Aug 4, 2010

18 Months

Cuddling her baby

18 Months has been a really great month for Charlotte.  She is an amazing girl, full of happiness and so intelligent.  As her vocabulary grows exponentially, I can see a great reduction in the number of tantrums.  She can communicate so much more to me, but also understands me so much better.  I also have enjoyed learning some new techniques from "The Happiest Toddler on the Block."  Speaking "Toddler-ese" has been so helpful in helping her know that I understand her frustrations.
In the last month we also made some big changes in our morning routine to get Brian more involved in the start of her day.  It was a rough transition, but after a week she adjusted nicely.  Now it is not unusual for her to choose Brian to put her to bed or to see her dragging him by one finger to her toy room for stories or Play-Doh.  This is such a relief to me because I am now in my third trimester and was getting very concerned about how to balance a newborn with a dependent toddler.
One month has also made a great difference in her eating habits.  We no longer give her a second meal if she refuses the first as I figured she was old enough to now understand the consequences.  She is still picky in comparison to her boy cousins, but eats with much less argument and eats from her high chair (whereas often she would cry for my lap).  What a big girl!
Loves to play dress-up with my jewelry
Charlotte's favorite things:
Play Doh (aka "playooo"), Swings at the park ("whee"), peek-a-boo ("I tee you!!"), graham crackers, bubbles in her bath, Elmo, her stuffed kitty and puppy, Super Why, playing dress up with my necklaces ("pretties"), books and more books (right now Runaway Bunny and One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish).  She has started to pick out colors and knows most animal noises.  She points to my belly and says "baby," but was also reported to have done the same to her overweight daycare teacher.  I'm glad I wasn't there for that! 
Playing at Fennville Children's Museum
Amos and Charlotte playing with baby Sol's toys

3 comments:

Patty Ann said...

So glad to hear Charlotte is getting into a nice routine. Good job!

Melissa Boehning Libert said...

I just read Runaway Bunny and loved it. Can't wait for interactive story time with Miles.

Love the photos of C!

Chris said...

Congrats to Charlotte and Mommy and Daddy!!!