We just had Raleigh Grace's 18 month check up so her stats are below as well. She got a great report (as usual) and the nurses and doctor both talked about how well behaved she always is, what a great personality she is and how smart she is. They just love her to pieces! Raleigh Grace got three shots and didn't cry one tear! I was sooo impressed! She got a little fussy after them- her legs are definitely sore but we got some mortin as soon as we got home and she is taking a nap now so hopefully she will wake up feeling much better. :)
Also, this is a post I put on facebook last night after putting my baby girl to bed:
The day before our sweet Raleigh Grace's 18 month birthday I am putting her down to bed and where she is usually asleep when I lay her down, tonight she was awake. She blew me a kiss and waved bye-bye. I wish I could make time stand still, I love you from the bottom of my heart and to the ends of the world sweet baby girl! I can't believe that you're a year and a half old already. You made me a mom, and for that I'm forever grateful!!! I love you so very much!!!! ❤And a post isn't a post without some great pictures that the WONDERFUL Mallorie took!! :)
Stats:
Weight: 23lbs 10oz
Height: 32 inches
Head Circumference:
Things you can do:
You say "cheeeeez" aka cheese on command
You are a pro at opening our doors
If we are outside and hear an airplane, you look up in the sky, point and say "biiig" haha (but you know it is an airplane if we ask where the plane is). You wave byebye to it as it goes out of sight.
You can identify the moon and say "mooon".
You point out birds by saying "burrr" or "tweet tweet."You love to knock on doors and say "nok nok" haha
You are a pro at unzipping and getting into things.
You can open drawers (and have been able to for some time now)
You are getting much better at feeding yourself with a spoon.
You love buckles and trying to do them yourself.
You started doing a little "shoulder shrug" when you dance at Matt and Emily's beach weekend around the 17th of march.
You know most all of your body parts: head, hair, eyes, ears, nose, eye brow (you say just brow), eye lashes, mouth, tongue, teeth, neck, arms, legs, knee, (just started working on thigh), belly, belly button, bottom, feet, toes, fingers, hands.
If we say can you "chill" you lay down and put both hands behind your head. Haha. It's adorable!
You know how to open and pen and put the lid back on.
You know the point of a crayon and use only that end.
You have learned how to stick your tongue out- you love mimicking dogs with their tongues hanging out.
You can hold your pens/pencil/crayons correctly.
You know how to click the top of a pen to make it work.
If we tell you something is gross or yuck on the ground you stomp on it (this started when I would put my foot over it to keep you from picking it up and you just started mimicking me).
Sometimes after you take a drink of something you say "ahhh". As in its so refreshing hehe.
Who you are:
You are a full blown entertainer.
You love to make people laugh and smile. You will twirl, stomp your feet and throw your head back and laugh- you hold your face when you laugh like its just hysterical ha!
If you want someone to do something with you you will go grab their hands and pull them up and take them where you want to go (and grunt while doing it- like we are heavy ha!)
Usually you're really tough when you get hurt and will "shake it off" by shaking your hands all around. If you hurt your knee (you seem to skin them semi-often) you will bend down and kiss it yourself. You also like for mommy and daddy to kiss your "boo-boo's."
You hate when people leave- when my mom was leaving to go home we went outside to wave bye and you babbled a whole lot of things in a really concerned tone and started tearing up and reaching for her. I started crying myself because it was so sweet!! You did not want her to go!!
You love your daddy so much! Everyday when I'm putting you down for a nap you always blow a kiss towards the door and say "dada" :) You always laugh and play so rough with him but you will laugh harder with him then you ever do with me!!
After nap, I always ask you "did you have a good nap?" and you always say "yes"-- now you have started saying things are "good" when you enjoy them.
When most people leave you just reach for them in a concerned voice and babble a lot of things. You're usually fine after they have gone though.
Sometimes you randomly lay down on the floor and I think it's the cutest thing. (Sometimes on a pillow and blanket, sometimes just on the bare floor.)
You are getting to be VERY strong willed/ determined/ independent- want to do everything on your own including washing hair and getting dressed. If you don't get your way you try and run away, fuss and sometimes scream and throw a small fit.
You're very sensitive and tender hearted . If I say ouch after you do something to me (on purpose or accident) you immediately lay your head down on me to cuddle me and try to kiss what hurts. Same with anyone else. You're very concerned when anyone gets "hurt".
When we went back to BSF today (4/16/13) after being gone for several weeks your leaders said you should be a YouTube sensation because you are always babbling on and on with such strong facial expressions and tone of voice while pointing to things and "talking with your hands."
I love when you sign and say "peas" aka please :) it's one of my favorites- you always look so innocent and are always smiling when you say it.
Often if we say "what do you say" you say "peas" instead of "taaay" (thank you) hehe. It's too cute!
Often if we say "what do you say" you say "peas" instead of "taaay" (thank you) hehe. It's too cute!
You always turn the light on & off in you're room when you go in and when you come out. (You have been doing this since you could walk around 9 months but its still cute ;) )
Dislikes:
Getting your diaper changed- you don't like sitting still that long- sometimes you fight it and sometimes you're okay.
