Shay Dockery: September 2012

-I can stand up on my own! It only took two full months after I started walking to be able to get up into a standing position on my own. I have to start on my hands and knees and then put my heiny in the air with my hands and feet on the floor. Then I bend my knees so I’m in a squatting position and push up to standing with my arms out to the side for balance!

-I’ve been to the petting zoo! It rained the night before so it was pretty muddy and a little difficult for me to walk and Mommy had to carry me with my legs out to the side. I wasn’t scared of any of the animals either. I guess since my Wrigley doggie acts like one, I’m pretty used to it! Even when I went in to the pen with about 20 goats three times my size, I just walked around like it was the most normal thing ever. Their noises made me giggle! I got to feed the goats and cows right from my hand too! Not scared of that either, since I’ve shared my Puffs with Wrigs since forever. I watched lots of different birds in their cages, but this huge turkey with a big, blue, warty gobbler hanging from its beak kept following us around and would randomly shake all of its feathers and gobble really loudly. It made me jump and Mommy squealed a few times!

-“Mama” is no longer a distress call! I will actually just say, “Mama” to acknowledge that she is in the room with me. I guess she likes it too because she always scoops me up and gives me a big hug when I do that. I also say it to get her attention and to let her know I’m happy. It came out “ma-ma” for a while, but now I call her “Mommy” because she’s says that’s her favorite!

-I announce when I am finished eating by yelling, “Bup!” and ripping my bib off and tossing it on the floor

-I’m starting to label pictures in books. I know baby, banana, duck, ____. I can point to some pictures if you ask me to where they are: ball, duck, banana, dog, bubble, apple, strawberry, book, doll, blocks, shoes, tiger (“rar!”), star, milk, and puppy

-When I walk around (often without a destination or purpose, but purely for the sake of just walking), I rub my fingers and my thumbs together

-Mommy pointed at Wrigley, and asked me, “Who’s that?” I said, “Banana!”

-When Mommy tells me, “no no,” I look at her and repeat, “no no.”

-Since Mommy taught me to blow on my eggs when they are too hot, I held up every piece of egg for her to cool off the very next day, and then blew on them myself just to make sure!

-At my 18 month doctor appointment, I screamed bloody murder when the nurse attempted to measure my head circumference…and my length…and when the doctor looked in my ears…and nose…and mouth…and when she laid me down to check my diaper parts. Mommy told me that there was no shots at this visit, but I still remembered all the times this winter when I was there and got shots and they had to hold my legs down. Mommy had to fill out multiple questionnaires at this visit. My communication skills were age-appropriate, as in, age-appropriate for an 18 month old, not my adjusted age of 14 months! I blame Mommy for ‘therapy-ing’ me all day on speech and language stuff. My social/personal skills were borderline (but age-appropriate for my adjusted age), and my motor skills were still below (but also age-appropriate for my adjusted age). I weighed 20 pounds, seven ounces (6^th percentile), was 30.2 inches long (2^nd percentile), and my head measured 48 centimeters (67^th percentile). The doctor said that my head size has evened out a bit and is not growing as steeply on the curve. Horray!) At this rate, I’ll hopefully be able to wear the 18 month hats I own for the next year!

-When I visit Grandmommy and Grandaddy’s house at the pond, I walk around the kitchen and open all of the cabinets that don’t have child locks on them, and then walk right by the ones that do and say, “ah ah!”

-I’m a little bit southern when I say, “bye” and it comes out, “Baaaaah!” I’ll let everyone know when I’m leaving the room too: “Byeeee!” and when I’m returning: “Hah-eeeee!” Sometimes it comes out “Byes” or “Buh-bye”

-I can sing the first five notes of Baa Baa Black Sheep: “bah bah bae bae hae”

-New word: “more” (“moe-uh”) I request more food, more things, and more actions. I also say “more” when I’m hungry or thirsty, even if I haven’t had anything yet! Mommy says I sound a little demanding, with my tony pointing finger and my furrowed brow. So now we are working on saying, “More, please.” Since I can’t say ‘please’ yet, one time I tried, “Thank you” instead. Mommy said that will work for now. She did not, however, like when I repeatedly hit Wrigley in the face with my sippy cup while telling him, “More! More!” I thought he might be thirsty too!

-Another sentence: I brought Daddy a book and asked him to read it to me: “Dada book.”

-Mommy asked me one day at breakfast, “What’s this?” about a banana. I answered, “mine!”

-I’ve been using “Bup” to mean “Down” too, but sometimes I’ll repeat, “Dow”

-New word: “gentle” I say it or repeat it when I’m petting Wrigley nicely, usually right before I grab fistfuls of his fur and squeal!

-I ask to go “nai nai” for naps and at night. Sometimes I have to let them know to hurry up or I’ll lose it: “Mama nai nai!”

-I can follow some simple directions! (Do I sound like a speech pathologist’s son, or what?!). I know how to “Go get…” and “Put in…” and “Come here.” And “Put your hands up.”

