Eleanor at 16 Months

As of this morning, Eleanor now weighs 19 lbs 13.6oz (25%), has a head circumference of 17 3/4" (25%) and is 32" tall (75%). Shes just had a huge growth spurt, putting on an even amount of growth in all 3 categories. I guess it makes sense now why we've finally had to switch her over to 18 month clothing! She also has a new molar and canine coming in, and the rest are not far behind. 

Her level of comprehension just astounds me lately. I do not remember Will displaying quite this level of understanding, this early on. One example of this happened the other night. We were sitting around the dinner table and Will asked if he and Nora could go play in the garage after dinner (one of their favorite pastimes. They ride bikes and check out Michael's tools while he putters around and supervises them and I get down time). Michael told him that he had to finish his dinner, and then put on his jacket and then he could go into the garage. Nora then signaled that she was "all done" with dinner and so we set her on the floor. She came walking back a few seconds later, holding both her and Will's jackets, and stood by the door to the garage until Will was finished with his dinner.

Another example is when she will go into her room and grab the wubanub pacifiers out of her crib and bring them downstairs (something she knows very well that she is not allowed to do). If I tell her, "Nora, you are not allowed to have those downstairs. Pleas go put them back into your crib!" She will turn around, climb the staircase, and put them right back into her crib! Amazing! After both kids are up from their nap, I offer them each a Mum Mum (rice rusk) and tell them its "time for a baby snack." Nora in particular will come toddling over as fast as she can to get her snack.

Lately she is also very into helping around the house. She has started helping pick up toys when its time to clean up. She even puts them into the right baskets! When I'm done getting something out of the fridge, I will ask her to help me close the door and she very proudly does. She also helps me to close the door to the dishwasher as well when I am finished loading it.

Ever since Will was two, he has had this obsession with sniffing the feet of his polar fleece, footie pajamas. They have become the ultimate comfort item and if he is sleeping, or feeling sick, he needs to cuddle with those pjs and sniff their feet. Nora has apparently noticed this proclivity of his because now she has started doing it. She mainly tries to steal Will's pjs at every opportunity, but if his are unavailable for any reason, she will grab her own fleece footies and get a few good sniffs in. Its just the funniest thing I have ever seen. I would have never guessed that both kids would be doing such an oddball thing!

Shes a very determined little thing. If there is a skill that she sees other kids mastering and she decides that she wants to do it too, she will practice over and over and over again until she too masters it. One example of this happened when we were at the park the other day. There was this little arched bridge that connected one piece of playground equipment to another. She had a hard time with the steepness of the incline as well as the downhill portion. But then she watched as another kid her age was able to walk across the bridge no problem. After that she spent nearly an hour practicing walking across that bridge until she could not only do it standing up, but without having to hold onto the rails as well. At the end she was exhausted but so proud of herself!

She desperately wants to use utensils but so far lacks the dexterity to use them (though she is getting better and better at it every day). So her favorite thing to do is eat dinner while firmly grasping a fork, but eat the food with her other hand. She is so enamored with the idea of eating off of a fork, that she will eat anything that you put on the end of it. So if she is turning her nose up at something on her tray, I just spear it to the end of the fork and voila! Into her mouth it goes!  She is still a very good dinner eater (eats easily twice the amount that Will does at every meal) so the fork is just one more way I can encourage her to try new foods and finish her meals.


She loves to eat bananas and will reach and beg for one if she sees anyone eating one. She regularly steals all or half of my bananas and if I ask her if she wants one, she will come running to get it. The funny thing is that just a few months ago, she hated them and would turn her nose up at it every time. Now she regularly devours whole bananas. Go figure!






I am enjoying her right so much right now. This is just the cutest age. She is developing and changing into a kid right in front of my very eyes, every day gaining more independence and competence. She is sweet and cuddly and loves to sit in my lap and be held. I didn't really get to appreciate this stage when Will was this age, because #1 he was a lot more challenging behaviorally, and #2, I was pregnant and super miserable and couldn't do much else besides sit on a couch and moan. So I feel grateful that I am not pregnant and miserable and that she is such a delight to have around 99% of the time. I have a feeling that this last year of her being a 'baby' is going to go by all too fast and she will be a big kid before I know it. She already thinks she is one! I am determined to enjoy every moment!