Putting a diaper on you after bath time- you try to run away and escape, all the while laughing hysterically. You think its a super fun game.
Getting dressed or undressed. You want to do it yourself. (You do the whole run away game with this too.)
Sometimes you have started intentionally doing what we tell you not to. (Ex: don't flush the toilet- and you look right at me and flush it).
You still have little to no interest in TV - you will watch if there is a song playing but other than that you will get into something else fun (your kitchen, or other toys). 
Milestones/ Firsts:
Around the 20th of March you cut both bottom canines with only minor issues of fussiness. I believe you have a total of 12 teeth now!
You can wash your hair by yourself and know and wash almost all of your body parts- I try to assist when you'll let me.
You have just recently (4/16) mastered laying on your belly in the tub and now you loooove to splash and kick and slide around on your belly! I love that you love the water and can't wait to see you at the beach this summer!
You follow commands very well! You will pick up things off the floor if I ask, take things to the trash, put your dirty diapers in the diaper genie, etc.
You have started to sign and say eat/more or diaper when we put you to bed at night. At first I felt bad because I thought you were really hungry so I would try and feed you but you wouldn't eat. Now I have learned that most of the time you are doing this to get out of having to go to bed. (This started when Mallorie was here the beginning of April).
You found pockets in your shorts at the park a couple of weeks ago and thought it was so neat!
When we get you out of the bath we sing "bye bye water" a song I made up- you sing "bye by" and wave to the water and try to unstop the drain. Sometimes you stand up and start singing and that's how I know you're done with bath time.
You have started poring the water on your head on your own while in the bath! You also pour it on your face and chest on purpose.
You can put on your own pants and shoes (usually your shoes are on the wrong feet though but thats okay) and you're favorite shoes are the pink sparkle toms. You almost always pick those out to wear.
You can match your shoes! If you pick up one shoe and I tell you to find the other one you can do it with 99.9% accuracy! :)
If we tell you to "hold one one minute" you put up one finger and shake it and know what we mean.
You ask to put things "bak" if you want to put something back where it belongs.
You have started throwing balls (among lots of other toys/shoes/etc). And trying to (and sometimes successfully) catching them! You love picking up K's 6lb medicine ball- you say "biiiig" and then pick it up and try and throw it!
You started giving high 5's and low 5's :)
Firsts: You got your finger smashed badly in the screen door for the first time when you and Emma Claire were playing. The next day your whole thumb was blue, it bled and the scab is still there along with a bruise (4/16). You cried a ton which isn't like you but you were fine after I let you play in the dirt haha!
You actually jumped once with both feet nearly off the ground one of the first days Mallorie was here.
You have started mimicking things I say (4/16) I first noticed today when I said "oh gosh!" And you said "gash!" Right back. Time to start watching what I say even more! Hehe
You love coloring.
You love clothes and carrying them around!
You would spend all your time outdoors of you could.
You love to dance and shrug your shoulders and pretend you're snapping your fingers. You bob your head back and forth, spin around and stomp your feet.
You're really into spinning and trying to jump! "Jum! Jum!" You say. :)
You love playing in the dirt "dut"- you and Emma Claire emptied a whole pot of dirt while playing on the patio one day.
You love to draw and color!
You love stealing my phone, unlocking it, going to instagram and taking and posting your own pictures ... among other things like re-arranging my icons and such.
You like looking at and watching bugs (and you sometimes squish them- I think Donna N taught you this one day- maybe my shower for Savannah Jane?).
You love playing pretend in your kitchen. You fill up your cups at the sink, then turn them way up to drink them. After you take a drink you say "ahh" haha!
You love to make people laugh and smile.
You absolutely LOVE picking up and carrying sticks and rocks, etc but mainly sticks "ticks".
You love to clean things with my dish cloths and with wipes. You will wipe anything and everything down. I can never keep a clean towel in the kitchen because you are always running off with it to clean the floor or something else ;)
You love when I clean out your ears after bath time :) You like to help me sweep and will hold the dust pan (with help) while I sweep up the pile. You love looking at the pile and blowing it to see what all scatters.
You like playing with your baby doll- and giving her passys and feeding and carrying her.
You love your slide.
You like cuddling my belly and rubbing and kissing it.
You love your stuffed animals and "mick" aka Mickey Mouse.
You are obsessed with the neighborhood cat named Monkey. Every time we go outside or get home from being gone you ask and look for "Monk" as we all call him.
You love all animals- they make you happy, ESP when you get to pet them (dog or cat).
You love to splash like crazy in the bath tub. I'm usually as wet as you are when you get out. You love water!
You love putting on my bracelets "brr" and wearing them.
You can't get enough Chapstick. That's one of the first things you ask for in the mornings when you wake up. (You sign it and I ask if you want lip stuff and you say "yes"). You like to go in my night stand when I'm not looking and take my chapstick and use/ruin it haha! It is rare that you put it back without me telling you ;) hehe.
You love trying to buckle your car seat straps, the strap on the high chair etc.
You love climbing. You especially love to climb up in your high chair and sit in it but then you don't really know how to get down safely.
