Owen has rounded another milestone and is 18 months old already! I took him to Sioux Falls for pictures while Ava was at preschool and he was an absolute angel! It was a quick trip as Ava's preschool is only 2 1/2 hours, and I was wondering if we would get even one good pose, but he surprised me! Here is the news on Owen at 18 months:
Height: 33.5" (83%)
Weight: 28 lbs, 11 oz (83%)
HC: 19.5" (90%)
Shockingly, Owen has made his way back onto the growth charts and is "normal".
Sleep: Owen is sleeping from 7:30-8:00 pm until 6:30-7:00 am. He takes a nap in the afternoon that is about 2 1/2 hours in length but can vary.
Food: Owen loves to eat! He went through a short phase following the stomach flu where he wouldn't eat anything but fruit and milk for an entire week. However, he has transitioned back into his old self, and is eating great again. He loves fruits, especially bananas, pineapple, and watermelon. He likes most all vegetables (except squash) and meats, and still has a special love for bread. He's not afraid of a cheeseburger and fries either! Sometimes, I'm surprised at how much he can eat and drink in a day, but then the next day he won't eat hardly anything. He's much less predictable than Ava in that respect. He feeds himself very well and will even retrieve lost items from his bib once his bowl is nearing empty. He has to do it all himself and will only ask for help when he can no longer get food onto his spoon.
Speech: Owen is still communicating primarily by pointing and saying "ah, ah, ah" but he has added some words in the last couple weeks. He will now say "baby", "up", "out", "mama", and "daddy". He still prefers to sign when he wants more and waving "bye, bye" which also doubles for good night. We are really trying to encourage him to talk and we clap and make a big deal if he says a word. Well, he is extremely modest because he now claps for himself when he says a word!
Movement: Owen has surpassed his sister in the moving category at this age. He runs, walks backwards, flies up and down stairs, and even tries to hop. He can be gone in a flash from wherever you just saw him. He really isn't afraid to try anything his sister can do. He has even mastered our play car outside and can get in and out all by himself. It's not unusal to find him standing on furniture or trying to make a getaway out the door.
Personality: Owen is such a little smiler! He is such a happy little guy most of the time and is just one tickle away from a full blown giggling session. He loves to play games like peek-a-boo and will do fun little things to get your attention. He has been a little bit of a mama's boy lately and just prefers that I do everything for him. Daddy is still a very special part of his life and he loves the crazy playing that they do together. We enjoy each new skill he learns and it seems like it's all happening so fast. Ava loves playing with him and also enjoys the big sister role of showing him how to do things. I'm always amazed at how she can be so engrossed in what she's doing, but will drop everything because she sees Owen across the room can't get up onto the couch by himself, so she'll give him a boost. I know he really appreciates her!
