Emery Tracker: Eighteen Months

The Story
On September 6th my sweet baby turned 18 months old.  HOW is this possible?!  Is that what you're asking yourself?  No?  Just me?  I know I sound like a broken record, but that's never stopped me before so I'll say it again - this past 3 months has been another incredibly fun phase of life with Miss Em.

Me?  Pull all the pots out of your cabinet?  No way.  That was Bucket.

The main development during this chunk of time has been her speech.  As you may recall from my 15 month post, I was worried because she wasn't really saying too terribly much.  Right after she hit 15 months she started saying LOTS in a very short time span.  Her words by the time she hit 16 months included: Mama, Dada, ball, Lola, night-night, uh-oh, "no no" (never just one no), cracker (cracka), cookie, water (wawa), wow, go, more, keys, car, shoes (oosh), yes, bag, mine, hat, knock knock, banana (nana), bye-bye and eyes.  My favorite word this whole time is "oosh".  It's about the only word she says that sounds nothing like what the actual item is.  She almost says the word backwards.  I know that all the speech therapists/teachers of the world are cringing right now, but I have to admit when she eventually starts saying "shoes", I'll be a liiiiiiiittle bit sad.  It's just such an adorable sign of her age.  So in the meantime I soak it up and correct her when I can.  Then again- who knows.  Her father still says "on-ree" for ornary.  So perhaps misuse of the English language is genetic.  ;c)

By the end of 18 months she had also added the words Nonnie (Nana), Paw paw, tractor (tracker), bow, sit (ish), snack (nack), up, baby, this and undoubtedly others I'm forgetting.  When we tell her night night and that we love her she usually says "lo lo" which we THINK means I love you, but we are most likely just being overly optimistic.  We are parents, isn't that our job?!

You!  You behind the camera!  Please get my better side...

As much as her vocabulary has improved, her comprehension has improved even more.  She can make the animal noises for lion, bee, horse, cow, dog, snake, duck, monkey and cat.  She can also recognize all those animals but rarely calls them by their names.  Why bother when making the noise is so much more fun?!  She also recognizes giraffes, fish and bears.  She can happily point to her ears, eyes, nose, mouth and belly.  Typically asking where her belly is not only results in her flashing you, but it also results in her lifting up your shirt.  I don't recommend doing this in public locations.  Particularly when very pregnant.

...This is it.  You getting it?

As you may recall from my 15 month post, or any time you've been around her, this kid ate like a line backer at a D-1 college.  That has slowed down a little bit and she's become slightly more discerning as to what she will put in her mouth.  (Read: she just got the memo she's a toddler and that's what they're supposed to do.)  She is most "picky" about meats and veggies.  Some nights she looooooves chicken or turkey and other nights she pushes it to the edge of the high chair and tells us "no no!"  The same goes for veggies.  She used to eat green beans like they were going out of style.  No some nights they wind up on Lola's head.  Things she never turns down, at least for now, are carrots and/or mac n' cheese.  This kid loves herself some carbs.  That comes from your Mama and you are welcome.

Showing Mama where she needed to "ish."

Another big development this month was... wait for it... tantrums.  They're real and they've landed in the Martin household.  You all may have thought that the first 3 months of wild ride were all this bucking bronc had in her, but you would be sorely mistaken.  She can throw a tantrum with the best of them.  Her drama face comes out.  Tears roll down her cheeks.  Sometimes she throws herself on the ground.  Generally she just makes you feel like you are the worst parent on the planet.  They aren't short-lived either.  My girl has some stamina.  I have to hand it to her.  If I didn't know her genetic background, I would assume that she was destined to be a movie star with her skill level.

Sit and be fit.  Not just for seniors any more.

And now for the super fun stuff- her funny little personality and quirks.  Ohhhhh baby child-of-mine, you CRACK. ME. UP.  No one can ever accuse this lady of not being an individual.  Most children her age seem verrrrry cuddly.  Mine?  She ain't got no time for that.  At least 3 times per evening this scenario occurs... 

Ryan/Me: Em can I have a kiss?  

Emery: *looks you dead in the eye and shakes her head* No no!  

Ryan and I can count on one hand the number of kisses we have gotten between the two of us.  She is coming around on hugs, but generally as a means of manipulation.  Oh, you want to brush my teeth?  Let me hug you reaaaaal tight and bury my face in your shoulder.  At first these things hurt my little mama heart but now they just make me laugh.  I hope she stays firm on this motto until she's 30.

It isn't just affection as it pertains to her that she speaks out against either.  Some times on the weekend Ryan and I will be laying on the couch holding hands.  As soon as Emery spots it, she runs over, yanks them apart and says "no no!"  You have to stand up for what you believe in, apparently.

Hi fans!

Another interesting/funny part of her personality that seems to be emerging is that she's quite the manager/delegater.  She will take you wherever she wants you, sit her behind down and then point at the ground or chair and let you know it's time for you to "ish" (sit).  If Lola is eating from her bowl, Emery will stand next to her to manage the process.  If she thinks Lola might need some water, she'll tap her head, point to the water and say "Wowa, wawa!"