-New words: “Mmm, good!”

-I ask, “What dat?” or more often just, “Dat?”

-Mommy and Daddy still have a picture of me on the refrigerator from when I was tiny and one day I pointed at it and said, “Baby!” (“bah-bee”)

-I watched T.V. for about five minutes this one time. There was a short cartoon-y music video on between shows, but I lost interest as soon as the actual show came on

-My last day of play gym class was August 21^st and I learned how to do a forward roll on the balance beam and a front flip over the uneven bars. The rings are still my favorite though. Daddy came to my last class and watched me play and exercise. I was so excited that he was there that I would participate for a few minutes and then randomly walk over to him really fast to give him a hug and say “Dada!” When I started play gym, I couldn’t even walk! That’s actually one of the reasons why Mommy started taking me (besides it being super fun!), to build strength and confidence to hopefully help with walking. I guess it worked!

-I had my second haircut. I chose to sit in the fire truck seat and held a toy train in one hand while eating animal crackers with the other (We went to a place that specializes in children’s haircuts until I learn that it’s not torture!)I didn’t cry or cream or wiggle at all (see all distractions listed above that obviously worked!), but I did jump a few times when the snipping got close to my ears. It was a really informative 10 minutes! The lady who cut my hair talked to Mommy the entire time and shared all sorts of information about what she thinks my hair will be like. She said that I will get more hair! She said that you shouldn’t be able to see scalp and that my hair will get thicker in the front (it’s normal at this age for the back to be thicker), and that my hairline on my forehead will be lower. She pointed out the line of peach fuzz on my forehead. She also said she’s not sure where my hair will part, since my front cowlick goes to the right and my back cowlick goes to the left. Sounds like a perfect combination for a Mohawk it you ask me!

-One of my new favorite games is called, “Take-everything-out-of-the-recycling-bin.”

-When I am super excited about something, I make this gravelly inhale noise that sounds like a lawnmower!

-New word: “pap” It means ‘pacifier.” When I try to say ‘paci’ it comes out, “papi” and then it got shortened to “pap.” So now I just say “pap.” And I can repeat “bye bye pap” when I leave it in my crib, or tell it “nai nai pap” I still like to hold all of my ‘paps’ when there is more than one in my crib

-When we were out past my bed time one night, I pulled out all of the stops to let Mommy and Daddy know I was ready to go home: pointing to the door, walking them to the door, “bye bye!” “Mama nai nai” “bye bye Dada”

-When I’m happy and I know it, I clap my hands and stomp my feet!

- I stayed a few hours with some of Mommy’s friends. It was the first time in over 18 months that I have stayed with someone other than Grandparents! (Not counting the four months in the NICU of course!) It was not the greatest experience, but it was definitely not the worst either

-New sentence: “Thank you, Dada.” (“dang-do dada”)

-So embarrassing: One day I was playing with my pajamas while walking around and got them stuck on my head covering my face. Instead of stopping to take them off, I kept walking while trying to pull them from my head and walked face first into the tower air purifier in the living room!

-Mommy handed me an empty fruit cup and told me to put it in the recycling bin. (She was trying to fix me dinner and I’ll admit that I was being less than pleasant, so she was distracting me). I took it right over to the bin, lifted the lid, and tossed it right in!

-I can push the stroller across the living room while the wheels are locked

-I give kisses with my mouth wide open. Or you could opt for me to blow you a kiss, because I give those too!

-Hats are still my mortal enemy! A walk around the lake takes about 20 minutes and I took my hat off at least 100 times. Mommy put it back on my head at least 101 times!

-Can repeat “Grandmommy” (“mom-mom-mee” or “gay-mom-mee”) and Grandma (“dam-ma”)

-I’m great at animal sounds! I know a sheep says, “baa” and a cow says, “moo” and a Grandmommy says, “ah ah!” J

-Daddy taught me to go, “aaaaah!” after I take a long drink

-I shake my head ‘no’ in response to questions like, “Want some…?” or “Want more…?” I’ve started to say “no” too

-I’m not such a great traveler anymore. I only nap for a maximum of two of the three hours that it takes to get to the Delaware pond house and then I’m fussy the rest of the time. Sometimes I even need Mommy to reach around and hold my hand for a little bit. She wiggles her fingers and then I squeeze her finger the same number of times that she wiggled

-I love watching YouTube videos! My favorite is the guy who sings the songs really slow and drawn out. And he’s from New Zealand like the kids in my other favorite video: “If You’re Happy and You Know It” Maybe I just like New Zealand accents!

-I know the animal sounds for a cow (“moo”) and a lion (“rar”), and can repeat “bark bark”, “quack quack” and “neigh.” I’m trying to make a pig and elephant noise too

-I have associated “nai nai” with getting to go upstairs and have my pacifier, so sometimes I tell Mommy “nai nai” just so I can have some time with my pacifier, not because I’m sleepy!

