Eighteen Months

My big girl Nora is now one and a half years old!! I don't think I'm going to be allowed to count in months anymore...

Nora & daddy - I love this shot taken by our sweet friend!!

Uh oh! I'm growing too fast!

For her half birthday, I decided to keep her home from school with Janie and me. We hung out with Auntie K in the morning, ran a few errands, ate brunch at Mimi's Cafe, and let Nora take a good, long nap in her own bed.

We had her well check in the afternoon at the doctor's office. I had no doubt in my mind that she was growing because she has started wearing 2T clothes. Some of them are still too big and some fit just right but the 18 month clothing is definitely snug and short. She is a tall girl! Her official stats...

 Sweet Nora, 18 months

WEIGHT: 25 pounds

HEIGHT: 32 1/2 inches

Nora seemed to hate getting her vitals taken more than getting a shot. She apparently does not like strangers touching her. I guess that means she's normal! 

Updates since her 15 month post:

Uses social gestures, like waving, pointing, and "where" Nora continues to tell us the things that she wants and needs using her hands and sometimes her words. She likes to nod her head yes when she thinks you know what she wants (and when you only sometimes do). She will basically point or look at something and start nodding as if to say, "Yes, I would like you to take off my other shoe." or "Yes, I would like to play on the iPad."

Uses words she hears often She has started talking quite a bit more. She can use a word by itself but hasn't started putting multiple words together quite yet. She is getting a little bit better at saying words that have more than one syllable. She has started to pick up on the differences in words and tries to use them. (ex. Daddy has become more like "daddy" than "dada".) She often times repeats what we say with her version of the word. Then there are times when she is just babbling away, telling stories that make entirely no sense at all! You can tell when she is really comfortable somewhere because she starts to get very "chatty". It's hard to believe that just a few months ago she was only using a few words!

Uses lots of sign language Nora is still using lots of sign language when talking with us. She usually combines a word with a sign. She learns lots of new sign at school! It's amazing to me that I can show her once or twice and she will use it after that. I hope that means she will be a quick learner later in life, too!

Builds with different blocks and toys Nora is good at stacking but she doesn't choose this type of play much any more. She is more into puzzles. She will sit and play with puzzles and sorting toys for long periods of time! As long as you are sitting close, that is...

Working on a puzzle!

Loves sorter toys Nora is getting very good at her sorting toys! She mostly plays with them and her kitchen foods. She likes to go "shopping" with a gift bag and just walk it around. She will pack it up and then say "bye". She has associated packing a bag with leaving the house!

Nora with her bag and accessories - "bye!"

Loves her accessories Nora is warming back up to bows. She still won't wear a headband for me! She very much enjoys putting on necklaces, sunglasses and purses. But only for a minute. Then she takes them off. But only for a minute. Then she wants them back on. It's a vicious cycle.

Shoes!

Rockin' the sunglasses.

Janie's not in love with them yet...

Enjoys music and plays on the piano Nora likes to listen to music in the car and dance! I've noticed that she is starting to imitate me when I dance in the car, too. She is very observant! It's a good thing I have killer dance moves...

Walks and runs around It's super cute to see her walk around on a mission. Once she had decided she's going to do something, she will march around to get it done - throwing away a tissue, getting a book, bringing you a magnet, etc. She also loves to play "chase" whether you want to participate in the game or not. She especially likes to run away when you want to get something from her that she should not have... stinker.

Speaking of stinker... She tried to undress herself I guess!

Mastered the stairs I'm still not comfortable with her going up and down alone because now she wants to carry things up and down when she goes. Luckily, she does prefer that someone carries her. If I offer, she is eager to jump up and let me carry her. I am happy to do it mostly because it takes about six times as long if I let her go up and down on her own. And that is a long time for Janie to get worked up about whatever Janie may be working herself up about (food, nap, ya know...)

Eats table foods We're trying to get Nora in the habit of eating what we put in front of her. She has been a little less persistent about getting her own food out of the pantry and the fridge so I think we've been more successful with that. She still has days where she doesn't want what we put in front of her at all, but she doesn't seem to mind not eating much for some meals. We have decided she needs to drink less milk, so that may help with her appetite. She's definitely not starved - in the 80th percentile for weight!

Checking out the insides of her green beans.

Tries to eat with utensils Nora has gotten very good with her spoon. She will scoop up her little beans or yogurt or whatever and make it to her mouth with the food. I call that a success. It's not very CLEAN but it is nonetheless a success. She sometimes prefers to eat with utensils which makes for interesting meals.

Eating with her spoon!

Drinks milk & water from sippy cups She continues to drink all fluids from cups. She uses her hard spout sippy cup as well as a cup with a straw. She tried to drink out of a regular cup once or twice and had no idea what she was doing, though it was entertaining!

Has 10 teeth Not too many new teeth these last few months. She did get one on the bottom and it's opposite bottom tooth has just broken through, so if you count that she has two more. I think the canines will come in soon, but her teeth can take FOREVER to come in so who knows. I am looking forward to seeing her with a full smile!

Smiling sweetie.

Words Nora says:

"mama" - Mommy

"dada" - Daddy
"Jay-Jay" - Janie
"Ah K" - Auntie K
"Paw" - Pops
(basically will repeat anyone's name in her own way)

"aaa duuuu" - all done

''up-ah" - up (figured it out!)

no (no variation there...)
"hah" - hot
"snah" - snack
"nah" - milk (??)
"chess" - cheese

"caca" - cracker

"shhhh" - shoe
"dah" - sock

"oh oh" - uh oh

"ooo" - ew

"wooh" - woah

"caa caa" - quack quack/duck
body parts - from nose to thumb... she's got 'em down!

Words Nora signs:

all done

up

help

more

milk

eat

please

car

dog

bird

duck

potato

mouse

bed

diaper

potty

book

hands

eye
boat
airplane
pig
coat
present
house
cat
tickle
baby
bath

There's probably more to those lists, but I figure next time I update it won't be necessary since she will be talking so much (I'm hoping at least!) She learns new words all the time and is always trying to say new things. 

Nora's silly faces.

We love our sweet Nora so much!