The Journey of Parenthood…

Kye is 18 Months Old!

18 months old…are you kidding me?!?! I can’t get over it!

milestones and development at 18 months old

Here’s what Kye looked like a year ago…this is one of my favorite Kye pictures ever 🙂

I took the pictures for this month’s post over at Mrs. Charlotte’s one night and I used this outfit because it just now fits him but it’s kinda summery so I don’t think he’ll be able to wear it much 🙁

The ONLY way to get him to let me take pics was to let him have this stinkin’ tractor. Ugh!

Anyway here is the rundown on where Kye’s at compared to What to Expect the Toddler Years considers the “norm.”

love this face 😉

all he wanted to do was ride the golf cart

Kye can do everything an 18 month old “should be able to do,” “will probably be able to do,” and “may possibly be able to do” including:

  • use 3 words
  • point to a desired object
  • run
  • use a spoon/fork but not exclusively
  • point to 1 body part when asked
  • kick a ball forward
  • follow a 2-step command without gestures

He can do 1 of the things an 18 month old “may even be able to do” but needs work on the other one.

He can identify 1 picture by naming but doesn’t quite use 50+ single words (the count on the last entry was 44 so he’s close!).

always running away!

Here is what’s going on with Kye’s emotional development at this age:

He demonstrates a variety of emotions and behaviors, including pleasure, anger, warmth, assertiveness, and curiosity.

They understand a few limits, are able to play and explore away from parents, enjoy personal affection.

for this photo shoot the tractor was my friend 🙂

Here’s the intellectual development at this age: Children are able to communicated their wishes (FINALLY!) and their intentions and are beginning the imitative and symbolic use of toys.

“up plane! up plane!”

Part of this chapter discusses when to have another child! I found this interesting:

The experts aren’t unanimous, but most suggest that less than 18 months between pregnancies is stressful to the mother’s body and may rob the older child of the chance to be the baby of the family for a sufficient period.

Others believe that a two-and-a-half to three-year gap between children is ideal b/c it’s long enough to allow adequate time for number one child to be number one but not so long that the parents feel out of the baby “loop” when number two arrives.

These are my thoughts EXACTLY 🙂

Other things discussed in this chapter that didn’t really apply to me (or Kye) included:

impatience issues, telephone interference issues, interfering with visitors, napping problems, early rising problems, bedtime rebellion, day car separation, mealtime restlessness, mealtime entertainment issues, car seat struggles, stroller struggles, shampoo struggles, jealousy, and or delayed walking.

Man! I know Kye isn’t perfect (as no child is) and I know I’m not the perfect parent either (duh!) but reading through this chapter made me kinda feel like Kye is the IDEAL child.

I honestly feel like starting Babywise with him so young is the reason we’ve avoided so many of these common toddler issues.

I love the Drake Elms in their yard (considering getting one for the new house?)

I only read over one section in this chapter…and it was about resistance to hand washing…only because I don’t wash Kye’s hands..

.I’ve done it like once or twice and he enjoyed it both times but I just didn’t even think about it. Oops!

Guess I’d better start having him do that before meals huh?

 I LOVE this!

The biggest topic in this chapter was about tv watching for toddlers.

We all know I’m anti-tv. Kye has video time each day and watches his Your Baby Can Read videos.

They are just words flashed on the screen with the pictures and some basic knowledge of the words meaning.

If he does watch anything else it’s only Disney movies and that’s only when we are in the car on trips.

I know they aren’t educational. But bottom line is I LOVE them and I LOVE Disney World and I want my kids to LOVE Disney as much as I do 🙂

He will also occasionally watch some sporting events with Zach and I think that’s fine for “guy bonding time” but he isn’t very interested in it yet. 

The stats on TV watching in toddlers is scary. Kids between the ages of 2-5 watch an average of more than 25 HOURS of tv a WEEK. WOW.

Some even watch tv 5+ hours a DAY. That’s scary!

By high school graduation the average American child will have spent 15,000 hours (almost 2 solid YEARS night and day) in front of the TV – a full 4,000 more hours than he or she will have spent in a classroom.

C’mon people.

Life is TOO short to spend it living in front of a tv!!! I know at some point shows will be popular at school and Kye will want to watch them.

I don’t want to ruin my kids social life so I’m sure we’ll allow him to watch some things, but it won’t be many!

I highly doubt any of our children will watch TV.

I just feel too strongly that it’s not the right thing for a kid to be doing. It even encourages me to chill out on my tv time (which is only 1-3 hours a day but still that’s kinda a LOT!).

Emily Parker
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