Dexter is 18 months old!!
Here are the latest stats:
Weight: 30lbs (around 90th percentile)
Height: 33.5 inches (around 72nd percentile)
Teeth: 7 (4 upper, 3 lower)
Dexter is a very busy guy. He is getting more advanced with his activities. He is getting to the stage where he likes to do everything we are doing. He wants to rake, sweep, put things in the trash, put on shoes, etc. He is a daredevil at the playground and loves to climb and will even go along down the big curly slide. He loves taking things in and out of containers, carrying bags, and doing whatever activity Maya is doing. Maya and Dexter are becoming good friends. They are actually starting to play together which is a treat. Maya will play ball with him, chase him or play peek-a-boo. Dexter is also very good at playing independently. He finds interesting toys or books to look at and will play happily for decent amounts of time.
Dexter is also going through a phase of strong frustration. He still isn't communicating with words that well and he often gets frustrated. He also has a very strong will and doesn't cooperate when he doesn't want to do something. Diaper changes can be long ordeals and mealtime is getting more tricky. He doesn't like transitions when he is enjoying an activity even if it's to go do something fun. His separation anxiety is still there and while he is intrigued by others, he is very good at sticking to a leg or gesturing to get picked up. Once he's comfortable he gets back to his happy self.
He is really starting to understand the rhythms of the day. He anticipates what will happen next and can feel the daily routine. He will react to a certain tone of voice or to me putting on my shoes guessing what that action means.
Dexter is very solid with his nap and his bedtime and we are very happy to have another great sleeper. He is still a voracious eater. He eats a huge range of foods and finds a way to chew everything with his limited number of teeth. He likes most vegetables and fruits, all carbs, most meats, Japanese, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and he's beginning to approve of cheese and eggs. Feeding himself is a must. Currently, he has the bad habit of trying to throw all his food off the high chair when he doesn't like it or he's done. We are working on that issue.
Communication has improved, but we still have a long way to go. He's added new words like 'down' which means up or down and an improved "Mama" and "Dada." He uses animal sounds to refer to animals. He makes a barking/growling sound every time he sees a dog and a "caw" sound for birds. He's very tonal with the way he understands words. He seems to focus much more on the tone of the word more than the actual sound. He will hum songs very accurately and he continues to love music. He is quite a dancer and moves to the rhythm very well. He's becoming more social as I've been able to get more involved with the mother's group and I've been able to get back into activities after a long fall and winter of illness.
Books are becoming much more interesting to Dexter. He is still enjoying the books with activities, but now he is beginning to enjoy the way that the story is told. He picks up on places where we say things a funny way or where something dramatic happens. He seems to enjoy the anticipation of that page and then having it said the way he is expecting. He also has a bit more patience to complete full stories. Current favorites are "Hop on Pop" and "The Foot Book." He gets so excited about them that he will grab one and plop down on a lap ready to read.
Dexter is definitely a toddler for better or for worse. We love our happy and slightly insane little dude.
