B | 18 months old

Dear B,

I last checked in with an update on you at 15 months right before your well baby (uh.... toddler) check. The three months since then FLEW by and it's time for your 18 month check tomorrow!

Highlights of the last three months:

-You had your first flight (to Arizona to see Aunt Mal!) and you did awesome! You're a great little traveler.
-You got to visit a huge farm (way bigger than the orchard) and you loved seeing all the animals. I think goats are still your fave.
-You've now had your second haircut.
-You experienced your first VEISHEA but we're hoping next year the weather is nicer and you can more fully experience it. You did enjoy your first gyro stand visit though!

What you are up to developmentally:

Social: You are a people watcher but love it even more if people are watching you. You say 'HI!' to everyone at the grocery store and get sad if they don't say hi back. You bring toys and books to anyone nearby and want them to play with you. You show empathy when people (or Dakota) are sad, hurt or sick and you pat them on the back. You also give back pats when you are trying to talk them into something you want. :) You encourage people to clap for you when you do something good. ;)

Emotional: See above on the empathy card. You can identify happy, sad & tired and make faces to go with them. Typically you are great at using your words but you've (just recently) been known to lay down in a crying fit. Your fits are typically short lived. When finished, I ask you what was wrong you say 'I dunno' and shrug your shoulders. I believe you are inching ever so close to the 'terrific twos.' ;) I feel like I say 'Use your words, please' about a hundred times a day.

Language: This has been the most exciting thing to see- your language is just exploding right now. Every day you add new words and phrases. Just last week, out of nowhere and without prompt, you said 'I ov ooh mam!' (I love you, mom!). You answer most questions we ask and can generally tell us what you want or need. You especially like to say names of foods- banana is 'nana,' milk is 'ilk,' turkey is 'turkle turkle' (I think we may have mistaken it for tickle tickle once or something but somehow it stuck) and kiwi is 'wee wee.' Thankfully you haven't requested any 'wee wee' in public (yet).
You've pretty much dropped using most of your sign language but you do still sign 'please' a lot for mommy and daddy and you'll do other signs for people that don't understand your words yet.

Physical: You're still climbing on top of everything but now you are also climbing out of and into things. You can easily climb into the bathtub (you love bath time!) and out of the pack n play. So far you haven't climbed out of your crib but I'm guessing you aren't too far from that either.
We recently found a potty chair at 70% off so we went ahead and got it. You've been interested in the potty and been asking for a diaper change when wet or dirty so I recently started letting you check the potty out. If I catch you in the act of a bm, I let you sit on the potty to finish (I don't take the diaper off yet though...) and you've also requested to sit on it before diaper changes so I let you. We're not quite ready to jump into potty training but you are getting used to the potty which is great.
You recently grew out of your 12-18 month clothes over night so it will be fun to see if that shows at your well child check this week. We've pretty much skipped the 24 month size and a lot of your things are 2T. Jammies are 3T. You're still wearing your size 4 diapers and size 5 shoes but I'm guessing you'll be outgrowing both of those soon.

Intellectual: Your attention span is growing by leaps and bounds. You can sit through several puzzles and even most of a 'show.' (I know I said I wouldn't let you have much screen time before two years old but while I was sick then recovering from surgery you spent a lot of time with the tv on in the background.) You count to three but not in relation to anything... you just walk around saying it.
Your memory amazes me. Most of the time if I cant find something I can ask you and you'll go find it for me (typically because you're the one who carried it off in the first place!). :)


Some of your favorites:

Food: Kiwi, Banana

Movie: Toy Story (all three of them and the toons versions)

Toy: Buzz Lightyear (from Maddox) and stuffed monkey (whom you sing to and pat his back to get him to go 'nigh nigh').

Place to be: OUTSIDE!!! You would stay outside all day if we would let you... unless there's snow on the ground. We bundled you up to play in the May snow and you still hated it. You're definitely my summer boy. You love bike rides, parks, sidewalk chalk, digging in the dirt, collecting rocks and sticks, playing with bubbles, balls, wheels and water. I'm trying to figure out a way to make a more substantial water table for you.

