18 Months Old!

Oh Little V -

You are now 18 months old. No longer a baby, but fast on your way to "little girlhood". I want to remember this time fondly.

The main points I want to remember:

Activity -
Climbing, climbing, climbing. You love to climb! Unfortunately, we live in a climate with 5 months of snowy cold winter. I can't wait to get to the playground in the Spring and let you run up and down the playscapes. You have a habit of climbing on a low chest table next to the couch, up over the arm rest and then standing on the couch (Little scamp!). After my surgery I was sitting in the recliner napping, daddy was getting my medicine, and you climbed up on a high side table to propel yourself into my lap. Boy, I was surprised! You can climb up into a kitchen chair to get to things on the kitchen table. It takes a lot of effort for you, but you are becoming very adept at it. The core muscles are getting strong!

The Potty -
We bought you a Singing Princess Potty and now I can get you to sit it on for short periods, especially if M&M's and books are involved. It sings a song when you pee or poo and so far, I've only managed to have you pee pee on it once. If you have to poo, you crawl under the kitchen table or high chair to do your business.

Food -
You went through a period where I think you existed on cereal, bananas, milk, and Gerber Ravioli. Your appetiate has improved in the last two weeks. You still only want to eat dry cereal, bananas, strawberries, soy sausage, nutrigrain bars, yoghurt, applesauce and those DAMN ravioli. I've read some books and am trying to "play it cool", offering you lots of new foods and not making a fuss over what you will eat or not eat. We went to restaurants twice in January and you were not very well behaved. At all. Restaurants on hold for now.

Reading -
Since before Christmas, you have went NUTS over books. We've been to the library three times to get you some new books. You love the library; especially their wood puzzles. We read around 10 books a night and more on weekends. I love that you love to read. Sometimes you will open a book and "read" it to yourself. It's really cute.

Tantrums/Crying -
You have had a baaaddd period of crying, whining, and tantruming. Always over small things. Like not getting to play with the squeegie in the bathtub, having your hair combed (you despise this), taking things away that you shouldnt' have (like the meat thermometer, or a bottle of vanilla extract). Thank goodness you don't have much hair to comb or fix.

Current Favorites-
Food - Strawberries
Activites: Reading, climbing, watching Sprout, trying on shoes, opening kitchen cupboards
Book: Still Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What do you see?
Toys: Still Leapfrog Fridge Magnets, Melissa and Doug Puzzles, the telephone
People: Mummy and Daddy, of course!
Clothing: Size 18 months pants, 18-24 month shirts
Size: 93% for height, 53% for weight

Talking -
Your talking has really come along in the last two weeks. You say "Bye" and wave to people, Say "Hi" and "Hello" , "Mine-O" for sippy cup, and you have been imitating what I say, which I really like.

Other -
I think you have a mild sensory processing disorder. Trying to brush your teeth or hair, wash your face or hands, get you to eat mixed texture food (ie: yoghurt mixed with granola) is very difficult, and you have some issues with that. We're working on it.