Our sweet baby boy is 18 months old today. And, he's been home with us a bit more than a year. Browsing through the hundreds of pictures we've taken of him still leaves me in awe of everything Rhys has gone through and overcome since birth. So what is our little man up to these days?
Rhys is about 22 pounds and 30.5" long. That is on the chart for height and weight for his actual age! I recently had to order him 24 month tops and 18 month bottoms after a huge growth spurt. He has the four top and bottom front teeth completely in as well as several molars poking through. He loves to have his teeth brushed. Surprisingly, he opens his mouth when I start brushing his teeth. It must tickle because it cracks him up.
He's off formula and currently taking a mix of whole milk and pediasure. He still wont feed himself his bottle but he likes to play with it when he's done. He takes three bottles a day, or maybe four if he wakes up in the middle of the night. His gag reflex is much improved. We see it occasionally if something gets stuck but not so much in response to something he doesn't like, as used to happen quite frequently. His sure-thing standby food is still yogurt, though he seems to be liking cinnamon spice oatmeal now. Yogurt melts, crunchies, puffs and cookies are also favorites. He'll try just about anything you put on his tray, though he isn't crazy about grabbing 'wet' food such as mandarin oranges and apples. That is the only sign we've seen of a possible tactile sensitivity because he has no problem getting dirty or making messes.
He's doing fantastic with his right hand. Though he still has a closed fist at times, he reaches for things with his right hand and has gained a good level of coordination. He will occasionally even hand toys from his left to his right, and is starting to pick up food with his right hand even though he only feeds himself with his left. When he plays with toys he uses both hands at mid-line.
Rhys can sit for a few seconds at a time, but he will eventually teeter left or right. He is putting his arms in the correct position to prop himself but needs to learn to make his arms work in that function to keep himself steady. His torso and back muscles are gaining strength and we're seeing him lean forward to reach things and pull himself back upright (during assisted sitting). He's able to push himself up with straightened arms for a few seconds and is even starting to move his legs like he knows there is a piece he's missing. That isn't to say he's making the motion of crawling, because he still has a long ways to go, but he is making progress.
Rhys loves books! He enjoys turning the pages and has recently started opening and closing lids on his toys. He also likes to spin the moving parts on his toys. He slaps his hand on things and is beginning to bang toys on objects.
He's still babbling a lot though no words. He's been saying dadadada for awhile now, but he recently put a new spin on it. He chatters to himself a lot and we respond like we know what he's saying. He definitely understands "are you hungry" and "milk". We explain and label things constantly during the day and are trying to continue incorporating a few of the baby signs. One of these days he'll have a response for us!
Rhys is still a super happy baby, though he's developing a bit of an attitude as he matures. Yes, I realize this was going to happen! And to be honest I am not unhappy about it. I am hoping his little fits will make him angry enough to do something about it.
Happy 18 months, Rhys!
2 comments:
Way to go little guy!
Go Rhys!
If he has or may have sensory issues in the future, I HIGHLY recommend "The Out of Sync Child" and you can usually check this out at the library too. I wish I'd known about this in the toddler days. There is another one I haven't checked out, but "The Highly Sensitive Child" is also one I've heard recommended. I'm sure parents of any kid could benefit from these books!
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