18 months (actually 19)

So I promised an 18 month old update (to you 3 readers) and I slacked. Big Time.

So much so that Sunday Avery was 19 month old.

Oh well. I never promised perfection.

Except when I [we] made her:

18 month old stats:

Weight - 31lbs 12oz (>95 percentile)
Height - 35in (>95 percentile)
Head - 19.5in (>95 percentile)

Clothes - Avery is in mostly 2T and some 3T clothes, depending on the brand. She is between a 6 and 7 size shoe, depending on the wideness as she still has cabbage patch feet. But she is getting better about not scrunching up her toes when I am trying to put her shoes on.

Food - ahhhh, the picky toddler eating days have been going on for some time now. You know, you spend over a year thinking about how this child is eating and then all of the sudden they are calling the shots. What she loves (for now): yogurt, fig newtons, goldfish, pretzels, applesauce, bananas - most fruit, pirates booty, chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, corn, peas, pancakes, french fries, pb&j, chips, apples. Would I like her to eat healthier? Heck yes! Do I try? You betcha! 9 times out of 10, if I put something on her plate she doesn't like, it ends up in the pugs' bellies on the floor. Our peditrician gave us some literature on toddler eating and it really helped US. One of the points I remember is that if your toddler eats one full meal every 3 day, that is just fine. It said toddlers like to graze and snack and to not get frustrated when they don't want to eat each full meal you have painstakingly prepared. I've noticed that when Avery is ready for a "meal" she will ask to sit in her high chair - "up, up? up, up!" Otherwise we just make sure she has a cup full of water (with a splash of apple juice) and we just give her a snack when she asks. She has no problem going in to the pantry, pointing, and saying "this, this, this" until we pick what it is she sees that she wants.

Bottles and pacis, otherwise known as toddler bad habits. Avery gets a bottle of milk  before bed and one when she gets up. She also is allowed to have her paci when she is in her crib, although this is bent daily by her Auntie and I do still keep one on hand when we are out, just in case. We will be breaking these bad habits by her 2nd birthday (says the new mom).

After her 18mo shots :*(

Speech/talking - this kid never shuts up! But I have to say, she comes by it naturally. While most of it is adorable babble, here are some of the things she does say (and we understand):
Buh-bye
Hi
Mama (FINALLY!!!!)
Dada (of course!)
Boo (her stuffed animal)
woof-woof (whenever she sees a dog - anywhere)
nana (banana)
thank you
please
walk
up
down
watch
this
that
eyes
ears
nose
mouth
toes
hands
Melmo (Elmo)
Mimi (my mom)
Papa (my dad)
peach
tree
nomnom nommies (Grover, the youngest pug)

That is what I can remember off the top of my head after a long (Mon)day. She will try to say anything we ask her to and she wants to know the name for everything (over and over and over). She is learning her body parts but likes to point them out on other people instead of herself. She has a cute lisp so "this" sounds like "dith" and "watch" sounds like "wath". She understand everything we say, whether she chooses to listen is another story.

Teeth - She has 'em all except her 2 year old molars and I am so over teething - as I am sure she is too.

Some of my favorites from the month past:

Dear little girl,

You are funnier then I could have imagined you to be. You are always making us laugh and laughing right along with us. Your giggle is the best I have ever heard.

You love your puppies and want to be where ever they are, to their dismay. You still love Yo Gabba Gabba and can find an Elmo from a mile away.

I hope and pray you always know how much you are loved. I am so proud of you. You are smart and loving and tenacious and wild. And while you get bigger everyday, you will always be my baby.

I love you, sweet girl.

xoxo
Yo Mama