18 Months
It was Christmas Eve on Addisons 18 month birthday, kind of hard to forget your childs 1/2 year birthday when it lands so close to a holiday...lol! We were able to be in NY with my family for the holidays and we had a wonderful time, always goes by way to fast. Addison even got to go out and go sleeding for her first time, Grandpa took her out to enjoy the snow.
Addison weighed in at exactly 24lbs for 18 months (January 6). Our pediatrician said she is doing great and meeting all her milestones. She is full of energy and life, a climber for sure, I think I spend all day pulling her down off the table or anything else she can climb. YES, she figured out how to climb her changing table... couldnt believe it and almost had a heart attack the first time I came in and say her standing up there... ok still do, everytime I find her up there. Still babbling away, like she wants to talk, but just doesnt. I really think she knows a lot more than she is willing to say. She can clearly understand everything I am saying or asking her to do... I wouldnt say there are any "NEW" words, however we have noticed that she refers to herself as a baby and whenever she does say baby, she whispers it...soo funny!! She is my little helper for sure, helping me unload the dishwasher, help me carry the bags in or my purse, help me unload the cart at the grocery store, get her shoes, hat and coat and bring them to me when its time to go. She has figured out how to blow kisses and she understands that when we pray we hold hands and she will reach out to hold your hand, when you say "lets pray." She loves to twirl around until your disey. She loves it if you do it to her, she will actually lay back as your twirling and close her eyes.. so fearless!! But she also twirls herself and just laughs and laughs... its soo funny to watch. She also just loves to run around the house with her eyes closed...silly girl!! She runs into everything, but just keeps going!! She has really mastered her spoon and fork and she can now even eat cereal with milk in it with her spoon. Yes, we still sometimes make a mess, but she is doing soo well, I hardly even have to help her. She has started to learn what time outs are and you can now, place her in the seat and she understands she has to stay there for minute.. yes she sometimes gets up, but she undesrstands that when she is bad, there is a time-out. She is definitly a very strong-willed, determined little girl, however she is my snuggler for sureandloves to be held. So very curious and yet so smart at how quickly she picks up on things. A big step we did was flip around her car seat at her 18 month mark, I struggled with this change with all the advisories out there, but she seems to be a lot happier in the car now that she can see us and my pediatrian said she meets the weight limit and we are tottally OK to flip her around.19 Months
This last month has been a very long month and alot of changes and growing. Addison started off the month in the hospital for vomitting and so lathargic we thought we were losing her, she kept having these spasms that shook her body, we wondered if she was having seizures...so scary. Luckily it was just a fever, causing her to get cold and then shake and the vomitting does make children lathargic. No sooner did we get past that, when we were informed our daycare would be letting Addison go. No need to go into detail, but this shook our world. Thankfully Grandma made the trip down to be with Addison and to help us look for another daycare provider for our sweet girl. Grandma stayed with us for about 8 days and luckily by the time she left, God had answered our prayers. Addison spent her last week at her daycare, that she has been at since she was 3 and half months old and on Thursday, woke up to a vomitting virus that knocked her out all weekend. I would have to say that 2012, has been a very rough year so far and we are still adjusting. First week at her new day care, has been hard, but I know with time it will get better. Addison cried so hard on Wednesday when I had to leave in the AM, I almost started crying with her and walked out of that hosue and quit my job. She has never cried like this, not even for church Nursery and It broke my heart to leave her. Thankfully she did calm down and was off playing by the time I walked out. "Why is Change sooo HARD!!!" Hopefully week 2 will be better!!
With all that said, Addison learned how to climb up and down her highchair while Grandma was here. She is currently cutting her cannine teeth on the top, so she will soon have a mouth full of teeth up there. She has finally figured out how to say "NO" except that "NO" in her mind means "YES". Its soo funny.. "Addison are you Hungry?" No... "Addison do you want to take a bath?" No...lol.. everything is "NO" when she clearly means "YES."
She has figured out how to put her hat on herself. Yes, it ends up being a little lopsided, but its super cute! She has even attempted to put on her own shoes. She will now put our shoes on and try to walk in them.. soo funny!! She has learned to sing with you the ABCs... I definitly think she is saying some of the letters and she does this thing where she sways back and forth and tilts her head from side to side, when she sings it with you.. its soo cute. She can also count 1, 2, 3... such a smart little girl. She learned how to say "Grandma" while my mom was here... so truly special!! She has also, finally after months of showing her, learned the arm movements to the "Itsy Bitsy Spider" LOVE THIS!! Another funny thing is she will now, if she gets in trouble sit herself in time-out, without you telling her to sit in time-out... its soo funny!! Things that you wouldnt necessarily put her in time-out for, she will go sit in the time out spot. She really is such a smart little girl... Glad she got her daddy and Grandpas jeans!! However, I would have to say, she is a very good mix of both Stephen and I, besides looking 100% like Stephen. On a side note -her hair has really started to come in this month.. she now wakes up and the back of her head, hair is sticking up everywhere. I have even had to wet it a couple of days to get it to lay flat. I do think its going to have some curl, bc its definitley wispy. Soon I will be able to put little barets in her hair and they will stay!!
She has has finally picked a "lovey" Out of all her options, she has attached herself to a purple blanket that my mom made. That blanket is a favorite for sure and seems to always find its way outside her crib and if she doesnt bring it out with her in the AM or after nap and she cant seem to reach through the crib to get it, there is some serious crying involved. She has also recently become very attached to her paci, throwing major fits if she cant have it. Up until a month ago, the paci was used only at naptimes and bedtime. When she was really little she used alot more, even in the car. But, as she got older and not wanting her to be dependant on it, I thought it best to only be used during sleeping times. We did decide to use it a little more over Christmas this year, due to late nights and nap times being pushed around, however recently it has become an issue. Throwing such major temper tantrums. The desire for the paci also started around the time that she attached herself to her blanket and Im starting to think its all the change. I think she is dealing with a little bit of insecurities and feeling unsure and its something constant. Hopefully in another month, she will start adjusting.... my poor sweet girl!!
Her imagination has really come out recently. Yes, she does mimick, but now she does things, that we have shown her all the time. I can look into her room and can see her stirring her tea and then fake drinking it, fake eating her food, sprinkling her cupcakes with fake sprinkles. Just soo sweet. I even noticed yesterday her putting some of her lego pieces together!! I couldnt believe it, I have showed her so many times and she never does it!! Still loves to look at books and be read too, and also loves to color even though, she likes to eat the crayons and I think she has broken all of them in half. She can even now ride her toy horse, she will drag it out from her bedroom and climb up onto it and just ride it... she loves it!! A year ago, she received it and she wasnt even sitting up yet and now my sweet child plays with it and can climb up and off it and can swing it back and forth!! She is just getting soo big, where has the time gone!! We are so truly blessed and we serve an AMAZING GOD that has made my dreams come true!! May I never forget!!
