Kellen Boy at 18 months!

This week Kellen had his 18 month check-up and we were all very curious to see how much he had grown and where his stats were going to be. Since he was 3 months old he has always been right at the 98% or off the charts for both weight and length. But in the last 6 months his growth has Really slowed down (which his mother is VERY appreciative for, seeing as carrying him around is already quite a chore!!)

At 18 months Kellen checked in at:

Height: 34 1/4 inches (92%)

Weight: 28lbs 7 oz (85%)

Our son is finally ON the charts. And as I said, I am very grateful that his gaining weight has plateaued a bit. I really don't think I could keep hauling him around if he was too much heavier. I am already trying to train him to walk when we are out and about a lot more, seeing as in 3 more months carrying him And baby Conner wouldn't really work too well. And he is actually a very good boy walking around and does a great job holding my hand (much different from his sissy in that regard) so I have faith that at least that part of the baby transition will go well.
Kellen really has grown up so much in these last 6 months. Not only does he now Look like a little boy and a toddler and not nearly as much like a baby, but he is also acting so much older. Here is some of what is going on with Kellen and what he has learned to do in the last 6 months:

-He is a Great talker. He has always (Always) been a chatty boy, and now he is always rambling on about something. He says more words than I can keep track of these days.

-He is starting to string words together into simple sentences. He regularly say 2 and 3 word sentences and just the other day said "Where da ball go?" which was his first 4 word sentence!!

-No is his Favorite thing to say. He will say "No" to just about any question you ask him, whether he really means No or not. Most of the time the way he says it though is quite cute and doesn't sound like that typical, bratty sounding 2 year old "NO!"

-Though he loves to say No, Kellen does have great manners for an 18 month old. He will say "please", "thank you" and "sorry"

-Time outs have officially started with Kellen. We have only needed to use them a few times, but he actually understands what a time out is and stays in the corner very well when put there. I wouldn't have started it so soon, but he seemed to get the whole concept so why the heck not.

-Kellen LOVES to play outside and these days his favorite activities are blowing bubbles or swinging.

-He and Makenna usually fight most of the morning and then get along great from about lunch time on. At night they are usually very active and loud together and love to rough house with each other, especially after getting out of the bath for some reason.

-Kellen has become totally attached to a little toy Mickey cell phone (which he calls his rara) and a small hard back Dr. Seuss book that he carries with him Everywhere.

-We have been binky free for a few months now and though the weaning went well his sleeping schedule has never been the same. He now wakes up at 6:30 every morning and rarely naps for longer than 1 1/2 hours when he used to take 2 1/2 hour naps. We are still hoping he will adjust back to his old schedule before his little brother gets here.

-Though Kellen is nursery age and enjoys playing in the nursery, he has no desire to be in there without Daddy or Mommy. It will take a little while until he is ready to be left alone in there for 2 hours.

-Kellen still won't watch a lick of t.v. He does seem to enjoy Elmo toys and books and what not, he has no desire to see him, or anything for that matter on t.v. I know this is probably a good thing, but it would be nice to be able to get a 20 minute break every once in awhile :)

-It is almost impossible to keep shoes on this kid for more than 10 minutes at a time.

-Kellen loves to dance and sing. He often times sings to himself and will be singing while we drive in the car or when he is supposed to be sleeping. And he and Makenna have frequent dance parties together. They love to shake their bum!

-He loves to find bugs outside and say "Eeeewwww!" and point them out to his sissy and me.

-Any time he makes a mess or does something he shouldn't do he will come and find me and tell me "uh-oh" and show me what he did. At least he is honest about it.

Kellen really is a lot of fun these days. He can be a very emotional child at times, and is definitely much more needy of his Mama's love and attention than his sissy ever was. This is both flattering and exhausting at the same time. But recently he seems to be doing a bit better with both of those things. Kellen has the sweetest heart. He really is such a good natured boy. You can tell that he really does not have a mean bone in his body. He is much more a lover than a fighter and is just such a little cuddle bug. He has really made having a son and having a little boy in the house such a great thing. I love the boy attitude he brings to things and seeing him grow into being such a little man.
We love you so much Kellen!