Etta at 22 Months Physical Development: This month Etta learned several things: how to kick a ball with precision, how to throw a ball at a target (like into a bucket), and how to catch a large ball tossed to her. She also began scaling the stairs upright, holding onto the new rail installed at her level. Unfortunately her fear of heights prevents her from going down the stairs, even by crawling backwards the way many toddlers do. She must be carried down the stairs, and she clings for dear life until you�re at the bottom. She learned how to blow, first by blowing at a bubble wand, and then by blowing at a pinwheel. She�s all set for her 2nd birthday, ready to blow out those two candles. Once Etta�s new baby sister arrived, Etta suddenly looked like a giant to us. But we noticed that her size 4 diapers were getting snug, and the last of her 2T size clothes were barely covering her. Out of curiosity, Daddy put Etta on the scale and she weighed in at a whopping 30 pounds. In 3 months she�d gained 5 pounds! I attribute it to her love of cheese, and Daddy�s indulgence of her constant begging for it. I suspect that sometimes she uses the word "chee" simply to say she�s hungry, not that she wants only cheese. It�s just the only food word that she has. Language Development: Etta did not acquire any new words this month. She does manage to communicate, however. One evening when Daddy was putting her to bed for the night, he tucked her into her crib after the bottle and stories. Etta settled right down under the covers, then as Daddy leaned down to kiss her good-night, she looked up seriously at him, pointed to her teeth, and said, "Uh-oh." Daddy had forgotten to take her to the bathroom to brush her teeth, and she was reminding him! Eating: Besides cheese, her diet consists mostly of pasta, rice, cereals, and fruit. Her tolerance of vegetables has diminished to only one selection: green beans. She continues to do well with meat, such as chicken, steak, and turkey. She has two 10 ounce milk bottles a day, although Daddy will often slip her a third if he�s in charge. New foods tried this month: Fresh plums, grapes Other Events: This is the month that Etta�s life changed forever: her newborn sister arrived. Etta did very well in the care of others, namely her Grammy and her Uncle Buck and Aunt Barbara. Because of several failed labor induction attempts, Etta had several days of saying "good-bye" to Mommy and then seeing her again the next morning to prepare her for the eventual 48 hour separation. Etta did not come to the hospital to see her new sister, as Mommy and baby came home so soon after the birth (24 hour discharge). When Mommy and Daddy and the baby came home from the hospital, Etta was waiting outside with Uncle Buck and Aunt Barbara. Mommy got out of the van and went to Etta to greet her first. Then Daddy brought the baby from the car and put her down in her carseat on the porch next to Etta and Mommy. Etta was very excited to see the baby, and called her "tee-tee," her word for baby. In the week that followed, Etta was very good around the baby. There were no signs of jealousy, but rather the baby had to be shielded from Etta�s affection. Etta wanted to share her toys with the baby, and often tossed a stuffed toy or soft ball into the baby carriage. She loved to climb up on the side of the carriage and peer in at the sleeping baby, patting her on the back gently. Etta was also very good about bringing things to the baby that she knew belonged to the baby, such as the baby�s blanket or hat. When Etta observed the baby breastfeeding she came up and patted my other breast, then said "ba-ba" (bottle) and ran to the refrigerator, asking for a bottle for herself. I was curious if Etta would remember nursing, as she was weaned just 4 months previously, but she showed no interest in trying it again. I would have let her try it if she�d insisted. She seemed to know that the baby got milk from Mommy�s breasts, but she got milk from the bottle now. Another event this month was Etta�s surge of naughty behaviors. She also developed a humorous reaction to being told "no": she shrugs her shoulders and grins impishly as if to say, "sorry, I just can�t help myself!" Sometimes she does naughty things on purpose, making sure you are watching as she tries to tip over the diaper pail or pull books from a shelf. Other times, when her curiosity is compelling her to do something naughty but she doesn�t want to be observed, she�ll simply turn her back to you or sneak into the other room to do her work, hoping you won�t notice and therefore won�t interrupt her. Someone taught Etta how to "high-five," so now Etta thinks that slapping is acceptable. I�m trying to erase that behavior quickly. Then she encountered a chalk board at the Pediatrician�s office, so naturally coloring on the walls at home with her crayons seemed acceptable, too. She is so impressionable, yet not old enough to differentiate between good and bad when they are so similar. |