February was both an eventful month, and a kind of quiet month. Daddy was traveling a good chunk
of the month - this time to Germany and Copenhagen. He called a lot, so at least I got to talk to
him on the phone. I learned a lot of words this month, too. I have quite a list going! Mommy and
Daddy are trying to keep a list updated, so one day in March I'll try to publish a list of the
words I can say. This was also the month of my 1 1/2 year birthday, and accompanying doctor visit.
For all those stats-junkies out there, here goes:
Max's vitals at 18 months --
Weight: 29 pounds 9 ounces (90th percentile)
Height: 32 1/4" (50th percentile)
Head Circumference: 52.1 cm (>>97th percentile)
No matter how cold it gets outside, I am always up for playing in the snow -- at least that's what I think until after I get out there. Actually, I am very rarely the one who wants to come inside (it's usually Mommy, frankly - she's a wussy in the cold).
Here are a couple of pics of me trying to convince Mommy to let me outside. In the second, I think you can actually see my brain working, traying to figure out what argument will work best. If I wear Daddy's big snow shoveling mittens, there's no way I will be cold!
Playing cards are fun! I haven't quite gotten the hang of Gin Rummy, or even Go Fish yet, but holding them, dropping them, putting them in the box (or in my highchair), etc - these are card games I can enjoy for hours!
Watching the Super Bowl together as a family has become a tradition. (See 2005's Super Bowl blog.) This year we had a picnic in the basement, ate junk food, and watched the game. Frankly, the game was kind of boring, so after a while I got distracted by sudoku puzzles. Even though I don't really like watching football, and even though this year's commercials weren't the funniest they've ever been, it was still fun to have a special picnic and spend the evening with Mommy and Daddy, taking part in an American cultural experience.
Do you like my package? Actually, this is the box Mommy's birthday present came in. It was a metal box with styrofoam in it, and I really enjoyed opening and closing the box, pulling out the foam, and cramming it back in. For Mommy's birthday, Daddy made a special breakfast, including grits, which is something Mommy really misses from her years living in the South. I don't see what the hoo-hah is all about, as I found grits decidedly disgusting. No accounting for taste, I guess. Anyway, you may ask why I'm naked in this picture. I have settled in to a bit of a routine in which I get some naked (I call it "nay-nay") time before getting into my pajamas every evening. It's been helping with my diaper rash, which Dr. Daniels informed us officially called "Minnesota Chapped Butt," in medical circles.
Daddy wanted to go to the Children's Museum to do something special before he left town for two weeks, so we went to the Children's Museum today. I always have fun there, and today was no different. The first picture is taken through a window in the Habitot. The window overlooks the atrium a couple of stories down, where there was a show going on. I like to watch the big fish floating (swimming?) over the crowds. The second picture is me in Earth World, playing in the stream. Do you like the neat apron I'm wearing? I wore this so I wouldn't get wet. I still got a little wet, though, so I learned how to use the wall-mounted, motion-activated blow dryer to dry off. That alone was worth the price of admission. The third picture here is also in Earth World. I was climbing up the slide on the beaver dam. Even though there were a lot of bigger kids running through this area, I still was able to climb into the dam myself, and I went down the slide a couple of times. The fourth picture is in an area of the museum where they have different places that people work. I was pretending that I worked in a boulder distribution center, and I was moving boulders up the conveyor belt so they could be put on the truck to be delivered elsewhere. What a fun day!
Mommy thought I might like to take on some more sophisticated art projects than my usual scribbling on the MagnaDoodle or on paper. She cut some pieces of construction paper for me, and provided me with a glue stick. I liked sticking the paper together, but I couldn't quite get the hang of applying the glue. I did like putting my fingers in the glue, dropping the glue onto the floor, and tasting the glue. My favorite part of the art project, though, was when I figured out how to tear it apart. There's something truly satisfying about demolishing the art that you have created. Call me, "Destructo!"
Since Daddy was gone for two whole weeks, and Mommy was not feeling well, she really needed some help keeping me occupied. Two days this week she invited friends over for me to play with. On Monday, Mrs. Kenney and Harper came over. You can see the picture of Mrs. Kenney reading to us. On Wednesday, Mrs. Oliver and Eli came by for a visit. One of the fun games we played was wearing our Mommy's sunglasses. As you can see, Eli's mommy has more stylish shades than Mommy does. I still must admit, I look darn good!
I got a new chair today. It's cool! I can climb in all by myself, and it's comfy, cushy for reading, or whatever. Mommy took a picture of me reading The Lorax, which didn't last long. I still have very little patience for Dr. Suess. I do love climbing in and out of my chair, though. If only Mommy and Daddy can find somewhere to put it besides the middle of the living room....