Eighteen months old today

At it's best this blog is a snapshot of our daily lives. And I want to use it in that way today as Maureen turns 18 months old. She is a very busy toddler. She says words: Dad, Mom, Nana, Mammy (which sounds like Mom, only louder), Pappy (Bap!), dog, cat, hop, duck, tweet, UP!, help, apple, THAT!, book, ball, beep, good, bad, banana, tickle, hot, and Henley. She signs some words: more, all done, milk, drink, cheese, fish, bath, cat, and dog. She also claps, waves, blows kisses, gives real kisses, shushes, stomps her feet, hugs, walks, runs, dances, climbs up and down furniture and stairs, pats her head, slaps her knees, throws and catches (sort of), and will stand, sit, and lay down on command if it suits her. She will also gladly show you how the wheels on the bus go round and round. Maureen can show you where her head, mouth, teeth, tongue, ears, eyes, nose, hair, face, hands, fingers, arms, legs, knees, feet, toes, and belly are. We are working on shoulders, elbows, chin, and cheeks. She makes animal noises for dog, cat, bird, duck, horse, cow, bear/lion/dinosaur, and bunny (hop!). She also makes a car sound. She Skypes! She throws food. All the time. She tickles other people and herself, and will blow a raspberry on your belly if you hold still. She plays peekaboo. She thinks sneezes and toots are hilarious, especially her own. Watch out--she headbutts sometimes (and thinks that is also very funny). Maureen and Dad took swimming lessons together in the spring, and she is not afraid to put her own face in the water. She goes to storytime at the library, playgroup with her friends, sea squirts at the museum, and artlab at Annmarie Gardens. She is finally old enough to attend nature tykes too. We don't go religiously to any one thing, though, as I try not to make her live in the carseat all week. She tries to brush her own teeth and help with getting dressed and undressed. She likes her shoes. And Maureen knows what goes on in the bathroom and sits on her baby potty to keep Mom and Dad company when they're taking care of business. She nurses twice a day--first thing in the morning and right before bed--and sleeps in the middle of our bed. The mattress is sitting on the floor. (Yes, just like in a crack house.) She loves her cousins Mila, Colin, and Jack. Her girl friends are named Reese, Lily, Reagan, Alexandra (Alex), Isabella (Izzy), Journey, Ava, Casey, and Violet, and her boy friends are named Andrew (Drew), Miller, Jace, Hunter, Luke, Ben, and Blake. Her favorite toy, the only one she calls by name, is Henley the bunny.

[Edited to add:] We had her 18 month checkup. Maureen is 30" tall which brings her up to the 5th percentile for height. She weighs just under 22 pounds. And stethoscopes still scare the heck out of her.