-Sometimes I bring Mommy a book and tell her, “Sit!”

-Most of the time I walk around the house just for the sake of walking! My favorite circuit is around the dining room table between the chairs, around and around and around. I also like to have my snack while walking. I’ll get a small cracker from Mommy and then take a lap in the table and check back in to get another cracker. I’ll eat my entire snack like this some days. Since I don’t have to keep my arms up in the air any longer for balance, I often swing them back and forth at my sides like I don’t know what to do with them!

-I can repeat “push” and “pull” when helping Mommy open doors and cabinets

-When I walk past things I’m not supposed to touch, I’ll say, “no no” or “ah ah” to remind myself. But it doesn’t always work!

-New word: “doggie”

-I love to give Wrigley his treats and will ask for “more” to give him

-Daddy and I hung out an entire day when Mommy started going back to work, and he taught me to beatbox. He said since Mommy had already covered the basics, like walking and talking, that he would teach me the cool stuff. Now, whenever he comes home or comes in the room, I ‘beat box’ at him (blow explosive raspberries with my lips a few times)

-Another day I stayed at my friend Avery’s house. I was fine at first and then started saying, “Mama, bye bye” on and off for two hours! It exhausted me because I ended up putting myself to sleep on a mattress, with my bottom up in the air

-I went to the water park right near my house for the first time. Mommy and I played on a pirate ship that sprayed water everywhere and rode down water slides together. We went in both the big lazy river together and in the kids’ lazy river in my own tube! I can’t wait to go back next summer

-I’m a big fan of hugs and walk over to someone and fall in their arms when they bend down and stretch their arms out. Sometimes, Mommy even gives me upside-down hugs!

-Both of my upper first molars have come in. Mommy didn’t even know until she saw them on a picture she took of my upper center teeth!

-New word: “shoes” Sometimes it’s just “shoe” or “too.” I bring my flip flops to Mommy or Daddy, or bring them their shoes, and let them know, “shoes!”

-I’m working on finding my nose and ears when someone asks. I already know hair, feet, and bellybutton

-I like to sit in the small space between the sofa and fireplace. I have to turn around and back in bottom first and then slide down the wall into a sitting position

-New word: “poopie” I pointed at Wrigley when we were talking him potty and pointed at Wrigley when he was ‘going’ and announced, “poopie!” I also repeat “poop” or “poopie” when I have a dirty diaper

-The first day Mommy went back to work, I missed her so much! That night, I took a nap on her chest, which I haven’t done in a really long time. I looked up at her, told her, “Mama,” and patted her chest. She said she might quit her job if I keep doing that

-I sing the “Row row row” part, and Mommy sings the, “your boat!” part. Then I repeat it at least 30 times

-I wiggle my fingers together when we sing, “Itsy Bitsy Spider”

-New word: “Puffs” and another sentence: “More Puffs” (“moe puh”)

-I knew to clap my hands and stomp my feet the very first time we read, “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush.” I think it’s because I watch the “If You’re Happy and You Know It” song all.the.time

-I can say the “k” sound pretty well, and say ‘book’ and ‘cracker’ and ‘car’ and…

-New word: “cookie” It sounds like “khaki” though. And I emphasize the first “k” sound so it sounds like I’m making static in my throat! “kkkkkhaki”

-I had a run-in with the shoe basket and rocked a slight black eye for a few days this month

-I’ve been practicing with a regular sippy cup recently (not a straw one), and am getting pretty good. I’m still confused at first about whether to tip the cup backwards or keep it upright to use the straw, but I catch on pretty quick

-I can blow bubbles myself!!!

-Mommy read in her baby book that she used to put clothes or pajamas on her head or around her shoulders and walk around with them like that, just like me!

-I can walk on my tip toes if I want, and I’m getting faster and faster, but not running yet

-New word: “toy” or “toys”

- I woke up really early and had to take a nap in the rocking chair with Mommy. I told her, “Nai nai, Mommy” and then put my paci in my mouth
-I started ‘school.’ Mommy doesn’t like to call it daycare, so she calls it school instead. My first day wasn’t so great and I cried all day! I only slept 45 minutes at naptime, and they had to take me on a walk around the lobby so I wouldn’t wake up the other children. I kept telling the teachers, “Bye bye!” and taking their fingers and pulling them to the door, but it didn’t work. I was a good eater, and then even let me feed myself with a spoon (which Mommy and I haven’t practiced enough to just let me have a bowl full of yogurt!) Needless to say, I was covered with yogurt from head to toe, and I literally mean it was on my shoes and my hair was crunchy because the first thing I did was get a big spoonful of yogurt and put it right on top of my head! When I saw Mommy at pick-up time, I burst into tears. Each day since then has gotten better and better, but I still cry when Mommy leaves, and when I wake up from my nap, it just doesn’t last as long anymore. The second day, I was covered in applesauce, and the third day it was paint. Notice a pattern here??