Other things to do: Read books with mommy & daddy, play 'etch' (fetch) with Dakota, play 'ba-buh ball' (basketball), build blocks, ride toys with wheels, play kitchen and shopping.

Chores: You wipe the table after meals and put your dishes in the sick. You help clean out the dishwasher by putting your dishes and the tupperware away. You put 'uck' things in the garbage and you take diapers and small garbage bags to the garage door. You 'sweep' the kitchen floor after meals and 'ust ust ust' (dust) with the swiffer duster. (These last two jobs you aren't real great at but you love doing them so I love that you want to help.) You're great at putting toys and other things away and generally know where everything belongs.

Hygiene: You love combing your hair and brushing your teeth and then checking yourself out in the mirror and saying, 'Hiiiiiiiiii' to yourself. :)

Games: 'Tickle Tickle' -You love chasing people with your 'tickle fingers' and saying, 'ickle ickle!'

Other notes: 

I can't believe how big you look these days. You just seem so much older every single day. You are growing into quite the little man these days. You're still as sweet as can be but your personality is changing a little bit these days. You're a little more shy around new people but you are more and more comfortable around other friends and family and you recognize and know more people than ever before. Dakota is still your best friend. You love giving snuggles (but only on your own terms). You really like making movies on the iPad where you can see yourself.
Life with you is more and more fun every day. Each night before bed, daddy & I each tell our funny B story of the day and laugh at all the crazy things you are into these days. We love you so much, little guy!! Happy Half Birthday!!


Updated (5/14/13):

Recent stats from today's 18 month well check- Height: 35 1/4" (99%) & Weight: 28.2 lbs (92%) though you were pretty wriggly today so I'm not sure how accurate either of those numbers are. I swear your pants got two inches shorter this month so I think you may have grown just a little more in height than that shows. :)

Updated (again... 5/24/13): 

We made a quick trip to urgent care tonight. We found a tick embedded (gross) into your head. It was so deep and pulling it out even took off part of your scalp (I'm sooooo sorry!! I'm sure it felt horrible to your sweet little head but I think it hurt mama worse!). You also had a rash and have been super sleepy and irritable. We suspected the tick may have been there for a week since we were just in Southern Iowa last weekend (thankfully the Dr and nurse both said they are pretty confident it was a new tick and didn't look like he had been there long! That totally helped with my mama guilt!). Anyhow... you had a crazy rash and first nurse thought you should be seen so we went in. All that to say you were a really good boy at this Dr visit (we all loved Dr. Kolby!) and you stood so still on the scale (completely opposite from your 18 month check) and the scale said...... wait for it..... 29.8 lbs!! Kid! You are almost 30 pounds! When we had told the Dr you were 18 months old he couldn't believe it. He even checked your chart and couldn't believe how big you were. We love you and your daddy really likes that you are tall (I think he may be itching to get you in the basketball gym...) but I'd really love for you to just slow down a bit. Okay. Thanks. Love ya, buddy! :)

15 months

Dear Beckett,

You are FIFTEEN months young today! It is hard to believe that it's almost time for another well baby checkup. Your checkup isn't until Thursday but from a recent appointment we know that you are about 26 lbs and at 12 months, you were 35 inches tall. The handy dandy 'be a good mommy' chart says you should be 29-33 inches at 15 months so once again, I'm sure they will tell us what a TALL boy you are tomorrow.

You definitely are tall, little guy. You're also sweet and funny and fierce and loving and ALL boy. You run and jump and climb and holler. You cuddle and snuggle and kiss and hug. You talk and sign and follow directions well. You have favorite books, favorite shows, favorite toys, favorite animals and favorite foods. It's so fun to see the little person you are becoming.


