On Being 18 Months Old - Part I

Caitlin has finally reached the 18th month mark. In some ways I can hardly believe it. How did she get to be so big? Wasn't she just a baby? Wasn't I just pregnant? (Yet another one of the ways that you can feel pregnant forever!) However, now I can just say "18 months" when people ask me her age, or comment on how active she is. And, oh, she is! I don't have her stats, since I wasn't able to get her in to see a pediatrician without first having all her medical records sent to them. I called around and got the same answer - no appointment until I have the records sent to the office. So not the case in the adult world of doctors. They couldn't care less about my past and my records. It's all a little nutty. If I'd known this little tidbit, I would have had records made for me before I left!

Completely frustrated by all this, I called a few more doctors outside of B-town, closer to the town we are hoping to move to (about 7 miles from our current place). I finally managed to find a medical group that not only got us an appointment for the 27th, but also told me that they would order the kids records. For your info (for those of you who may move or switch medical groups), by law there is no charge for office to office records transfers. However, if you order your own records there can be a charge (and will be if you order from my old medical group). Thanks to the nice lady on the phone, we have an appointment and I've saved $30.

I love this age. I'm having fun with the kids most of the time. Brandon has been whiny and bossy (moreso than usual) since we moved here, but can still be an adorable boy. It's getting better, but the move and having no friends here put him off balance for a while. He still has a few more days of his preschool. We're off for most of August, and then real-life preschool starts on the 20th.

Here are the fun things that Caitlin can do:

*says a handful of words, including mama, dada, daddy(!) (sounds like DA-eey!), grandma, grandpa, bath, ball, dog, cat, cow, owl, milk (MEE-ook), down (as in go downstairs to the garage), water (wa-wer) .

*says "thank you" and "here you go". They sound very similar.

*likes to help mommy vacuum, put dishes in the dishwasher, clean (she'll pick up any cloth and wipe the table), and picks up her clothes and puts them in her hamper .

*likes to imitate me. Often brushes her hair after I've already brushed it and put it up in a ponytail.

*when I pour her a cup of milk at night, before bedtime, she will run out into the living room to give Daddy and Brandon kisses and hugs (sometimes as I'm pouring). All the while yelling "mee-ook!" at the top of her lungs. She then takes her milk and runs into her room and starts picking out books to read before she goes to bed. This is just the cutest thing ever!

*wants to do everything that her older brother does, causing many people at the park to think she's older than she is and slightly stupid.

*loves to dance, with or without music. Has a good bootie wiggle.

*climbs in and out of her highchair, and likes to buckle herself in.

*knows every place we go to play (some parks, but mostly the mall, Chick-fil-A, and the rec center since it's been so hot here), and will scream out and point if I drive past it. That gets old when I'm trying to find a place to park and she's in the back seat yelling at me to stop.

*big on pushing elevator buttons and the wheelchair access buttons that open doors at the mall. Thinks it's so great when Brandon's not around and she gets to do all the buttons by herself.

*tells me what is a "no no" by pointing at things, like my camera, and yelling "no!"

*tries to eat with a fork by herself. Is getting better.

*eats well, most of the time. Doesn't like hummus or diet Coke. Maybe we're not related. So strange.

*is still, unfortunately, the stinkiest child ever.

*gets cuter every day!