Maybe it’s because I did an update for each month during Walt’s first year, but I am having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I have an 18-month old! In a post a while ago, I made a comment that when you are pregnant, you are laser focused on the due date, and you don’t really consider that in a super short amount of time you have, in my case, an 18-month old. Holy moly!

At 18 months, I am just smitten with my child.  Each day his personality develops and I just love it.  He is definitely in a parrot stage, which is both hilarious and frightening. Before I get into what Walt is doing these days to keep us entertained, here are his stats (not surprising to anyone who has seen Walt in the flesh and blood that he is a big dude):

Weight: 29lb 3oz…….90% 
Height: 34 in………….95%
Head: 20 in……………>100%

Don’t get me wrong, he’s giant in weight, but I seriously thought he’d be off the charts. Picking up nearly 30lbs of toddler is BIG.

As for his doings:

• Naps – he is consistently napping from about 12-2 p.m. This varies…. at school we’re LUCKY to get 2 hours. At home he’s been known to crash for 3+ hours.
• Chatty – Walt still signs eat, please, and more, but definitely says a lot more. He can say cracker, boppy (water), cheese, wa-va (waffle), cheerios, and bib. He’s pretty insistent that the bib goes on before food is served
• More chatty – Other things he’ll say is airplane (one of his favorites), puppy, bye bye (which is now correct, and not dye-dye as it was a few months ago, daddy, mommy, papa, nana, baby (every picture has a “baby” in it, according to Walt), outside, inside, beep-beep (for his car), down, up, off, on… and so on
• Time Out – yes, we are doing this. And yes, he actually participates. When we first started this, it felt like he was in time out all the time. Lately, he rarely goes in (I”m sure this will change). He just gets plopped in a doorway near the garage and has to sit there for a minute (timed).  The first few times he screamed bloody murder and we had to keep setting him back in there. Now he just sits quietly (or occasionally will call for mommy or daddy).  I have to admit, it’s been pretty effective.  After 3 or 4 times in timeout for throwing food off his high chair, he’s all but ceased doing that.
• Swimming – He swims! He can go under water for five seconds, which is total torture for me. But, I think he’s learning some great techniques that will be helpful as we continue to take him to the pool

I have to leave you with a few pics of the little dude. He’s no camera hound, but has just recently figured out what “chhheeeese” means and likes that 🙂

Our little stinker playing hide n seek (looking way too big)

Supportin’ the Gilmer Buckeyes 🙂

And, of course, playing in the rain!