Tuesday, January 7, 2014

My Toddler

I feel like it has been ages since I wrote an update on my kids. If my tags are up to date (which they probably aren't) it has been at least six months. So yeah, I missed both their birthdays, oops.


Nell had her 15 months check up last Monday. Poor girl went in for a well visit and ended up having a sick one instead. As our Dr was talking to me about her newest round of immunizations she peeked into Nell's ears and changed plans. Lucky for Nell she didn't have to get any shots, but unlucky for Nell she had two ear infections ... for who knows how long!  Dr B announced her one tough cookie and wrote up some meds. She really wasn't acting unusually sick or fussy at all. She had a runny nose and some new teeth coming in, so we attributed her clingy-ness to that. Once I knew how sick she really was I let her cling all day long. Really, I only let go of her for about an hour or two last Monday. She slept off and on in my arms the entire afternoon.

And the more I thought about it, the more I realized I had a double ear infection, too! I attributed mine to the plane ride home from Utah, but we'd been back in Wisconsin for more than 24hours and I was still having some mid ear pain, headaches, and muffled hearing. It has since passed, but I think I've had those a couple times as an adult and never knew. Oh well. Hopefully I don't go deaf any time soon.

Some stats on Nell:
Height: 31 inches (64%)
Weight: 26 and 1/2 lbs (92%)
Head: 19 and 1/4 inches (99%)

She's grown in rather odd spurts. The biggest one seems to have taken place just after her birthday. The week she turned one she still fit in some 12 month old clothes. Now she can hardly squeeze into any 18's. I guess she decided she was done being a baby once she saw that gigantic birthday cake on her tray.

(picture)

She started walking Thursday the 12th of December. She had been taking steps long before then, and even pulling herself to a stand without any assistance. But until Dec 12th she really seemed content to just walk on occasion. The video below shows it all happening. She'd walked about that much before, but as we stayed in that gym for the next hour she just kept getting back up and walking. There has been very little crawling since!



She is already saying Mommy and Daddy, instead of mama and dada. I thank big brother for that. I think she realized mommy and daddy would get answers quicker than the typical ma-ma and da-da baby babbles. She's probably right.

She loves to jump/bounce. She has the cutest little rawr (also thanks to big brother). She screams and points when her demands aren't filled. She loves to learn new words, and points for that as well. She refuses to let anything stay in her hair. No clips, no head bands, no hats ... nothing.

She bawls hysterically almost any time she is sternly told "No." She loves bath time and insists on feeding herself (which bumps up the typical bath time schedule). She has no hesitations about wandering away from me when we are out in public, and she has always been pretty good about going to new people. She hates wearing shoes and takes them off any chance she can get.

A smile paints her face almost any time her thumb isn't in her mouth. She loves to twirl hair, hers or mine (she probably likes mine more though, if she could be honest about it). She's picky about TV shows. She won't sit through anything but Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That and occasionally Daniel Tiger. Her favorite toys are the play kitchen, books right off the bookshelf, and any of our wooden Plan Toys classics (geometric sorter and punch and drop).

She LOVES conducting music. She'll hear the faintest sound of music and start flapping her arms. She picked up on folding her arms for prayers without any prompting. I love how kids just watch and learn.

I am seriously in love with this 15-month-old phase. Her cheeks are still squishy enough that I could kiss them all day. She's getting a little more cuddly and attached now that she's gaining independence. I love that she is more independent (ie, walking and entertaining herself). It is a hoot to watch her fight for toys with Reid. I'm trying really hard to teach him not to just take toys from her, but I just sit back and laugh every time she takes them from him. She is so fierce about it.

Some of her stages and spurts have not been my favorite. This is one I could bottle up and keep forever.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Loved the post, sis. Thanks for sharing. That Nell is precious.
Pa

Claudia said...

I agree 100% with this post, especially the part about being sternly told no!! Missing those tantrums! Missing this girl!!! And her big brother and mom and dad!

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