Our kiddo is in great health and continues to grow: 54 pounds and standing at 4 foot 1 inch.
When Ellie was 18 months old, I took a photo that I particularly liked. Last year, I thought I'd get a shot from the same part of the procedure to show how much she's grown. Now, I think I've created a new photo tradition.
Here's the shot from last year, when she was five:
And from Ellie's 18-month checkup:
Ellie is in good health and is growing: 47 pounds and 3 foot 10 1/4 inches tall!
A look back (18 month checkup):
We had a party on the day after Ellie turned two, which was a lot of fun. Kim and Grandma Patty did a huge amount of work, and it showed. For three weeks Ellie has made it clear that her birthday party needed to have cupcakes and party hats, and that's what she got... along with a house full of friends and family. Here are some photos; you can also view a Flickr slideshow by clicking here.
Ellie is 18 months old today, and her scheduled checkup went very well. She's in good health, and is a bit advanced in terms of language and motor skills: she's started using word combinations often, and she climbs and runs all over the place. She's also a tall girl:
Weight: 24 lb 14 oz (60th percentile)
Height: 34.84 inches (100th percentile)
Head Circumference: 47 cm (64th percentile)
The 18-month checkup also meant that Ellie received two more shots, and here I have to boast at how awesome my little girl is. She got one shot in each leg, and just as she was about to erupt into tears, her face all red and scrunched up, nurse Val (who administered the shots) produced two tongue depressors decorated with big stickers. Ooh! Ellie's face lit up and there wasn't a single tear.
What did I get for Father's Day? A screaming child. (Still, she's my cute child, so I'm not complaining. Much.)
The weekend proved to be weird for Ellie's sleep schedule: we went to the Fremont Solstice Parade in the late morning, and when we returned home, we tried to get Ellie down for a nap, but she wasn't having any of it. Finally, we all fell asleep. In fact, we fell asleep for about two and a half hours, which meant we all woke up at about the time we've been putting Ellie to bed. She didn't go to sleep until about 11:00 p.m. that night.
That's my only guess as to what's triggered our little girl's change in behavior. Since then, suggesting to go to sleep at all can take her from cuddly sleepyhead to full-on wailing.
Last night Kim and I figured this must be separation anxiety, because she'll grab hold of one of our shirts and not let go. We tried to just let her cry it out, but after almost an hour one night, that didn't work (it probably made things worse; but Ellie is also teething, which was our first guess about the change in behavior). What finally did work was to have one of us in her room while she goes to sleep, reassuring her that we're nearby. She'll lay down if we're close (we sit in a chair nearby), and fairly soon she'll fall asleep.
It feels like we're coddling her, but just leaving her to her own devices didn't work. So we'll try this approach for a spell and hope/assume that this is a phase arising out of her increased independence. (We've been consulting our books, can you tell?)
Here's a photo of Ellie sleeping, in the hopes that it will bring good sleep karma:
Bob and Patty (Kim's parents) are here for a week to marvel at how much Ellie has changed since they last saw her in September. The first day was fun, as Ellie impressed them by walking everywhere, feeding herself, and used her growing vocabulary.
Unfortunately, Ellie, Kim, and I all picked up a virus last weekend at a birthday party that has wiped us out—which has made a grandparent visit all the more wonderful for us. Ellie is doing better than Kim and I (although she's getting over having what we at first thought was pinkeye, but instead is just a minor eye infection—I should point out that Ellie has been great about letting us put the prescription gel on her eyes three times a day), so we've been able to recuperate while the grandparents entertain the girl.
Now that we're on the mend, I'm sure there will be more outdoor excursions (the weather here is particularly nice right now) such as going to the zoo, the Arboretum, and other locations.
Author. Designer. Late-nighter. www.jeffcarlson.com
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