18 Months

*Yes, X-man turned 18 months old on Saturday. Here it is Tuesday already!

This kid never fails to make me laugh! He's recently started something I call his confused/sad/concerned monkey face. He'll drop his jaw, form his mouth into a little "O" and then his eyes convey the rest of the situation. Usually it's a concerned monkey face and last night it was in prime time usage.

He didn't eat much breakfast or lunch, but no worries. At dinner, though, he ate like it was going out of style! Three chicken nuggets, a few french fries and then I had to break out a jar of apples because he was still hungry. He really enjoys using a fork (or playing with it) and we've started giving him a toddler fork that's metal, but a better size for him because those plastic ones just don't stab the food very well. So, apples on his tray and fork in hand, he gets after it...except he can't always get the food on the fork. That's ok, mamma will help. I hold his hand and stab the food for him. Only problem with that is that he will try to stab the food once and then with the concerned monkey face, he'll hold the fork out to me. Crazy kid! And daddy won't help at all. It's a hard concept, that stab and scoop action so the food stays on the fork. I tell you what, we sat in the kitchen for 45 minutes until X-man finally finished. No big deal, really, but we usually don't spend much more than 30 minutes at dinner and that includes clean up!

X-man still likes to have his blankets and crib toys put in their proper place when he wakes up. It's so cute that he likes it all in order. His favorite book has suddenly become Goodnight Moon. He even will pick it up for me to read during the day. I guess it doesn't really matter when you read it, but it loses something when you're reading it in the middle of the day!

He's started to grab the front of his diaper when it's wet or dirty in order to tell me it's time to change it. I'm not sure how much of a sign that is for potty training since it always occurs after the pottying has happened. At least he acts like he's ready for his diaper to be changed. Before, I've had to ask him if it needs changing and he'll head for his room, but now he "tells" me it needs to be changed. At least a step in the right direction. He notices it now.

X-man has one lone freckle on his right wrist. He loves to point out his freckle and then point out all of mine. And when he gets bored with the freckles on my arm, he moves right on to the mole on my right eyelid. He'll put his finger over it and say something that sounds like "mole." Too funny! And he loves to show other people his freckle! It's a good ice breaker because most people are appropriately impressed with the freckle.

He is always checking to see if we have guests in the guest room. He'll walk by the door (it's between his room and the living room so we walk that way all the time) and knock on the door. I have to tell him that there's nobody in there! He keeps knocking anyway. He loves it when we do have company and he can walk right on in! And Thursday morning, he'll get to walk right on in to Grandma and Grandaddy since they're coming to stay a few days before heading to a square dance convention.

What a primper he is! He would stand on his little step stool in his bathroom and comb his hair forever if I let him. He loves getting up on that step stool!

Yesterday was his 18 month check up. Everything went well. The doctor wasn't concerned about his small vocabulary (only about 6 words). He did say that if it was still very small at one year he would suggest visiting a speech/hearing specialist (using the free, state service here) because that service is free for kids up to three years old. But since X-man follows directions well (when he wants to) and does respond to us with verbal responses (no matter that it's babble) the doctor isn't worried. Good...me neither.

His height is 32.5 inches which bumps him up to the 50% from the 25%. And his weight (25 lbs 10 oz) has increased to go along with his height. That's good! Sometimes I worry that I'm not feeding him enough food. But I put food in front of him and when he's done, I don't make him eat what's left!

As usual, X-man began the screaming fit when the doctor pulled out the stethoscope. It continuted through the belly rubs and the checking of the boy bits and then through the ear and mouth check. Then I picked him up and he was fine. He even waved bye-bye to the doctor and gave him a high five.

He did get one shot and while he screams through the shot, he's fine as soon as I pick him up. And he waved to the nurse, gave her a high five and then blew her kisses. What a sweetie!

X-man, you are more and more handsome every day. And funny, too! You are going to make a great big brother!