Monthly survey:


1.  How old is baby? He's 18 months and 2 weeks.

2. Stats:

a. Weight: He wouldn't let the nurse weigh him.  Before they called us all he wanted to do was play with he scale (we were in the back waiting room).  Anyway, he was 30 pounds last week, so we'll go with that.

b. Height: 33 inches.

c. Clothes size: Definitely 2t/24 month.  Hoping that will last all summer.
d. Diaper size: Size large for cloth, though in my GMD prefolds I'm going to buy extra large soon. Size 6for sposies, which we use for daycare.

e. Hair color: it's turning more strawberry blonde.

f. Eye color:  Finally decided on hazel gray/green. 

g. Anything else?

3. Milestones:
a. Teething: Still 18.  His gums still seem swollen and he occasionally stuffs things way back there but it doesn't look like the 2 year old molars will be appearing any time soon.

b. Talking:  I tried counting them all yesterday, it's 55-60.  It can be hard to count because he'll parrot our words a lot too.  So if we say to him "Can you say yogurt" and he says "yogurt" that doesn't technicallly count but if he calls it "yogurt" then it does.  But it's not like he says 60 words all day long, some of them don't come up very often, or get replaced by newer words that he loves to use and show off.  Right now that word is "no-no!!"  Also a big change since last month:  he says help versus fussing or signing please 90% of the time!
He understands lots of other words thoughs. And it's not like he will come up and ask for an egg or anything. But he will say it if he sees it in his alphabet book. Best thing is fish to him means fishie kisses! So I get those when we read that book!


c. Rolling: He likes to roll around in our bed now.

d. Walking: Walking and running pro now! He's getting really fast!

e. Crawling: He doesn't do it very often anymore.

f. Anything else? He will sing songs on his own, and try to sing with us to ones he knows like "Je La" is Jesus Loves Me.

4. Things he likes:

a. Toys: Grandad recently got him a sandbox, he has a pool, toy lawn mower.  He still plays with other toys but honestly, I need to go through them and find some things that are more challenging for him.  In the mean time his favorite thing is the broom and vacuum.
b. Books: He loves his alphabet book, his Mickey mouse light and sound book, his trucks book

c. TV Shows: He likes Mickey Mouse.
d. Music:  Still loves to sing and dance!  Singing can cure about 95% of the crankiness.  And now he can reach the pump organ with one hand and actually press the pedal with his foot and make sound come out all on his own.  We really need to get a piano/keyboard for him!
5. Things he dislikes: Most foods.  He's suddenly got very picky.  Tonight was the first night in 2 weeks that dinner wasn't a battle.  Mom didn't give him snack so he was pretty hungry I guess.  Interesting thing is that it was left overs from Wednesday, which he threw all over the ground.  So, I guess time made it tastier?  The problem really is that he suddenly has preferences but not a way to express them.  If only he could say "Mother, tonight I'm in the mood for chicken, not ham.  And the lima beans please!"
6. Sleeping:  His bed time is now 8 pm.  The problem is that most day care days he needs to get up at 6:30.  Well, 7 now that he's not nursing.  There have been a few nights when he didn't go to sleep right away and stayed up chatting in the crib and was really tired in the morning.  He's in the "almost 2's" room at day care now and they nap on a mat on the floor and apparently he's doing really well with that!
7. Eating: See above.  I was right about self-weaning.  This Monday he refused to nurse and didn't want much breakfast.  I decided to try the "don't offer, don't refuse" route on Tuesday and haven't looked back.  He hasn't asked for it at all.  For weeks before hand he'd barely nurse in the morning, his only feeding.  Honestly, I could have probably weaned him without a problem a few months ago, but I wasn't ready.  I'm glad it was so easy!!  I hope it is for the next one(s)!!
8. Nicknames: I don't think this section changes ever, let alone monthly, not sure why it's in here!

9. Things we’re looking forward to next month: Warmer weather so enjoying the pool!  Both at home and across town.  Walks in the morning or evening.  Playing in the sand box!  Playing outside in general.  Maybe a visit with Aunt Cindy in VA Beach.
10. How I like motherhood:

a. Likes: Love it!  I love his personality.  It's great seeing some of the best of me in him.

b. Dislikes: I wish I had more time with him.  Even when I'm not working there's so much to do and I wish I could just sit and play with him more.  But then when I try he's in more of an independent play stage so I just end up watching him.  It makes me miss my little baby and wonder where the time went!  I worry about the future a lot more now.  I feel like I always have to think ahead.  Things that are so second nature to me clearly aren't to others seeing as how they don't see how it could potentially go wrong.  Not only is it exhausting to constantly be thinking like that but also it's frustrating to feel let down by others and/or that they can't do things "right."  Doug for example is great with Teddy at home, but he's seldom gone on an errand with him alone (as in only once and that was last month).  He just doesn't think ahead to being gone during snack time, needing diapers and entertainment.  Trying to do errands without getting in and out of the car a thousand times (pay for gas at the pump, drive through at the bank etc.)  The other day I was sick and also had a follow up appointment for Teddy and asked my mom to help.  She brought a magazine in and kept checking her cell phone.  Yeah....that's not really helping with a toddler in a room full of no-no's!!  So basically, I'm reaching a stage where it's becoming a strain on my other relationships more than a strain on me....guesss that's confidence?