18 Months

As usual, I'm a bit late in this milestone update - but better late than never, right?  At 18 months old, I'm really starting to see my baby slip away and grow into a full fledged toddler.  Frankie is talking so much and has started stringing words together:  "daddy's shoes", "this door", and one of my favorites, "awww man".  He's faster than ever and I fear that he's only going to pick up speed over the next months.  He loves, I mean loves, to be outside.  "Out, out" he'll yell while standing at the door with his sweatshirt.  The Easter Bunny brought Frankie a rake and a wagon and he loves walking around with them.  Future landscaper, perhaps?  He also loves his "bi" (bike) and his push car.

 

He's recently figured out how to climb on our dining room chairs and sometimes will refuse to eat in his highchair which makes for a bit of a mess at meals.  (Not that him eating in his highchair is clean.)  Frankie still lives to eat.  Some days he will just eat his way through the day.  He is most in love with fruit and now that he's able to climb onto the dining room chairs, I've had to move our fruit bowl from the center of the table, because I frequently would find him standing in the chair trying to eat through a banana peel or munching on an apple or pear. 

 

 

The big hurdle that we just overcame was packing up all of the bottles.  Frankie is not a big milk drinker, but by giving him his bedtime bottle, I felt better knowing that he was getting at least 6 ounces a day - plus his yogurt and cheese and the few ounces of milk he sips throughout the day.  At his 18 month check-up, we talked to his doctor about our concern over his lack of calcium but she assured us that he would be ok and suggested we start giving him calcium vitamins, which he loves!  And a little over a week ago, we decided it was time, so Frankie helped me pack his bottles in a bag and put them outside.  I cried inside as he waved 'bye bye' to his bottles like a big boy.  The first few nights were rough.  He was definitely looking for his bottle.  But thankfully by night 6, we were into a new routine and I think he's fully forgotten about his b-o-t-t-l-e.  I was worried that I wouldn't get my cuddle time with my little guy at the end of each day, but thankfully our new routine involves him sitting on my lap on the floor as we read books.  Bedtime is much more interactive now, because Frankie is able to point and identify pictures in his books now that he's not sucking on his bottle.  Phew - I was sweating that one! 

Frankie's 18 month stats:
Height: 32" (41%) (this was his same height at his 15 month checkup so we're pretty sure there was a measuring error at the 15 month visit!)
Weight: 26 lbs 2 oz (55%)
Head: 19 (64%)

 

It's so nostalgic watching him grow up, but I love seeing him learn and being able to interact with him.

 

I caught Frankie 'working' at his tool bench with his construction hat on!

 

Finding a Balance

Back in December, I really started to question if I wanted to continue working full time.  As I watched Frankie growing up, I started to realize that I just wanted to spend more time with him.  But I really like my job – I like what I do and I like my company – so I was hoping for a chance to work part time and be at home more during the week.  Kind of get the best of both worlds, in my eyes.  So, in January, I approached my supervisors with my wishes.  Thankfully they were very receptive and a few months later, starting April 1, I officially started my new part time schedule!  I’ll be honest, I was nervous at first.  It’s a big change.  Was I doing the right thing for my family?  Was I doing the right thing for me and my career?  Was I doing the right thing for Frankie?  

And then my first week as a part-timer, Frankie got sick.  Really sick.  Double ear infections and the doctor was worried that he was also developing pneumonia.  Yikes.  That scared me.  The poor boy had a fever that ran a few days around 104-105 degrees and he would just shiver.  You know when we get sick and have a fever and are hot, but cold at the same time?  That must have been how he felt.  We just had him in a diaper because he was roasting (and it was the week that temps were in the 90's here), but he had goosebumps and was shivering.  So, so sad.  My heart broke.  But my mind almost went insane.  My son was miserable.  There was no pleasing him.  He cried all the time - like back in the early days when they cried and you had no idea what was wrong.  I rocked him and let him sleep on me as much as I could.  We pretty much couldn't put him down.  And then there was his medicine.  It tasted horrible and we could not get him to take it.  We tried forcing it in but no matter what we did, he would spit most of it out.  We tried mixing it in yogurt, etc - but he just didn't have much of an appetite.  After reaching out to my mom's group for advice and desperate for Frankie to feel better, I decided to mix 1 mL of his meds with 1 mL of Hershey syrup in the syringe.  Yep, you read that correctly.  But it worked.  He took it all.   

That was a tough week.  And then Frank got sick with strep throat.  And then our nanny.  And then me.  It wasn't fun.  And I'm not going to lie, I wondered if I'd made the right decision staying home more. 

But...

Fast forward one week and everyone in our house is healthy!  And I get to do fun things with Frankie during the week!  Like take him to Frying Pan Petting Zoo with Grammy...

 

It looks like he's pointing to the cows in the field, but really he was checking out the school buses from a field trip

Farmer Frank

And I get to go into the office and be a grown-up for three days, too!  Yea, I'm pretty sure this is going to be a good fit for me, for Frankie, for our family. 

Easter Chills & Thrills

I am so freaking ready for warm weather.  A week before Easter, we hit up an Easter Eggstravaganza.  And froze our eggs off.  Brrrrrrr. 

 

After picking up his first egg and chucking it (thankfully not at anyone), Frankie hauled in three Easter eggs.  Not bad for his first hunt loot. 

 

Although, I think he was more impressed with the post-hunt snacks...

  

Right when we got to the egg hunt, Frankie spotted the EB and started waving.  I figured we were good for a least one picture.  Not so.  As soon as that bunny started walking towards Frankie, he wanted nothing to do with him (or her?). 

 

I did try taking him to the mall for the traditional pic, but there was an "Easter Bunny Emergency", so he wasn't there.  Exactly what kind of emergency does an Easter Bunny run into?  I was so flabergasted that I didn't ask questions. 

 

So, here is this year's Easter Bunny picture... 

 

I'm not sure what happened on Easter, but we totally slipped and didn't get any dressed-up family pictures.  It may have had something to do with us sleeping until 7:50 (!!!!!) and needing to leave the house by 8:20 for church.  For the record, we did leave the house a little late, but made it to church on time!  Then, by the time we were home from mass, Frankie was ready for his nap, so the pictures just didn't happen.

 

After his nap, he still wasn't interested in his Easter basket.  He was more fascinated with his cousin Cosmo's new food & water bowls. 

 

 

After a huge, delicious Easter dinner prepared by Aunt Laura, we went for a walk so Frankie could test out his new raincoat & rainboots.  

 

Aunt Laura demonstrated how to puddle stomp!  

 

 

And Frankie very quickly got the hang of it!  





Happy Easter, Everyone!