Some fun things about you at 15 months:


Your language. Daddy and I LOVE listening to you talk. You are always saying new words and starting to put words together. You will copy just about everything we ask you to say but more often than not these days, you are saying new words on your own and we are left trying to figure them out. Just this morning daddy brought in a new suitcase that had been in the car and you went to investigate it and said to daddy, "What's this?" Once we answer your questions, you often just say, "OH." When we ask you questions you often answer with, 'dis, dat, es, no' (this, that, yes, no) or a shoulder shrug. You request 'moo moo' when you wake up (it took me awhile to figure out what you wanted when you said it. I tried offering you your book about cows but you motioned for me to follow you to the fridge instead where you pointed to the picture of the cow on the milk carton). You often get compliments from other people about how nice your manners are when you sign 'please' and 'thank you' but what they don't know is that you really only do them when you want food. :) While you are saying a lot of new words these days, my favorite (besides mama, of course) is still 'uh odah' (Dakota).


Food has been a major motivator in getting you to speak and sign and since we spend a LOT of time at the kitchen table, you get to practice those skills often. Typically you want to eat when you wake up then about every two hours after that. You generally eat small amounts at a time but other times you eat just as much as I do. Thankfully you (so far) haven't been too picky in your foods and you'll eat about everything we offer you. You love fruits, veggies, meats, breads and you've recently discovered sweets (yikes). I was trying to sneak an m&m one day and you caught me. You've known where we stash the goods ever since. Now we have to wait until you are in bed before we sneak treats. (Thankfully you wont be old enough to read this for awhile so I don't have to give up my secret just yet).



Your sleep. We can talk about this without jinxing it (I hope) because you are currently in a transition phase. From August-January you slept from 7 pm to 8 am and 11 am to 2 pm 99% of the days we were at home with no visitors. It was quite a nice schedule you gave me for quite a long time and I enjoyed the consistent work hours each afternoon. (Thanks buddy!) However... these days we are transitioning into keeping you up a little later at night and having a little less of a nap during the day. You've always required more sleep than the charts say (just like mama) but since we've been giving you iron supplements, we feel like you are doing better at staying awake longer periods now.
Our bedtime routine consists of reading books (sometimes you request the read alongs on the iPad instead of actual books) and snuggling. You rub mommy's back when you are tired and tell me, 'Shh shhh.' You give Dakota hugs and wave 'nigh nigh' and then usually lay down on the floor and pretend to snore. You sure aren't subtle about letting us know it's bed time. :) I used to hold you as we stood by your crib and sang 'Jesus Loves Me' but these days you've been diving out of my arms and into the crib so I stand near you as we get you tucked in just right and you settle in. You MUST have your blankies just right and as much as we were sure you wouldn't attach to a lovey, it seems that blankie may just be your thing. A week ago, you took it to Sunday school where your favorite teacher said you didn't let go of it the entire time you were there.




Speaking of Sunday school. You love going to play with your church friends. On Sunday morning if someone mentions you get to go see them, you deliver shoes to everyone that's currently in socks then you go sit beside the door. You CANT WAIT to go to church. You're also good at helping to get ready to leave in general. You can say 'boots' and you attempt to put them on (though you are a ways off from being able to). In the radiology waiting room, someone's nice grandma told you she liked your boots. You looked at them and pointed to them and smiled and she couldn't believe what a smart little boy you were to know the word boots. It made your mama happy because most strangers guess your age around 2 and think you should be talking more than what you are. :)
Playtime is always fun. You have quite the imagination and are SO good at playing with other people. You've always been the entertainer and are good at doing things for a laugh.



You enjoy other kids. Most children your own age though prefer parallel play so I asked daddy the other night if he thinks you bug your church friends trying to get them to play with you all morning. :)


Your favorite toys have been changing a lot lately but currently it's your builders you got from Aunt Mal for Christmas. Most mornings you get that tub out first and dump it out all over the floor. You're good at dumping things on the floor and pulling things out.


