18 Months

Today was Mallory's 18 month wellness check. She did great (as usual), but we were so proud because she sat completely still during her exam. Even the doctor said she was super good and quiet so she could hear her heart! Everything about her is right on track, and perfect. Even her walk has a healthy gate! Because we opted for an extra vaccination last time, we didn't have to get any shots today. That was a nice surprise! We don't have to see the doc again until Mallory turns 2, and then it's once a year after that! It was a great visit!

Here are her official stats:

Height: 2' 8.75" = 80th percentile

Weight: 22 pounds 6 ounces = 21st percentile

Head: 47 cm = 63rd percentile

Some of the new fun things Mallory is up to include finally saying Mommy. We get all forms of it now, mom, mommy, ma ma, and every now and then I am still da da. Mallory really enjoys looking at a picture of both of us, pointing at each of us and saying da da, and mommy. Her mommy sounds a little like her kitty saying meow, but I'll take it!

Her vocabulary has really increased over the past few weeks, and now includes words like:

Kilk = Milk

Baooon = Balloon

Staaaa = Star

Emmo = Elmo

Ooose, like Moose = Juice

Up =Up

Done = Done

Boots = Boots

Slooth = Shoe

Weee = Wii

Gof = Golf

Gamma Gamma = Yo Gabba Gabba

No = NO!

Yes = Yes

Ow! = Ouch

Yeah = YEAH!

Rawr = Roar

It's so much to fun to watch her think about something before she says it. She tries so hard to say anything you ask her to, some words come out perfect the first time around, and others end up being a good moment of humor. She is also able to count to five with a little bit of assistance. We are so proud.

Mallory's first year molars are coming in as well. The lower left as broke through and the lower right is going to any day now. It's a little swollen, but it doesn't seem to be bothering her too much. It was fun watching her discover them, she bites everything she eats now! We've tried some new foods lately also, like spaghetti, apples, and carrots. Here are a couple of pictures of night with noodles....

One day Christopher and I were hanging out in the living room watching TV and Mallory was doing her thing, running around the house and getting her hands into anything and everything we had available to her. We could both hear her playing in the kitchen cabinets when all of a sudden we heard this shuffling sounds. Here is a video of what we found when we checked on her...

Those are salad bowls, in case you are wondering!

We have also made another transition lately, that went much smoother than I anticipated. Since Mallory was about 6 months old, we have been holding her while she falls asleep and then transferring her to her crib for both nap and nighttime. In the past few months, she would either wake during the transfer or about an hour after going down and would eed some reassurance to go back to sleep. Two weekends ago, I prepared myself for a few sleepless nights, and away we went. On Friday, I just placed her in the crib at bedtime, left the room and listened to her cry for about 5 minutes. After that, she was out and didn't make a peep all night! It has gotten easier and easier after that, to the point last week one night, I put Mallory in her crib, turned on her night light and as I was walking out the door, she said "bye bye" to me. It was sooooo sweet, it took everything I had to not go back in there and pick her back up for more cuddle time!!!!! Like everything else, she handled the transition perfectly and taught me once again, not to underestimate her!

What a whirlwind winter it has been, and while we are totally ready for the snow to melt and the grass to green up, we are very much enjoying our little lady as she grows bigger and better everyday!