Xax @ 18 months

Xav had his 18 month check-up today at the Child Health Clinic.

It was handy having the reinforcements (Mum) with me, both kids were bursting with energy and bouncing of the walls. Poor clinic nurse was a bit overwhelmed and kept saying how "busy" they both are. I've been around long enough now to understand that "busy" is another term for "full on little terrors", my kids get called "busy" A LOT!

Anyway Xav passed with flying colours. I don't tend to take too much notice of what is right and wrong according to the clinic nurses, I just like the check so that I can get accurate weight, height, head and a general track of how they are going developmentally. I lost all confidence with them when Xav's lack of weight was constantly banged on about. He gained a lot in his first 6 months and then slowed down, but apparently that wasn't tracking the curve right. Also he was still having overnight feeds which according to the "schedule" he should have given up by then. Anyway, I was supposed to go back after his 12 month check, but being the know it all that I am, just ignored it.

So now the little boy weighs 11.5kg, which is just below the 50th % and a whole 1kg less than tubby Grace weighed at the same age. He is 85.5cm tall which is halfway between the 75th and the 90th %. His beautiful little head is measuring 48cm, which is smack bang on the 50th%. So tall, lean with an average head. Sounds perfect!

The clinic nurse was very surprised when she undressed him to notice he was just in undies. She did keep eying him suspiciously, probably half expecting to be covered in wee if she wasn't quick with the re-dress! She also said that she hadn't seen any other child (especially a boy) trained that early.

His talking and comprehension is apparently quite advanced (her words). I don't think that his talking is that impressive, but I know that his comprehension is really good for his age. He does say a lot of words, but many of them are only understood by us. The main words he can say at 18 months are ball, door, bowl, Xav-ya, baby, up, who's that?, what's that?, so-shoes, nose, eyes, ABC, wee, poo, hat, mine (usually screamed), me, banana, book, sh-it (sit), bum, smack, pig, baa, Mama, Daddy, car, toot, quack and probably a ton more that I can't remember.

He sure knows how to get his point across though. If Xav is hungry he goes and gets a bowl out of the drawer, comes and grabs my hand and leads me to either the fridge or the cupboard depending on what he wants. His appetite rivals Grace, they both spend the day eating me out of house and home. He loves all fruit, olives, sultanas, dates, rice crackers, water crackers, milk arrowroot biscuits, carrot, pasta, rice, vegetables and pretty much anything else that is offered to him. He drinks water all day, both out of a cup and his sippy cup and has started again having a cup of milk before bed time.

All in all he is growing beautifully! He has many "boy" traits, such as loving anything with wheels, anything that makes a noise, anything that he can throw and anything that he can hit (including his sister!) Xav also has a softer side too, especially when he's wandering around the house with a string of beads around his neck, a pair of pink dora undies (I found some that I had bought for Grace but they are too small!) and pushing his dolly around in the pram!