You like to lean against the couch (or chair) and slide down onto your bottom to make others laugh
Clothing:
You are wearing 12 month and 12-18 month clothes mainly (some 18mth) and 18 month footed pjs. (This was at the beginning of the month- you have grown a ton! Update below.)
Update on 4/16: most 12 months are getting snug so you are wearing 18 months. You're in a size 3 diaper and it fits perfectly but I can see you growing out of them soon- I feel like you are in the middle of a growth spurt.
You wear size 5 shoes. (Sometimes we can squeeze you into your 4's ;) )
You are obsessed with clothes (and have been for some time now) and now with shoes also! You really like "browsing" your closet and talk about each piece of clothing as you touch it. You really like to carry around the clothes on the hangers.
You're favorite shoes are your pink sparkly Toms!
Eating/Food:
Your eating habits are hit or miss. Some days you eat great & others you barely eat.
You spit food out if you don't want it and it drives me batty!
You eat most everything we do but we avoid all nuts and foods with nuts.
You nurse when you wake up from 10-45 minutes on one or both sides. That's probably my favorite time of day with you- I love those cuddles. You also nurse before your nap or naps (unless they are car naps) and very rarely will you nurse when you wake up from nap. You nurse before bed at night. Nursing usually puts you to sleep ;) Sometimes you nurse both side and sometimes only one depending on how tired you are- you sometimes sit up and point at the other side and say "uder" for "other side" ha. Usually at nap time you nurse 10-20 mins and bed time it just varies. You are so vocal now that sometimes it takes you quite awhile once insert nursing you to get you to settle down. You will continually sit up and start babbling and I have to remind you it's "milk time" and you'll lay back down. ( we nurse laying down most often).
You love dipping into anything (I was eating a potato at McAllisters and you wanted to dip your mac and cheese in my sour cream- whatever works right?) ha!
You always ask for butter or salt on your food if its on the table.
You love snacking all day long. You love sweets and chocolate! Your favorite foods are probably mac and cheese, oatmeal (for breakfast), fruits (minus pineapple- I think its too hard to chew?), goldfish, pirates booty, fruit snacks, green beans (on occasion) and any pouches.
When snacking you stuff your face and often get so much in your mouth you can't swallow. You will come to me and spit it in my hands. (This is the only time I don't mind you spitting things out.)
You drink water out of a cup, sippy or with a straw. But most of all you love "kok" (coke)- and ask for "kok" anytime you see someone with a to-go cup or a dark beverage in a glass. ha.
If you eat something yummy (a cookie, candy, and occasionally non-sweets ha) you say mmm!
Language/Talking:
I can tell that your language is really developing. You know tons of words (not sure how many) but you usually only say the fist syllable or sound depending on the word: Donna="Don", more= "mo", "please= "peas", etc.
My favorite things you say right now are me "meh" and big "beee-g" (as in big girl or big truck).
You seem to always know exactly what we are talking about even if we aren't talking directly to you.
You can say well over 50 words- you will try and mimic almost anything we say.
You "know" and can identify well over 100 different words.
We are working on your response when we ask you who this is in a picture (when it's a pic of you)-- you always said "you" as the answer to the question. I think because we always look at pictures and I say "look its you!"-- now you have started to say "meee" when we ask :) it's really too cute!
We have tried working with you on your colors but when we ask you what color something is you always say "boo" aka blue :)
When we ask you to put something "back" you put it back where it belongs (ex: put my chapstick back - and you put it where you got it- out of my nightstand.)
You know the following animals and sounds (I am probably forgetting some)- monkey, cat, dog, pig, chicken, bunny, horse, cow, elephant, duck,
Sleep/ Bed time routine:
The past few weeks I have been trying to do better about putting you to bed at a more decent/constant time. That is usually between 9 and 10 pm. You almost always sleep until at least 9 (more recently 8:30).
You take one or two naps (depending on if you get up early and take an early nap- we can squeeze in two) but if you wake up late then take your first nap around 12 or 1 sometimes you sleep up to three hours so that's the only nap you get. (That's the most common)
Bed time routine: bath, read books, get meds, brush teeth, get bunny and passy- daddy holds and rocks you for a minute while mommy gets ready, daddy lays you down beside mommy in bed, say prayers with daddy beside bed, you kiss daddy goodnight, then blow him a kiss and say "bi" (bye) and often babble a few more things (I love you?) etc. You nurse and rub bunnys ribbons on your face and nose and lips (sometimes you hold one of your feet up to your chest and rub the ribbons on your toes and feet) you usually hold bunny close to your face when you're about asleep. Sometimes you fall asleep while nursing, otherwise when you seem like you're dozing off ill pop your passy in your mouth. Sometimes you startle and wake to which I cradle you and rock you side to side until I see you're asleep or at least really close. Even when you stay asleep I usually rock you the same way for a little while. I lay you down on your side and you cuddle bunny and I cover you up. If you're awake I kiss you and lay you down and say I love you and immediately walk out- you usually cry but within one minute you have stopped and are laying down on your own- and put yourself to sleep.
In the mornings when you wake up you are content talking, playing and sometimes even laughing in your crib for up to about 45 minutes but I rarely leave you in there that long.
