18 months old!

Today Charlotte is 18 months old. She is growing so much, and turning into a real little person. I know I say it often, but time has flown by. I can't believe that only 18 months ago I was lying in a hospital bed, marvelling at this creature that had appeared. Then we had the struggles with feeding, and sleeping, but she was always so perfect. I loved to look at her eyelashes when I was feeding her. They were so fine and tiny and yet so perfect. I can't describe the depth of feeling that I have for her today. Every time I look at Charlotte I think how beautiful she is, and wonder how we created this angel.

Pity she isn't angelic all the time though. She is also mischievous and cheeky. Her latest trick is to push her little chair wherever she wants to get to and then either climb up or reach for what she wants. We have already moved everything off the hall table, and are trying to keep the kitchen bench clear. Today there has been a bit of time in the naughty corner as we have had to try and stop her grabbing things off the kitchen bench (like glasses, knives, hot pots). We are also still not sleeping. We had been able to wean her off the dummy, but with the start of daycare we have gone back to using it. Her bottom molars are coming through which certainly isn't helping with the sleeping.

I measured Charlotte this evening and she is 84 cm tall, and weighs 13.2 kg. She is wearing size 1/2 clothes and today we went up a nappy size. She has 10 teeth and is currently working on her bottom molars.

This last week it feels like a switch has been turned on and her language and skills have exploded. In addition to the chair pushing, she has started to do imaginative play. Yesterday she patted a baby doll, put it to bed, gave it a dummy and tucked it in. So cute to watch. She can now also say baby, as well as dummy, no, me, more, door, bird, truck, grape (I think), cat, ummm (I'm counting that as a word), see ya as well as a few more I can't quite remember. We are definitely seeing a new word everyday which is very exciting.

Charlotte's emotional development is also changing rapidly. She has become a bit of a hugger, and likes to give us hugs. She will pat your back at the same time. If I say "I love you" to her she will come and give me a kiss, and I swear once she said I love you back. This week at mothers group I saw a whole new dimension to her. The girls were playing up the corridor and I called them back. Charlotte looked at them, then walked over and put her arm around one of them as if to walk them back where they should be. I was so touched, and I hope shows that she will be concerned for others.

In only a few months Charlotte will be turning 2. We have so much to look forward to with her, and I can't wait.