Nineteen Months

Nineteen months today...sometimes it's hard to believe...

This month has brought a few interesting accomplishments and challenges in Punky's little life.  It's so amazing how much she changes month to month.

If she could say so, Punky would probably report her crowning achievement for the month is learning how to do a somersault all by herself.  It's so cute how she learned to push off with those muscular little legs and make it all the way over without falling on her side.  Of course, this new talent has brought some new boo-boos along with it...

She doesn't quite get the concept of where it's appropriate to roll, like in the middle of the carpeted floor with no toys, furniture, or people blocking the path.  She's landed on hard toys, cracked various limbs on chairs and table legs, and even kicked me square in head head once.  The other day I stepped into her room in the nick of time to stop her from tumbling right off the edge of the bed.  She even attempted it in the stone-filled driveway.   

She had her first introduction to toddler training toothpaste this month and certainly likes the fruity taste.  I know it's safe to swallow but I still don't think it's something we need to be using every day at this point.  All she wants to do is suck on the brush making it even more difficult for me to actually brush her pearly whites.  And lord knows that's challenging enough the way it is.

Speaking of teeth, she now has 4 molars, one on each side top and bottom.  Her top eye teeth are coming in and she seems to be having some discomfort.  I was a bit worried about one of her bottom front teeth but it finally broke through a few days ago.  The two center ones came in fine along with the one just to the left of them, but the one to the right certainly took its own sweet time.  I feared it would be missing...forever.

Due to the wonderful world of genetics, I was blessed with a family curse from my dad's side.  When some of my baby molars fell out, I had no second teeth to replace them.  They simply didn't exist.  Over the years, my wisdom teeth came in and pushed everything forward to fill in most of the gaps.  Not many people my age still have their wisdom teeth but I'm thankful for mine.  I was afraid Punky's missing front tooth simply didn't exist, but thankfully it finally decided to show itself.  

Punky developed a new fascination this month: Elmo.  She's totally captivated and borderline obsessed with that red, shaggy, little monster.  Head over heels puppet love.  Last time we went shopping I bought her some Elmo's World DVD's.  Now she asks to watch one almost every night and lately I've been caving. 

I really don't like the idea of her watching a lot of TV; yet, at the same time, I've had so much to do these last few weeks and Elmo buys me 30-45 minutes to get shit done.  It's about the only show she will actually watch in its entirety.  I try to justify it by focusing on the educational content, and there's no doubt she's learning, but I still feel guilty when I turn my parenting duties over to Elmo...even if it is only for a half hour.

We are still struggling with some of the same behavior issues as last month.  Thus far, we have been unsuccessful at breaking the hitting habit.  We've tried every approach we can think of yet she still takes a swing now and then.  Sigh.  Right now we are back to ignoring it.  The thought is that once she realizes she's not going to get a rise out of us, she'll simply quit doing it.  We tried this method already but eventually cracked.  It's damn hard sometimes to hold it in and not react in any way, especially at the end of a very long, exhausting day.  Hopefully we can maintain our composure long enough for it to work this time.  I am convinced she knows it's wrong and does it solely for our attention/reaction.  So, the psycological battle will continue...

Playing outside still tops her list of favorite things to do.  And lord knows our yard has turned into her own personal plastic playground, but that is a topic worthy of its own post down the road.  Rocks and sticks are still nature's best toys.  Give her two sticks and she'll spend hours drumming on every object she sees.  I know she loves music, but I hope this isn't an indication that a drum set is in her future.  A sidenote to Punky's well-meaning relatives: if anyone gets a hankering to buy her one, you are warned in advance it will remain at your house for her amusement while she visits.

Letters have almost become old hat for her now.  I think she's getting bored with me even asking her what they are at this point.  I suppose we can start working on words, but I am moving on to numbers for the time being.  She learns so quickly and I want to make sure she has every opportunity to do so.

I swear she grew another inch this month. Still skinny as a rake though, but she continues to eat like a horse.  She decided she likes peas again.  Well, maybe likes is pushing it, but she doesn't refuse a few spoonfuls now and then.  Fresh fruit, cheese, and crackers top her list of favorites this month.  And I can't forget chicken nuggets, a staple of children everywhere.  She would eat them every day if we'd let her.

One more month of summer remains.  We'll see what adventures she can have as it ultimately flies by like the other months before it.  She'll be two before we know it.  It's terrible how fast time passes.  I wish I could slow it down a bit.