18 months

Let's see... where to start?

I feel you're just on the precipice of full-blown talking. You are really thinking hard about making words, and often times sound like you ARE saying words, they're just not quite the exact right sounds. Today I think you said "apple" and "ball." A few days ago I swear you said, "Isaac." You can definitely say mama dada nana and bye bye. You sort of say Kitty in your own way, but it's more like "sketi" or something like that. Oh, you also say "mo" which is short for Nemo, which is a cartoon you watch sometimes.

Also, your sleeping has been disturbed lately, like you'll wake up wide awake at midnight and not go back to sleep for several hours. During that time you'll babble and sign "milk" and "more" and laugh and run around. Weird!! And not very like you. But I started remembering from my baby class that often babies/toddlers do that when they're crossing a developmental milestone. And talking is ceertainly that.

You sign more, too, and I just really need to get on the ball and teach you more. You've learned "bird," so now you know, "milk" (which means refrigerator milk, not nursing) "more" "all done" "down" "where is?" "excited" and you sort of know "pain" but I'm not really sure. I'm trying to teach you telephone and airplane and apple. It's hard to remember to do them all the time, though. Your own little sign for nursing is to sit on my lap and nod your head "yes." I'm not sure where you got that.

Speaking of nursing you were ALMOST weaned about a month ago. Down to once only at night. But the past couple weeks you've been asking almost every hour! I say no almost every time, but now you're back up to 3x a day or so. I don't know why, except maybe because you've been sick a lot lately, and I think you might be getting your 2yo molars. Now that there is only 9 weeks left until the baby's born, I'm sure you won't be weaned by then, and there's no way I'm cold-turkeying you! So, you and your sister will be milk siblings, which will probably be hard for a while, but I've heard lessens jealousy. The AAP actually recommends nursing until 2yo or beyond, so hey, you won't even be 2 yet when she's born! :)

Sickies -- yes it seems like since January we've all been sick fairly non-stop. First you had a long sinus infection, and two different anitbiotics, and then you got better, but then got rotavirus (which dad and I got too -- not fun when you're 7 mo pregnant and working!) and you actually threw up for the first time in your life. Only once, though, after eating an entire piece of french toast. You threw up all over dad. Poor guys.

Now you are just getting over another little cold and cough, which you gave to me, but I think now we're all on the mend. I hope it stays this way for a while!

I'm quitting work on May 12, a few weeks before the baby is born. It will be nice to be able to nap a little during the day with you to rest up.

Well, you're trying to climb into my lap. More later!