Niall now:
- Weighs about 18.75 lbs (in the 3% for weight at his 15-month well child check with a 89% head). He's in
mostly 9 and 9-12 month clothing, and size 3 shoes
- has big eyes, long eyelashes, a big head,
dimples, scant but growing hair, and ten sharp teeth
-
drinks a combination (still about 70/30) of pumped breast milk (I'm still
pumping 1-2x
during a workday but continuing to wean this) and cow's milk out of a cup at daycare, and nurses a few times per
day on demand when I'm home--upon waking,
before bed, and before naps. The nursing sessions seem shorter, and I think he may wean himself before age 2, when I had to cut off his big brother. He eats at a
high chair in the kitchen, and his favorite foods
include yogurt, fruits (especially blueberries, grapes, and
bananas), peas, noodle soups, peanut butter, cheese sticks,
and puff snacks. We've been able to sneak small pieces of meat into purees, but he won't eat chunks of it and still
takes an iron supplement which keeps his hemoglobin "hanging in there" at just below 11. He will self-feed with a spoon, and loves to throw food off his tray to our dog, Pepper. He loves water, ice, and will drink small amounts of cow's milk with meals in a sippy cup.
- is in cloth diapers during the day (pocket diapers at daycare and fitteds at home), and size 3
overnight Huggies at night. He is very regular and, if we can get him
there in time, usually poops on the potty first thing in the morning after nursing and sometimes after dinner around 6 p.m., which saves on mess and diaper laundry.
-
is doing great at the infant room at daycare, where he attends five
days (two are three-quarter days). He loves his teachers and is always happy at drop-off and pick-up. He has been healthy this month. He may move up to the "toddler" room in the next few months when big brother will move to the pre-kindergarten room at a different site.
- loves running around the house, being
chased or "found," especially when naked after a bath or diaper change, and climbing. He loves to play with markers, water, ice, cups, Pepper, cabinet contents, kleenex, toilet paper (he gleefully unrolled an entire roll when I was paying attention to Iver last week) and outside on the deck with buckets, rock, and sand. He loves baths and books (his favorite lately is a Dr. Seuss "100 First Words" picture book) and brings books over and will plop down on our laps to read or just go look at pictures himself. He does well in his convertible but still rear-facing carseat, stroller (I usually take him and Pepper for a walk in the morning) and the front-facing Lillebaby
carrier.
-
hates: lying still for diaper changes, getting his teeth brushed, being sat on by his brother, and having fun toys taken away.
- says about 15-20 words, and is picking up new words and signs by the day. He signs a lot and is very expressive and communicative! I love hearing him say "Ivah" (Iver), "Aapah!" (apple) and "Nnnaa" (banana) as well as "Nih" (Niall). He is learning body parts and will open wide and stick out his tongue when you ask where his mouth is. When you ask where his nose is, he'll sniff and snort! He follows commands like "hug your brother" (and defies commands equally well).
- sleeps well in a crib at night,
with no signs of climbing out, sharing a
room with his brother. After a bath, nursing session, and reading a few books, he is put in his crib awake and he'll fuss for a few minutes before passing out around 7:15-7:30. He wakes happy between 5:30
and 6
a.m. He has pretty much transitioned to one, longer nap (the second nap and subsequently bedtime was becoming a struggle and he was waking earlier in the morning), currently starting around 10:30 a.m. (until 12:30 or 1 p.m.).
With his favorite book on the potty
At church with papa
I love this video of him hugging big brother!
We have a smiley, passionate, toddler whose personality is such a joy.
Here is what Iver was doing at 16 months.
