18 Months Old

Walker is officially 18 months old. And sporting this sweet smile whenever I ask him to say "cheese" for the camera.

Height: 33 inches (@50th percentile)

Weight: 23.8 pounds (@10th percentile)

Watching Dora, refusing to look at me, but happily showing off his flexibility. Those splayed toes are a trademark move of his. He does that a lot, especially when you're trying to put shoes on him.

smacking his lips and looking for his drink

hands covering his mouth, communicating some kind of frustration or excitement

throwing balls with Bud

Likely to:

• get diaper rash
• be ticklish
• eat white bread, not wheat bread
• get cold easily and then, turn blue :(
• cry when his sister takes things from him
• cry when tired/hungry
• not "go with the flow"
• run away mid-diaper change (This is always fun. It has become a game of chase for him.)
• cry during swim lessons (Although, I'm SO happy to say that he can save himself by floating...he turns over and floats in the water in order to breathe! It is not pretty. But he gets the job done.)
• zoom his cars along any available surface...the refrigerator, the drawers, the cabinets...and if he can open any drawer or cabinet just a little, then the car will go in there, too.
• fall/bump into things (His spatial awareness and gross motor skills need some work.)
• grunt and point and open and close his hands (as if reaching for the object) when he wants something
• fall asleep in the car for FIVE SECONDS and then refuse to nap for the rest of the day

Loves:

• swimming and going under and playing in the water and blowing bubbles
• pointing out things in books...he loves to point out any kind of ball and any picture of the moon
• eating with a fork
• dice
• unplugging things from the wall
• giving hugs
• cars
• balls
• crawling into my lap - he may not stay there for long, but he sure loves sitting there when the mood suits him
• the game "Elefun" (especially the nets used to catch the butterflies)
• clicking his tongue/smacking his lips
• putting binkies in and out of babies’ mouths (as opposed to Lainey who would actually put a baby doll’s binky in her mouth to satisfy her need)
• saying "night-night" (by waving, not speaking) to everything in his room (And I mean everything...his cd player, his baby book, each picture, his clock...you name it. He and Ben have a routine.)
• retrieving his shoes from the laundry room and bringing them to me so I can put them on his feet
• bringing me my bag/purse, especially if he's ready to leave
• the dollhouse and the little baby that goes night-night in the dollhouse crib (He especially likes pushing the button on the crib to play the music to the lullaby "Go to Sleep."
• the little dollhouse for the little woodland animals (Calico Critters)

Word count: 2 (officially, consistently, in the correct context, etc.)

• says “hah” for “hi” but only into a pretend phone
• "uh-oh"

We love you to pieces, Buddies. You keep us on our toes with your curiosity, cuteness, and clumsiness. :) You are a lovable, sweet boy and we are still surprised at how blonde your hair is. Thank you for bringing such joy into our lives!