18 Month Stats

Harrison had is 18 month check up on 8/4; here are his stats:

• Length: 33.5" (55th percentile)
• Weight: 24lbs 4oz (30th percentile)
• Head Circumference: 18.5" (30th percentile)

Here are some things worth mentioning:

• Sign Language: in addition to previously mentioned signs, he has expanded his vocabulary to include "airplane" and never fails to tell us when he hears a plane engine in the distance overhead. His teacher told me today that he signs a lot more than the other kids. He signs a lot of words he won't even try to say
   
• Words: Emma (the neighbor) is his clearest word and he says it very enthusiastically! He also says: up, down, open, night night (sleep).
• Singing: we read a book that includes some sheep singing "Home On the Range" which you sing using "ba" sounds. One night I sang it and he joined in with a special high voice, "ba, baaa, baa!"
• Bedtime: he recently started telling me "nigh nigh" (night, night) at bedtime. We used to finish books, turn off the light and I would sing. Now he won't let me sing, says "nigh, nigh" and points vehemently to his crib. He will give me a kiss, I put him down, he smiles back at me and then he turns over and falls asleep within a minute.
   
• Bottles: we started officially weaning him off of bottles this week; we had put it off because he is SO attached to them and we knew it would be hard. After 3 days, he is now ok without his morning bottle... now it's just the night time bottle we need to talk him out of.
   
• Favorites: Harrison's interests include bugs, cars, dogs, airplanes and dinosaurs. It's really amazing how he developed all these "boy" interests without any prodding from us. Although the bugs and cars probably came from watching the pixar movies 200 times...
   
• School: he recently graduated to the Toddler room with the 18-24 month olds and is doing very well. He gets to play outside more and he suddenly started to "talk" more (or at least tries to) which I attribute to being around the older kids.
   
• Moving: he loves to run and climb up slides; we were at the park a couple months ago and while we were talking to friends, I look over dad's shoulder to find Harrison half way up a very tall slide... I don't know if I have run that fast since high school. Two weeks ago he also reached for a bar on the play structure that was in front of him but high; I called out to be careful and as I started to move toward him he tumbled forward head first but manged to do a somersault in the air (tucked his head) and landed on his back on the bark covered ground. Sounds horrific but I picked him up and he only cried for 10 seconds. I did find an abrasion on his head latter that night. He can nearly walk up and down stairs without holding on to anything (he holds my hand but I can feel he doesn't need it)
   
• Whining and tantrums: he is a spoiled toddler, whining and tantrums occur daily! We have instituted time outs and he would sit and smile for his 90 second sentence but after about 3 weeks, he has figured out that it isn't a prize to be put into time out. 

Most of all, Harrison is FUN! We really enjoy playing, wrestling, going to the park and everything in between.  When he is really having fun, he will give you a big belly laugh that puts a smile on your face for an hour.