Ryan Alexander: 18 months

Growing // At your 18 month check up you weighed 25 lbs 12.8 ounces (73rd percentile) and you measured 32.5 inches 54th percentile). So since your 15 month check up you've gained 12.8 ounces and grown 1.25 inches. It's wild to me how much your growth starts to slow down as you get older! You change so much and gain so much and grow so much in that first year...and then everything starts to slow down.

Eating + Sleeping // You eat everything pretty much. You shake a little when I make pancakes from your excitement and you really love raisins. You really love meat and fruit - all fruits, you just love it. You really love berries too, which is funny as your brother hated them and would just throw any and all berries on the floor. He still doesn't like them, but you, you gobble them up! The first time we gave you blueberries, you gobbled them up so fast I thought you'd thrown them all on the floor or tucked them in beside you in your highchair, but alas, they were nowhere to be found since they were in your belly! And I have to admit, I'm terrible at giving you milk as I just forget, but you do like it! You are such an incredible sleeper. There were a few times this last month where you woke up in the middle of the night and I turned to your dad and said...uhh, what do I do? I've forgotten how to soothe you at night seeing as we aren't breastfeeding anymore, I wasn't even sure what to do. More often than not, you were just thirsty, so I gave you some water and cuddled you and sang you a song or two and laid you back in your bed and you went right to sleep. It's wild to me just how good of a sleeper you are and have been even from the start. We just look at the clock and know that it's naptime or bedtime based on that as you don't really show signs of being tired until we take your glasses off and you start rubbing your eyes and reaching for your bed. You do cry more easily when you're tired, so I suppose that's the best sign.

Wearing // You are definitely still wearing some 12-18 month pants, but most of your shirts are 2T. Some of your shirts are 18 months, but they're a little tight. And I just recently put you in a pair of Jack's old tennis shoes - size 5, but they're a little big on your feet. And you're still wearing size 5 diapers.

Loving // You love your brother and playing with cars. You love being outside. You love speed walking everywhere you go. You love pouring water or milk or anything liquidy on the floor or on your tray and then playing in the liquid. You love pulling things out of anything and everything...drawers, cabinets, the dishwasher.

Loathing // You loathe getting your diaper changed or getting dressed or getting buckled into your carseat and the stroller. You really don't like any activities where you have to sit still for any period of time, unless it involves your highchair and food!

Words // Nigh nigh and all the words from last month...sometimes your dad and I look at each other and think, did he really just say that? Thank you? Hat, hot, books, boat, duckies, doggy. Every animal with legs is a doggy - a cow, a deer, a fox, all doggies. 

Doing // You are obsessed with this little bunny blankie thing and you stand up in your crib and drop it over the side of your crib and then cry because you can't reach it. I know when you've dropped it because your cry is different. And you've started grabbing your lovie and saying nigh nigh and waving goodbye to us, which is basically you telling us you want to go to bed. it's pretty funny! You want to walk EVERYWHERE!! And you do not want to hold anyones hands. You go up and down stairs like a rockstar! You climb everything and you even try to climb into the bathtub and onto the coffee table. Sorry Mister, but your legs aren't quite long enough for those yet! And you love giving kisses and making the smaking noise. It's the sweetest. You go around kissing my leg, kissing your brother, etc. So cute.

Milestones // First overnight with grandparents - I can't believe it's taken this long. You did great, just like we thought you would. First kayak ride with mama and you rode on guppy's boat again! You weren't a fan of the life jacket, but eventually we got one that fit you well, and you were happy as a little clam.


 

Dear Jack {18 months}

Dear Jack,

I can't even believe that you are officially 18 months. I sent a photo of you to your dad today and he said the photo made him get all emotional.

The reality is...with each passing day we have to face the reality that you are growing up! You have become Mr. Independent over the past few months...and your little personality has really begun to shine. You no longer have any traces of that 4 lb baby that first entered our life. You are growing into such a fantastic little person. You are only saying a few words, but even with a limited vocabulary, you definitely know how to get your point across...whether that means pointing like a mad man at something you want or making noises combined with pointing your finger.

You definitely have preferences and likes and dislikes. You love reading in your crib after nap time...you love books. Alot of times now you are perfectly content just sitting on the ground, flipping through books, they could be upside down, backwards, what have you..and you love it all the same. you babble alot..and sometimes i think you are waiting on a full on response from me.

You love to laugh and you are filled with so much joy! You are so easily entertained and can play by yourself for hours.

You are such a blessing to all of us! You have changed our life in so many ways and truly transformed who I am as a person for the better. You will never fully know the impact you have had on our family and our marriage. And I have never known so much joy and so much laughter.

You truly are our little buddy, the nickname couldn't be more fitting. And we love you so much!

Love,

Mom

Little Buddy: 18 Months

Well little person, let's just say you aren't all that little anymore. And we were so blessed to get a photo shoot in with some of our favorite people, Laura and Tim Sullivan with Lightworks360. The fantastic photos below are theirs, the other ones are mine! Check out my Second Time post if you want to see more photos from our shoot.

Growing // At your 18th month checkup you weighed 26.1 lbs and you were 32 inches long, which means you are currently in the 50th percentile for weight and 45th percentile for height. All signs of that preemie are long gone!

Eating + sleeping // You normally eat eggs or oatmeal for breakfast. You still aren't a huge fan of berries or any fruit for that matter, but you do love bananas, and that's about it, maybe apples? You love chips, crackers, bread, etc, really anything with flour in it or anything that has a crunch. You are still doing two naps - morning and afternoon. You sleep really well at night, and you are going to bed around 8 now that summer is upon us and you normally wake up around 6:30/7. We found that with a later bedtime you actually wake up later, which is amazing - no more 5:30/6 AM wake up calls. So I guess you are sleeping around 10.5/11 hours at night.

Wearing // Anything I put on you, and anything grandma buys you! She has made some significant contributions to your closet, and I am so thankful. You have started to transition to some 2T items.

Loving // You love to copy everything your dad does and you love hanging out in the garage! You absolutely LOVE cars, and you especially love your yellow car that has a home at the grandparents house. You love being at the canal and spending time in the water and you love the splash pad and the wading pool at Greenlake. You love splashing around! And running around. And you love going to the park near our house, swinging on the swings and climbing the bleachers, and running around on the baseball fields. And you LOVE your sock monkey!

Loathing // You still hate having your face wiped. And you aren't a huge fan of sunscreen.

Milestones// I bought you your first pair of shoes this month! Found them at Marshall's - pretty pleased with myself. All the other shoes you were wearing were borrowed - so I figured it was time to get you your very own pair!

Words // Shoes is your all time favorite word! And the usual mama, dada, etc. I'm sure there are others at this time, but I truly can't remember as I'm writing this 4 months too late. Maybe you started saying monk? And you are still saying woof woof for dog sounds more like woo woo and making other animal noises like meow for cat. And waving hi!