and undressing yourself - which is JUST FINE with me! I can live without you being able to strip down wherever you please! :) The awful parts of the visit were when Dr. B examined you, you hated being poked and prodded. You also wailed during the finger prick testing your iron level as well as during your shot. I don't blame you! The results of your iron test were a little low - as they were at your 9-month check-up, so Dr. B sent us to have some additional lab work. Aunt Kiki came with us for this, too, thank God! This was the worst part for me, as well - and it reminded me of when you were two months old having head X-rays. I had to help restrain you (although at least you were on my lap this time and not on a cold table) as two lab techs drew blood from your arm. Your veins are so tiny and hard to see. They actually tried a tourniquet on your right arm first then ended up using your left arm after all. This was truly awful, and both Aunt Kiki and I teared up. But, in the back of my mind, I kept thinking of my friend, JulieSue, and her son, Ari, who have endured numerous blood draws while Ari fights cancer. I thought of how scary and hard all those procedures must be, and in that moment I remembered how lucky you and I are - to only have to do this simple blood draw one time (hopefully). We are still awaiting results of the blood work (I should hear back tomorrow), but hopefully everything will be okay and we can figure out what to do to get your iron level up just a bit. In any case, you did a great job today! In fact, I let you pretty much do whatever you wanted when we got home: eat kettle corn (from Candlelight), watch 2 episodes of Yo Gabba Gabba, and have your paci outside of your bedroom (just for a little bit!).
STATS:
Weight: 25 pounds, 10.5 ounces = 50th percentile (You gained exactly one pound since your 15-month check-up)
Height: 32.5 inches = 60th percentile (You grew 2 inches since 15-month check-up)
Head: 48.6 cm = 75th percentile
Clothing: 12 month shirts still fit, but you're too tall for 12 month pants. Mostly in 18 month clothing
Diapers: Size 4s during day, 5s at night
Sleeping: 8:00pm-7:30am most of the time, napping 1:30ish-3:15ish
I am so fortunate to have this precious time with you, my sweet boy. I am loving our adventures together, and I love getting to know you more and more each day. Yes, we have our challenging days with you - and you with us! Yes, you can try my nerves from time to time. Yes, you keep us all on our toes and we have to watch you like a hawk! But, as I tell you daily, you are smart, kind, strong, handsome, and the most special thing in the world to me. I hope you will always stay this caring, sweet, funny, quick, and intelligent - but mostly I hope you stay healthy and happy. And, I hope you know how much you are loved by so many people.
Happy Half-Birthday, Banner Boone! I love you, Angel!
Love,
Mommy
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