18 month checkup

Payton had her 18 month check up today. Garrett is at school, so it was just her and I. She, being little miss Independent, insisted on carrying her water and walking all over the Dr's office. She got on the scale, like a big girl (23.6 pounds 50%), but cried when we laid her down to measure her (32 3/4 inches 50%). The rest of the appointment she did great. Said very still when the Dr examined her (on my lap). He determined that she's advanced, physically, for her age, but behind, verbally, for her age. It is true that second children tend to talk slower then the first, but at 18 months, the minimum is 7 words, she says 5. He did a simple hearing test and asked me a bunch of questions. We do not feel it is a hearing or cognitive issue, she hears just fine and follows commands as well as can be expected. She does "talk" a lot, we just can't understand her. He said it'll be time to be really concerned when she's closer to 2.5, for now, we just continue to try and get her to use her words. He did say that going to MDO starting next week may help her. She will be the second youngest in her class, and I was floored by how some of the kids were talking. He said when she sees and hears her peers talking, she'll most likely start talking more too.

Everything else was perfectly fine, he does want to me to cut back on her milk consumption a bit, and try and encourage her to eat more for breakfast (not sure how I do that, lol). But, he said at this age it's pretty normal for them to eat one good meal and 2 not so good. She probably does 2 good and one very bad, so he said over the course of the day, she's probably just fine.

He also said, that she is not too early for time out and when her little temper starts flaring up, I should put her in time out.

She did get one shot and she let everyone in the office know she wasn't happy about it. Poor thing started crying as soon as I set her on the table, she must remember that's what happens up there. She only got one, but she screamed, hard. I still say it's harder for me the older they get. She just looked at me with this pure terror in her eyes. And then hugged me so tight, and she's not a hugger, so that made me sad. She whimpered until the nurse opened the door, then took off. She wasn't giving us a chance to reconsider and give her any more.

But, no more until 2 years. Oh, expect for the flu shot.........