She also routinely will half do something, pretend she can't do the rest and try to have you do it.  Puzzles are a great example.  She knows exactly where the cat shaped piece goes, and she'll gingerly place it on top of the space but rotated 180 degrees then look at you and point for you to finish putting it away.  The same goes for climbing up on the couch.  She can do it.  I've seen her do it many times.  Usually though she'll fling one leg over the edge, look up at you and start fussing.  Ryan and I definitely recognize the bad habit in these things and rest-assured that we encourage her to do these things herself, but in the meantime it makes us laugh.  Hopefully we get this all worked out for her future spouse.  If not- sorry and good luck.  No return policy!

You just want to kiss me, don't you?  TOO BAD.

What else, what else?  Oh, she's a HUGE Daddy's girl.  HUGE.  Usually from the moment we get in the car to go home she starts asking me about "da da? da daaaa?"   When she hears his car pull in the driveway, her eyes light up.  When he disappears from the room she will run after him.  If he calls on the phone and I put him on speaker she gestures wildly at the phone, jumps up and down and yells "da da!"  It's pretty much the cutest thing ever.  Maybe some day she'll decide that the person who carried her for 9 months is worthy of some attention, but for now I'll just settle for my heart melting on the daily watching a princess & her daddy.

My bebe.

I just scrolled up and realized I've typed a lot.  I should probably go ahead and close out this section as I'm sure the only person who is still reading this is her Nonnie.  I'll just suffice it to say that the amount of growing, learning and entertaining this angel has done in the past 3 months has filled our hearts for years.  I look forward to all the next 3 months bring- including big sisterhood.  :c)

The School Stuff

Starting on June 9th, just after her 15 month birthday, Miss Em and her BFF at school moved into the Young Toddlers class.  I would like to say this was an easy transition but it was not.  Luckily Daddy has drop off duties, so he is the one who bore the brunt of the pain.  She cried every day he dropped her off for about two weeks.  Since then though, she has really loved it.  She loves all the new toys and has grown to love her new teachers as well.  

To the right, to the right.

Her new teachers are quite a bit less talkative than her old ones, so we don't get quite as many funny stories as we used to, but I'll do my best to remember what I can.  You may recall that the school chef is well acquainted with Emery because she often gets seconds.  One day when I was picking her up she pulled me aside and told me that in the hallways Emery acts like she doesn't know her and just hands her bag to her in the morning.  However once they're in her room, Emery won't leave her side.  So apparently she's 18 months going on 15.  Cool.

To the left, to the left.

Most every day when I pick her up, she's busy playing either with the babies (the dolls not real babies- don't report her school) or reading books.  She is always the last kid left (Mama is so sorry boog boog!) so she has her pick of any toys she wants.  Normally she has a few babies sitting in chairs at the table for feeding or she'll take them back to the reading corner to read books with her.  I genuinely hope she enjoys the more interactive variety of baby as much as she does these fictional ones!

SQUIRREL!

The Stats

• Height:  33.25 inches (89th percentile)
• Weight:  25 lbs 5 oz (83rd percentile)
• Head:  19.25 inches (97th percentile)
• Diaper size:  Still a 4.  We tried a 5 but they definitely seemed way too huge.
• Clothes:  18 month stuff though her jammies got VERY snug towards the end.
• Shoes:  4's and sometimes 5's.
• Beverages:  We really only give her milk and water.  Sometimes when we're feeling snazzy we add a little apple juice in with her water.
• Food likes:  As mentioned above, she's become pretty picky but you can always count on her eating mac n' cheese, carrots or yogurt.
• Food dislikes:  Definitely doesn't like broccoli, much to her mother's dismay.  Other than that, almost anything can be hit or miss with the exception of the items above.
• Words:  Quite a few.  Her first solid word was probably "more" or "Lola."  
• Games:  While not an official game by most people's standard, she thinks running away from you when you are walking to go change her diaper and/or take a bath is the funniest thing on earth.  
• Favorite Toys:  In a hilarious turn of events, Bucket (baby) has become her favorite toy, I think.  She will randomly ask for her sometimes and takes her to night night with her.  She has really fostered a love of books in this time frame also.  She is CONSTANTLY bringing us books to read.  I use the term "read" loosely because mainly she wants to flip the pages at her pace which leaves no time for reading.
• Other Notables:  In the past I've noted that her eyes weren't completely brown.  They still aren't but they move more that way as she gets older.  I'm thinking maybe she'll just be blessed with lighter brown eyes than her Daddy & I.  I've also mentioned she she tends to do things left-handed.  I've noticed recently that she tends to eat left-handed and draw/write right-handed.  So that mystery remains unsolved.  Stay tuned.

Ok.  I think I might be over this.

Affirmative.  Over it.  See you at 21 months!