Joey HATES the word "no." Well, really, who likes it?? But if there is anything to be done to redirect the kid, rather than saying "no," it is usually beneficial to everyone involved.
The doctor and I had discussed evaluating Joey's speech at his 18-month appointment. Had the appointment been two weeks earlier, I still would have expressed frustration at how little he is actually saying. However, in the couple of weeks leading up to the appointment, he gathered enough words to relax my worry. And, since literally everything else the doctor asked about, he is doing, I've decided to be patient (not my best virtue). When he asked if Joey knows body parts (ie, ear, nose, etc) - I had to admit I haven't even worked with him on those! So, I put Melanie in charge of teaching him. So far, "nose" to him means "Joey picks his nose" - we should start with another part, apparently.
He is still generally taking two long naps on weekend days, while he gets by with just one nap at daycare. His bedtime is about 7:30pm, and he generally sleeps through the night. One of the reasons we (Jeff) suspected he might have an ear infection was due to his spotty cries during the night. He's getting a lot of teeth in the back, so that is likely the cause for his discomfort.
He's slowly graduating into 18-month clothes; he's in size four diapers, size six shoes, and is doing his best to do every single thing his sister does. He eats approximately a carton of Nutri-Grain bars every week, but likes most all food. When he's done eating, or is not satisfied with his meal, he will simply throw it on the floor. Lovely.
In honor of breast cancer awareness month, his Gigi's triumph over breast cancer, and our friend Amanda who, in the month of October wrapped up her chemo and celebrated her birthday, Joey wore pink to daycare on their "pink" day. I love this picture of him because of that.
Joey's 18-month stats
Weight - 22lbs, 15 oz (33%)
Height - 33.5 inches (85%!)
