18 Already?

18 months, that is. Still, we can't believe Fletcher is 18 months old now. We took him to the doctor for his well-check. He weighed in at 49 pounds...it took me three times to convince the nurse that the scale was wrong and that there is no way he weighs 49 pounds. I also had to convince her that the clothes and shoes would not account for the 15 pound difference between home and office scales. On the other scale, it read 33 and then 31 pounds. Jesse checked our scale accuracy at home again and weighed him again and he was 36 pounds at home. I think I'll be writing 33 pounds in the baby book and call it a day. Jesse and the nurse had the same measurement for height. 2 feet 11 inches, or 35 inches, however you want to phrase it. Yes, the kiddo is over half my height already and will catch Jesse's half height soon.

He's so fun. He wants to do whatever we are doing and mimics our every move, while at the same time he's developing his own unique character. He's extremely animated with his "words" and "explanations" while he uses his hands to illustrate and emphasize his point. We think we might have to move to Italy because he'll fit in with such mannerisms. I love the jibber-jabber and natural curiosity he has for absolutely everything. He loves to help put ice in our drinks, water the fall mums with Daddy, and learns a little more about making coffee each weekend morning with Dad as well.

He is also saying a couple more words and using more baby sign language. He can verbally say "happy," "baby," "apple," "pee pee," and "poo poo." "Dog" has changed to "d-dah," which Jesse thinks is actually "the dog." I think it is very similar to what he says for "daddy." He can say "Mommy," but does so rarely. "T-t" means trash can. (Yes...he's still very excited about every dog or trash can he sees (or hears).) He loves to clean, and loves finding cleaning tools in unexpected places. He has freaked out with excitement in Jason's Deli, Lowe's, and Michael's when he has seen brooms propped up against the wall.

He's signs "more," which doesn't necessarily mean that he's actually had something already and wants more. He sometimes does it just to indicate that he wants food, whether he's had any or not. He accompanies the sign with the following head motion as well: chin to chest, eyebrows to hairline, and puppy dog eyes you can't resist. All while saying, "mo?" He uses the same head motion when he lifts his arms up and opens his hands, indicating he wants to be lifted up. He also signs "milk," "help," and "please," which looks like exaggerated pats on the belly, and "thank you," which can either appear as a blown kiss or "please." He also continues to sign "all done," even though he prefers to simply skip it and try to unbuckle himself from the high chair. When he empties something, he does a similar sign to "all done" as well. We do a couple others, but they haven't caught on as much with him.

You wouldn't know that he only started regularly walking three and half months ago because now there's a constant pitter-patter of little feet around here. The sound is faster than a stroll, to say the least. And, I should hesitate to say "little" feet when he wears size 6 and size 7 shoes. Since we have lost a match to two sets of shoes that actually fit, I decided to buy him another pair for the season ahead...size 7. He loves to put them on and hates it when it's time to take them off. We typically have to do it quickly and hide them from his sight.

Not only is he moving faster, but he has enjoyed climbing on various objects, has learned to open doors that he can push while turning the doorknob, and I swear he has go-go-gadget arms which extend to places on the bathroom or kitchen counters you would think would be untouchable. Which leads me to the fact that he is also into everything he can possibly get into. It's musical items around here all the time. Instead of musical chairs, we are constantly moving something to get it away and then moving something else to keep it out of reach and then later moving things back to where they belong or moving other things to try and find something. All the while he is moving various objects everywhere before becoming distracted by something else and moving it.

Ahhh...the joys of 18 months and all that comes with it!