Jack: 18 Months

Jack has hit 18 months!  This milestone kind of snuck up on us, and it very well could be the fact that he's been sneaking into nursery with Maga since the beginning of the year.  Jack had a great checkup at the doctor's office (and met his new primary care doc, Dr. Bartenstein!).  He's weighing in at 27 lbs 4.5 oz. (87th percentile) and is 35 inches tall (99th percentile).  The doctor asked me if he was always so agreeable and calm.  I assured her that while he's usually a very pleasant boy, he's not what I would categorize as "calm" as he makes me chase him around a good portion of each day!  We went back later to get his Hepatitis A vaccine (his last one until he's 4 years old!) and he cried out the tiniest bit and then got over it.

Jack is talking and babbling more and more every day.  He is gaining a better understanding of vocabulary and communication each day, and I'm very much looking forward to the day when I'll be able to understand the majority of what he has to say.  For the time being, though, I'm finding his elaborate babbling quite adorable.

Jack is showing more interest in dancing, being outside, playing with bubbles, talking into phones and earphones, cramming himself in any and all boxes, spinning around in circles until he falls down, and following around after Hank and Lyla.  He's trying so hard to be a big kid.  Lately he's been trying to run faster than his little body will allow, which leads to quite a few close calls.  He really loves the hair dryer and wants warm air to be blown on his head or up his shirt.  When it comes on he teeters over and lays face-down in my lap expecting hot air to come his way.  He likes eating, although lately he's become a lot more demanding about what he does and doesn't like and when he should eat.  Mom is putting her foot down, which leads to some fit throwing on Jack's part.  His favorite foods are cereal bars, raspberries, yogurt-covered raisins, cheese sticks, duck-shaped fruit snacks and anything sweet.

Jack is such a ray of sunshine in our family.  He's a happy-go-lucky kind of guy with an amazing ability to sleep and nap. I love how much he loves his siblings, and how much they love him back.  I'm really excited for this summer and the next six months to see how much more Jack embraces, sunshine, playing outside, swimming and traveling this year!