dear charlie

Dear Charlie,

I always start these little notes to you the same way, writing something about how I can't believe how fast you are growing. But Dude. Seriously. You are growing so fast. You are 18 months today. ONE AND A HALF. You are well on your way to TWO! It's crazy. I love every minute of it though. For realz.

You had your 18 month check up this week and have moved up the scales a little bit, now weighing in at 25 lbs 15.5 oz, and 32 1/2 inches. This puts you at about the fiftieth percantile for your age for both height and weight. Your Auntie Cousin Hilary suggested that maybe you should lay off the whole milk a bit. (You are getting a bit of a milk belly), but your doctor assured me that you really do need all that fat to grow that brain of yours big and smart. Your doctor also said that you did really well on the social tests she put you through (without even telling you ahead of time!), nervous when you were supposed to be, looking for reassurance to me, smiling when she smiled, etc. I'm pretty sure she thinks you're a genius.

Yesterday in the car you were super cranky and crying and yelling and whatnot, so Grace and I broke into song. A medley of Christmas songs to be exact. And you? You busted up laughing. It was really funny. I'm not sure WHAT you thought was so funny. I mean, yeah, we were singing Christmas songs in the middle of July, but I think maybe you must have been laughing at the awesomeness of our voices. The best part though, was that when we finished you signed "more". You just could not get enough of us!

You can identify (by pointing) most of your body parts, your family members, and some friends too. In addition to milk you LOVE dip and chocolate chips. You love books, you love tubby time, and even though you sometimes don't think you do, you love to go to bed. You have been sleeping lately from about 8pm til about 7:30am. As soon as I get you up in the morning you do the sign for milk (it has to be just warm enough too), and as soon as that first cup is gone (which takes about 29 seconds) you sign for "more". After that you like to go wake up Sissy and see if you can get her to get you some breakfast or something. You're getting pretty good at communicating even though your vocabulary is very limited. But there has also been a definite increase in your yelling, crying, etc. I think they call that a tantrum. But let me let you in on a little secret. You are NOT my first baby, I have seen tantrums before, mister, and you can just go ahead and keep on throwing them, but they are NOT going to work. Got it?


This last month you've gotten really really good at shaking your head "no" (almost too good, I might add), so I have been trying to teach you to nod your head "yes". You haven't really mastered it yet, but you do try occassionally (especially if you think it will get some dip, or some chocolate chips). Although it's more of a nod of your entire upper body, not just your head. It's just another if the many things that you do that are pretty darn cute.


Love love love you!
Love
Mom
xxoo