18 Month Stats

It's a little late, but cut me some slack. I spend every free moment chasing a VERY MOBILE toddler!

So - here is the latest from his doctors appointment last week.

weight - 20.5lbs

height - 31 inches

His doctor was very pleased with his progress. He is catching up and surpassing their expectations at every turn. She was impressed with his walking, running and climbing abilities. She had me fill out a questionnaire about his development. She analyzed it and felt like he was doing fantastic. Starting to catch up to his actual age.

The biggest news, she felt that he could stop drinking the really expensive formula. He is on all whole milk now. That also means he is on all sippy cups - which he loves. The milk transition was wonderful. So far, we have had no issues. The first time he got milk in his sippy cup, he gulped it down. He loved it!

Nick continues to astound me with his absorption of knowledge. He is developing his problem solving skills. I am pretty sure he learns a word a day. His new favorite thing is to bring you a toy, then hold out his hand for you to give it back. Upon handing him said toy, he says "Tank too" (Thank you).

A few of the words in his vocabulary-

Mom (I think he is the only toddler to ever call mom)

Momma

Daddy

puppies

Cocca (Mocha our dog)

Row ( the other dog)

Troy (his favorite neighbor)

Bite

Thank you

Milk

Bye-Bye

Light

Done

No, No, No (this one is usually accompanied by shaking his finger)

Hello

Ok

Uh-Oh

Toy

Book

Car

Shoes

There are probably many more, but these are tops in his vocab.

All of the wonderful things he does and learns is nothing in comparison with the joy he continues to bring to my life every day. I live for that smile, his hugs and his kisses. He is such a blessing to me, and I am thankful every day.

** He doesn't realize you really need water for that, but he loves pulling it through the yard.

** Had to snap this at the doctor's office. They want the kids to wear them before being examined. Thought it was too cute!

George

I don't know when or how it started. It was probably all my fault, mainly because there is no one else to blame. I heard the advice and didn't follow it and now must pay the consequences. Nick has a "George". George sleeps with Nick every night.

Like I said, I don't know how this started. I don't' remember. Every night when I put him to bed, he grabs George by the neck, rolls to his side, sticks a thumb in his mouth and that is how he falls asleep.

For a few weeks months ago, I kept thinking to myself that I needed to take George away and replace him with various other stuffed animals to change it up a bit so he wouldn't get too attached. Before I could do that we had a little diaper leak incident, which lead to washing George, and a bad mommy who forgot to put him in the dryer, thus he was not ready for bed. I prayed when I put him to bed that night, he wouldn't notice the brown stuffed animal that was in his bed wasn't George.

He did. When he layed down, wrapped his arm around... wait, this isn't George. He sat up in bed, looked at me and began to cry. Yeah, I felt about this (see me showing you an inch between my two fingers) big.

He cried for an 45 minutes until he finally fell asleep. But not before he threw the new animal out of his bed.

The next night George was clean and dry and waiting for Nick in his bed and bedtime.

I have managed to keep George as an "at home" toy. Mostly he stays in bed, but every once in awhile George is allowed to venture out of the bed (like last night - we have 2-3 molars coming in and got shots yesterday- can you say cranky baby?).

George always makes everything better.

Single Parent

A friend recently told me how much she admired me for being a single mom and the job that I do with Nick. It has taken me a while to admit to myself that yeah, I am a single mom. Have been the whole time. I haven't really talked about being a single mom, because I never really thought about it much. I don't say this to slight those other single mom's out there. It is a HARD job! I will never take that away from anyone. Being a parent is a hard job.

I guess I never thought much about it, because, I have been alone since before Nick came home, so it has always been he and I. I can only imagine how much harder it would be if you were used to co-parenting and then suddenly it is just you.

Not to go into too much detail, but sadly my husband made some bad decisions in his life and about our marriage. Even worse, he made them at the worst possible time. When Nick was 3 weeks old, and still in the hospital, he came to me, confessed and affair and left. To say that I was taken aback would be the understatement of the year. It was the most difficult part of my life. Nick pulled me through. Concentrating on his health, well being, traveling to and from the hospital every day helped in ways that I can't begin to explain.

I tell this story, partly as a catharsis for myself. To get the truth out, and feel okay with it. The whole ordeal was painful and at times hard to talk about.

Again, it is hard to be a single parent. There is no one to turn to when you are busy and your child is crying or getting into something. There are no extra hands, there is no one to turn to when he gets up in the middle of the night.

But I am okay with all of that, because there is no one to share the smiles with, the hugs, and the laughter. I get the privilege of the first smile almost every morning. I didn't miss the first crawl, walk, or word. I know he loves to have "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" sung to him. Then he says in a quiet little voice "row, row, row".

I get so many special moments with my man. And that is something I wouldn't trade for anything in the world.

Another one of those fantastic "moments". Sitting in the car the other day (by the way- check out the new "big boy seat!!") He picks a cell phone says "Hello, OK, Bye" Maybe I should pay attention to what I say on the phone...