A very late 15-month baby book entry

Sorry Sam, Mommy's pregnancy brain is throwing her off a bit. Even going to your 15-month well-baby check didn't alert me to do your post. You can go ahead and blame your sibling. I'm sure you will start doing that soon enough, why not go ahead and get into the habit now?

Let's see, the reason I was reminded to write this at all was because you finally started saying "MAMAMAMAMAMAMAMA!" So there is a God after all! Huh! Because the way you were talking up your dad had me a little confused at first... like, did he labor with you for 23.5 hours and then pop you out, put the most sensitive part of his body out there for you to gnaw your wicked-hard gums on, clean up your really sick diapers once you started on solids, take you to playdates and on errands and to the pool, diffuse your tantrums, hold your hands and calm you down after your shots, or talk to you nonstop during your every waking hour? Because the thing is, I sort of remember doing all of that. I think DADA was at work or in the field or probably on vacation somewhere. So yes, FINALLY hearing MAMA is like getting a big ol' high five from you. Thanks.

Stats-wise, you are now 22.1 pounds. The doctor said you looked orange to him, and I said that it could be because you eat carrots for breakfast every morning and sometimes have sweet potatoes as a side for lunch or dinner. So recently we have cut out the orange parts of your diet in hopes that you will return to a normal human skin tone. Being your mother, I did not see what the doctor was talking about. I mean, since you have orange hair, I think you have an overall orange tinge to you, but he is worried about liver function and whatnot, so we will have to see if you come back down to peach soon. Otherwise we will have to go get stuck with a needle, and I look forward to that about as much as you look forward to fingernail clipping and hair cuts.

I have no clue how long you are, as you squirmed and screamed during that whole procedure like the nurse was attempting to rip your leg off. Same for your head circumference. I'm sure you're fine though.

You've got six teeth now; three on the bottom and three on the top. I have a feeling from your frequent nighttime wakings lately that we are fixing to see a few more pop on through, and I'm honestly thrilled, and hope that they are molars because it can't be that great to chew all of your food with those six front teeth, chipmunk-style.

You enjoy pointing at every light, whether it's on or not. You like "helping" me vacuum, by holding the cord for me. If you hear a horn honk, you try to imitate it. (So cute.) You are getting the hang of high fives, you look to the back door if I mention Odie or Marci, and you clap for yourself after you fart. (You may or may not have picked up this trait from your dear mother. I find your toots so adorable and funny and they always seem to catch you by surprise, which only adds to the hilarity of them.)

You still like books, but we have found that we have to keep the books with "real" pages out of reach now, as you enjoy destroying them more than reading them. You are limited to cardboard books only for your solo reading time. When we read to you though, you are very helpful with turning the pages for us. Such a relief that I don't have to turn all six pages myself anymore. Thank you.

You are definitely allergic to peanuts, as we discovered on New Year's Eve, and still react to gluten. We've yet to try eggs or any other food that could pose a potential allergy or reaction. Although we did try strawberries again yesterday and I didn't see a reaction, so I think you might have grown out of that one. Whew.

Your most-used phrase is now "UH-OH" and it holds a variety of meanings for you. Uh-oh, you dropped a Cheerio (totally on purpose). Uh-oh, you just pooped your pants. Uh-oh, you pulled all of my clean dish towels out of that drawer in the kitchen. Uh-oh, you knocked that car underneath the couch (on purpose, as you find it hilarious to see me lie on the floor and attempt to fetch it for you). Uh-oh, you are all out of bananas. Uh-oh, you peed in the tub. Uh-oh, you just drank your dirty tub water.
 I will admit though that it is very cute coming from you. Now if anyone else in this house tried to smile and get away with peeing in the tub or pooping their pants or mutilating the kitchen, a quick "uh-oh" would not suffice. You are lucky you're so darn cute.

You are wearing size 12 month and 18 month clothing. I finally weeded your closet yesterday and you basically have five outfits left. And now that these cloth diapers are giving you quite the bubble butt, I am thinking that you will be in size 24 month pants in no time at all. Looks like we will get to go shopping for you soon!

You took your first steps. Finally. You still haven't walked in front of your daddy, but I think that has something to do with his lack of enthusiastic clapping and cheering and screaming when you stand up and look ready to go. I keep reminding him of your appreciation of such encouragement, but apparently, that advice has not been taken yet. You prefer to hold onto our hands to walk around still, but if I set you a few feet in front of me and scoot back, you will walk to me and fall into my arms. As much as I love seeing you walk and progress in the gross motor development department, I am not at all anxious for you to have the urge to walk everywhere, all the time.

I think that's about it, kiddo. You're great. A little bit of a handful at the end of the day when Daddy hasn't quite made it home, but I enjoy being here to see your smiles and laughs. I love you and will hopefully be more on top of things when it comes time to recap your first 18 months.