Thankfully you've been getting better at picking toys up. Just tonight you successfully cleaned up the basement (mostly) on your own. You know that things have a place and that they should be there. Earlier today I was looking for your boots under the couch and asked you to do the same (because I was sure one got kicked under there- I was right) and once I found it, I couldn't find you. I went to your room and you had pushed a chair up to your dresser drawer where we keep your boots. You had the drawer open and had been looking in it for your boots. That story shows two of your qualities- how smart you are and how much you LOVE to climb.




You are a climber! You are definitely all boy. You climb on everything. You think everything can be used as a ball and most things can be used as a hoop. And you like to yell. A lot. :) This morning as I was putting breakfast dishes away you got really quiet and didn't answer when I asked where you were. As I came around the corner, I saw you up on the dining room table where you were using the pinecones as balls and the light fixture as a hoop. When I said, "Oh Beckett we don't climb on chairs and tables, we sit on chairs." You said, "OV!" (That's LOVE! in B talk. Which is short for 'I love you.') Again tonight before bed as I said I love you, you screamed back "OV!" Generally your "OV!" is accompanied by a running jump and hug. A FULL SPEED running jump and hug. Keeping you sitting still at basketball games is a challenge as you would rather be running on the court or smoozing the crowd.


I don't blame you though. :)


Oh, B! It's so fun to be your mom. Life with you is never boring. I still cant believe I get to be your mama. Your daddy and I love you oh so much! Happy 15 months, B-Meister!

What a Year Looks Like

I went back and forth on how to document B's growth in the first year. I had a lot of ideas and had a hard time choosing just one (so I chose a few). Here is one of my favorite timelines of B's first year. And since I'm finally sitting down to attempt to finish B's scrapbook, maybe I will get more of those timelines shared soon. Or maybe not.


Either way- here is B's first year in the chair. We started out doing his chair pictures by week then as he got a little older, switched to bi-weekly then monthly. I'll likely try to do more at 15 mo, 18 mo & 24 mo. Maybe. Or maybe not.


So here it is- B's weekly/monthly chair pictures by the chalkboard. It's crazy to think back to how small he was a year ago and how fast he has changed. Man those 12 months go by FAST! Slow down, B. Slow down!







Tips on measuring a year:
-Use the same chair, toy, outfit, or another common factor to give an idea of size. If possible, use the same location or background.

-Do your best to get take the pictures at the right time. If you commit to doing them weekly, it can be a challenge but it's definitely worth it! I wrote reminders in my calendar and even had an alarm set on my phone to remind me to take his pictures. If you are forgetful like me, that can be a helpful tool! :)

-Don't worry if baby is crabby or doesn't want to sit still. It's fun to capture them where they are at that moment (check out week 3, B was so over pictures at that point). Incorporate their new milestones if you can. When capturing my friend's little girl's monthly pictures, I shot her on an oversized calendar each month doing whatever new skill she had learned. Sometimes that meant she was crawling away from the camera and that's okay!

-Edit the pictures uniformly and have them cropped to the same ratio. Learn from my mistake here! I didn't think about the fact that the rocking chair wouldn't sit at the same angle as my baby's weight changed (doh) so as the months changed, so did the angle of the chair making it look larger in some pictures than others. Having your elements and camera set to the same angle each time help keep the picture uniform looking. Use a tripod if you need to!

-Mix it up a bit! I attempted to-notice week 6 taken on Christmas... it's in the shape of a Christmas tree. I wish I would have added in more of those elements to help us remember the season or other special events. Add fun props in if that works with your set up but remember to keep the basic elements basically uniform.

-Have fun with it!! Don't make it a stressful activity and don't stress over baby sitting perfectly. I'll tell you a secret- they probably wont. :) Try to work during their happiest time of day but if they aren't loving it, just go with it and capture a crabby face (I think those are cute too!) or come back to it a little bit later.

-Don't give up. Trust me. You'll love having these comparison shots as they continue to grow so it's definitely a commitment worth sticking to! Good luck!! :)