You’re growing up so fast, just like everyone said you would.

It’s been 18 months already, but it feels as though that miraculous day when you were born was just half a year ago or so. And yet, I cannot remember well my life before you. There is nothing more joyful than how I feel when you are looking in my eyes and giggling. There’s a look in your eyes that shows you think it is pretty funny, and that you are just loving the connection of the laughter, and that you know that I think it is funny too.

18 month checkup:

Height 33.5″ (90%)

Weight 24lbs 4oz (53%)

Head circumf 96%

(Meds = Tylenol 1 tsp childrens or 16 ml infants

Motrin 1 tsp childrens)

You understand so much these days. Body parts, toes, fingers, elbows (trying to say this now), nose, eyes, ears, chin, heart).

Where his Thumbkin, Where is Thumbkin? (you hold up thumb)
Here I am, Here I am.
How are you today sir?
Very well I think you.
Runaway… Runaway.
Where is Pointer, Where is the Pointer?
Where is MiddleMan, Where is MiddleMan?
Where is Ringo, Where is Ringo?
Where is Pinky, Where is Pinky?
Where’s the whole family?

While changing you, I’ll whisper, “Do you hear something?” You look up at me, a curious brow half-raised. I mumble a small ‘brrr” noise with my mouth, then explode “Raspberries” while burrowing into your belly, foot, cheek are arm. Gleeful giggles.

When you hear something like a plane, motorcycle or garage door opening, you raise a hand to your ear, looking over at me.

Your new push car we got you today. For walking around the neighborhood or to the park without needing to strap you into the stroller. You loved it!

A nose-swaying Mugga-mugga kiss for Daddy…

After all that driving, a girl works up her appetite.

You are walking very well all of a sudden. It took you a while to get the hang of it, but as a result, you seem pretty sure-footed. Sometimes you keep your arms up in the air as if we’re there leading you along. Looking a bit Frankenstein monster-ish when you do that…

Boo…playing house

You rarely fall, I think because you took your time getting going, maybe you have more stability. Before getting to the step down into the dining room, you stop, plunk down on your bottom, and turn to go down safely.

You have many words now, among them, (in no particular order):
Dog
Duck (your yellow duck in pool or pink bathtub duck)
Dada
Mama
Caa (for Butterball the neighborhood Cat)
Owww
Brr (Brittany)
Bebe (for your dolls)
Park
Potty (you told me this yesterday as I was putting you in your crib. I put you on the potty and you promptly crawled off, scooted out the bathroom door, turned around and sat on the hallway  hardwood floor and pee’d!)
Poop
Pop (when toast pops you say this)

Signing:
Cheers (clinking glasses with us at meals)
All done (rubbing hands together after meal)
Up (pointing up)

You often practice inflection, raising your eyebrows as you say something, looking at us to see if we got it. You can also get frustrated when you don’t get what you want, you will arch your back and scrunch up your face. Sometimes I’ll smile or just stroke you to calm you and you soon give me a little impish smile, sometimes even a little laugh. 
 

Today was your 15 month checkup and more vaccines, including chickenpox. You screamed as they jabbed three needles into your thighs, but a few minutes later when we emerged from the room, you were quiet and calm, but with tears running down your cheeks. The nurses and doctor commented on how good you were, not even crying. Then you got to choose a toy as a treat from the treasure chest… you went for the little yellow duck. You are drawn to little yellow ducks!

Height: 32.5" (85%)
Weight 23 lbs (48%)

You can now take about 5-6 steps on your own. You’ll stand with good stability, and when we back up and hold out our arms to you, saying "Come here, come here, come here" you start ambling towards us.

You love playing hide and seek. In your walker you run down the hallway, and then chase after me. I hide behind the couch, or behind the wall near the door, or behind the table, and each time you return to the living room looking around with the look of expectation. When you spot me, a big grin covers your face before you turn and dash back down the hall for me to chase you.

You are super good, but if there’s something you’re not supposed to touch, and you’ve been told, you will look at it, shake a finger side to side and look up at me. I distracted you from playing with the humidifier in your room, and later that day when Brittany was with you, when she went close to it, you wagged your finger at her.

First tentative steps: Saturday April 18th, on grass out back. Here it is:

This weekend was the first in the pool for the year, and you seem to love the water as much as you did last year. Nolan came for a play date on Saturday and you both went swimming. If you like to sit on the edge of the pool and kick your feet as we sing "If you’re happy and you know it… splash your feet".

You have started pronouncing a ‘k’ sound. We think you are trying to say kitty cat — we have been going over to feed the cat next door while our neighbors are away.

Favorite memories of this weekend — you and I lying on our bed, passing back and forth a bottle of sun lotion, I roll over and bury it and you come crawling on me looking for it, full of giggles. Then you capture it and roll to the other end of the bed, trying to hide it and looking back at me with your big mischievous eyes and a toothy grin, followed by more giggles. You will stop and gaze intently into my eyes, and then the laughter starts again. So wonderful.

See more photos from the weekend.

Tomorrow you’re 15 months, and your Grandpa Butt arrives for Easter. You haven’t seen him since you were about 9 months.

You’re fascinated by the microwave and if it flashes a message, while you’re eating, you pint up towards it and say "AAAggh!" Recently you are able to help open the door and press the buttons for the time. As they beep, you turn your head wildly excited to look at me, to make sure I’ve seen your accomplishment.

You go down for naps now without a bottle of milk. That is, for everyone except mommy. With me you still expect it, and try as I may, I can’t quite get you down without caving to the white bottle.  I cradle you in my arms on the rocker, savoring these last moments of having you fall asleep in my arms with such delight and comfort.

Brittany has taught you how to make pig noises. You see a pig book or toy and sometimes snort. Very funny. 

You’re a master at doing ‘cheers’. We can’t have a meal without raising the glasses several times. You’ve determined you’re old enough not to need a bib anymore, if we try to put one on you yank it off immediately.

First words: 

• Daaad daaddadada
• Maaammm maaaaa mmaaa
• Duck.
• Dog. (Which of course are very similar, but you pronounce differently.)
• Cat "acchkii kaa" (when you see Butterball next door!).  

First signs:

• All done (at the end of every meal, often preceded by a delicate burp)
• Up (point one hand up)
• Kisses goodbye (hold one arm in front of mouth, hand past lips, and wave finger and say bababababa)

At fourteen months, you are so good natured, and you’re the smile on our faces at the beginning and end of every day. Your eyes light up when something interests you, and you’ll raise your arm, finger pointed as we walk past lights. After breakfast every morning, you swish your hands together, our sign language for "all done" and immediately point up at the hanging pots above the stove. I sing "The morning bells of Westminster go ding – dong - dingdongding" and you wrinkle up your little nose, laugh and clap your hands. This is your favorite expression when you think something is just plain funny.

 You love walking with your radio flyer down the sidewalk outside the house.  Sometimes I look at you and you just look so small, and yet growing up so fast.

You received a large parcel in the mail, and couldn’t wait to open it. Inside was a green velour reading chair from Oma and Opa. It took you about two seconds to start climbing all over it. This was a first birthday present.

More photos – Sunday in Santa Cruz and first whip cream.