Sunday, August 29, 2010

Addison - the 15th Month Old!

"How Big is Baby Addie?"
"Baby Addie is SO BIG!!!"

Addison had her 15-Month Check-Up on Friday...Here's the numbers:
Height
31" - between the 75th-90th percentiles
Weight
22lbs. 13oz. - 50th percentile
Head Size
18" - 50th percentile

Addison has been in these percentiles since she was born (with the exception of her head size which began only in the 10th percentile!). Everything at her appointment checked out well - and the doctor even said she was a very well-behaved child during the exam. Apparently during the exams, other kids get very cranky and cry - but Addison just sat there calm and quiet while the doctor checked her out. I think it's because she is in that stage where she's interested in EVERYTHING, so I think she was entertained by the all the doctor "gadgets".
That being said, just like all doctor's appointments, this one had a bad ending - shots! Addison received her DTaP #4, Hib #3, Prevnar #4 as well as her first round of Flu/H1N1 shots.

These Are A Few Of Her Favorite Things
I am Spartacus
Ok, I get it - "be careful what you wish for". Via Facebook, you may have read that I was *in heaven* that Addison had taken a liking to drum corps - specifically '08 Phantom Regiment's "Spartacus" show. Well, since then we've/she's watched the show about 50 times. And by "specifically" I MEAN specifically!!! She doesn't want to watch other drum corps shows (she'll watch moments, then just walk away). She nods emphatically when we ask, "Do  you want to watch drum corps?" and now we no longer bring it up. But she will come to us with the DVD remote, or the DVD case of the show. So yes, I sincerely enjoyed those first dozen times - cuddled on the couch with Addison on my lap - watching her clap, wave her arms to imitate the conductor or drumline and be enamored by the color guard ballad solo, but now it's a relief when an hour goes by without having watched it again. I know it could be much worse - this isn't some obnoxious cartoon she's obsessively watching (that day will surely come) it's music and pageantry and c'mon, how cool of a story will this be in 17 years when/if she follows in her mommy's footsteps over to Rockford?
Lives in a Pineapple Under the Sea
When it's not drum corps or no TV (those moments are great!), it's Spongebob she has started to really like in the last few weeks as well.
Oh, and don't worry - she spends a LOT of time away from the TV, outside or in her room playing.
Book worm
Addison still loves her books, and takes many off the shelves daily to flip through. She loves one of her pop-up books lately and her now long-time favorite "So Big" Elmo book and a baby Bible. She goes back and forth between a handful of books. However, she would rather just sit and flip through them herself rather than have us read to her. It's really the page-turning she enjoys. So I read whatever page she flips to, even if it makes the story quite the non-sequiter.

Out of the Mouths of Babes
Addison certainly understands much more than she can say - but she has also found ways to communicate many of the things she wants too.
Here's some words you can hear Addison say:
-Banana (Nnaa-Na!)
-Night-Night (Nye Nye!)
-Mama/Dada
-Milk
-Up
-Off (usually when she wants her shoes off)
-On (usually reverse of above)
-No
-More
-Cheese (maybe??)
-Cat
-Bye
-Go

There's probably more that I'm not thinking of right now - seems like there's new ones every few days!

Naughty Girl
Addison has had a bad streak of temper tantrums, especially over at Auntie Lorie's when she wants her cousins toys or food, etc. There's been a few instances of hitting and hair pulling. Tim & I are unable to recreate the situation as harshly at home, but we have been able to see her upset when she wants something we have that we don't give her, she'll wave her arms. When this happens, we take her arms, hold them at her side and say "Do Not Hit" - there's not much of a response from her until we hold her arm for about 10 seconds and then she'll start to cry. However, and this confuses me, when we let go of her arm, she'll go and point to my eye or nose - which is a game we play often (where's mommy's nose, etc). So, it's like her way of changing the topic?? We hope this discipline will set in so she stops this hitting situation soon. We do NOT want a naughty mean little girl!!!



Overall, Addison is a very energetic toddler. We are constantly on the move with/after her, even in our little condo! She sleeps through the night, no problem and takes 2 good naps throughout the day. She's very happy and there are times she has us cracking up (and she laughs right along with us!) She's social and creative and very curious. I love to sit with her when she plays and watch those gears turning. I can't imagine all she is learning!!!!

Next weekend we are going on our first family vacation to Galena, IL! We will be spending 2 nights at a Bed & Breakfast and can't wait to enjoy the scenery and have an amazingly cozy weekend with our little girl! Stay tuned for some pictures ;)

2 comments:

Miss Organizized said...

Awww! Loved this post!! That is NUTS about drum corps tho!!!!! And nice that she's not watching something super annoying over and over. But I can imagine how after awhile even drum corps you're like ok THAT'S enough. Haha!

The hitting thing is probably just her exploring how much she can get away with. She probably knows it's wrong (which is why she "changes the subject") but she wants to see what boundaries she has. I think you guys are doing just what you need to!

I can't wait to hear all about your trip!!!! So cozy!!!!

Monica O'Neill said...

Haha, yea I'm sure Tim was annoyed long before I got to that point ;) But he does enjoy the "luxury" of her obsession for when he gets home and is making dinner!!! I'm gonna try to lay off it a little bit. Like last night when she wanted to watch drum corps, I instead put on the '04 DVD of Cavaliers. She only half paid attention, then just moved on to something else - so this morning when she asked, I put that same show on. Morning is when she wants to watch WITH me (sitting on my lap) and she actually did that with this other show!! So yea, she doesn't have to quit cold turkey, but I think a lot of her "asking" is just enjoyment of communicating something to us. Like "COOL I know how to get mommy and daddy to put on that show for me!"
And the hitting thing, Lorie said Bianca went through that too, but still I feel awful that she's having these "run-ins" with her cousins - it'd be different if it were her own siblings. But to me she's still a guest over there even though it's her home away from home!
I've read several articles about hitting, and they make the point that they don't KNOW it's wrong, it's just a form of communication and it gets a reaction. So instead of saying "hi, can I play with that?" she just hits instead, for instance. But I know it's not always that - I think mostly it's her frustration. Toddlers hunger for control over SOMETHING as they grow more independent, but they lag in communication skills - or UNDERSTANDING why they can't have something, etc so that's how they respond. It's tough, but let's hope it's just a stage and she's not out slapping her kindergarten teacher someday or something!! I'd DIE!