+ Big girl +
You had a fun-filled weekend, though you were certainly very cantankerous much of the time. This morning you peed on the potty again! Yay! The secret to these beginning stages is that I must get to you AS you wake up, not after. If I can pick you up and take you to the potty immediately, you stand a better chance of actually peeing on it.

We did a lot of deep cleaning and some reorganizing on the house this weekend too. I reorganized your room somewhat to make it a little more user-friendly. I am accepting the possibility that in the near future you might be graduating out of a crib. Of course your crib will still be your toddler bed, but you will not be restrained from getting out of it. Thus, I need to have your room be as toddler-friendly as possible. It's not completely there, but it's closer.

I also redid a few of the kitchen cabinets. I moved the pans and baking sheets to a couple of different locations that weren't being utilized fully. Then I put all the tupperware on the bottom shelf and all of your cups, bowls and plates on the upper shelf in the bottom cabinet. I have this fantasy idea that you'll start learning to get your own plates/cups, and also learn how to help me put the dishes away. We'll see. That means letting you into the kitchen, which I have been solidly reluctant to do so far.

You're feeling infinitely better. The temperature and infections appear to be all gone. I think you missed out on your last day of antibiotics, but that's okay. You were 100% on track before that. I don't think the last dose or two will cause a big problem.

We missed a birthday party for Alyssa this weekend, which is a bummer since I know you would have had a blast with all the kids. But we had to go to Aunt Chelsie's and Uncle CR's instead, and you spent an evening with Grandma and Grandpa. When we showed up to fetch you, Grandpa was sound asleep with exhaustion and the living room floor was completely littered with Duplo building blocks. Grandma said you'd spent most of the evening in there on the floor with Grandpa, building and playing. Awww!

+ Sooooooo big! +
That's what you are, all right. You had your 18-month appointment today (at 19 months, of course). She checked your throat and ears and said they looked just fine, so you'll finish up your meds on that and be done. You did get FOUR shots today. Boo hiss. You've been backed up some because you have this horribly nasty habit of getting sick within one week of nearly every single WBC appointment you have ever had - even including this one! Usually though you're still sick by the WBC, so they skip the shots. This time you were doing well enough to go ahead and get them. That's it for now until your 2-year-old shots, with the only exception of your flu shot which you'll need to get soon. I have to remember to call on that. They're doing open clinics for flu shots on Saturdays at your Doctor's office this year. Smart.

Anyway - here's the important stuff: Your stats! You were 95th % for height (don't remember exact measurements; I'll check on that later), and 85th % for weight at 26 lbs., 12.25 oz. Holy cow! EIGHTY-FIFTH PERCENTILE?! How is that possible? You were FIFTH PERCENTILE when you were born. Fifth! I asked the Dr. if I should be alarmed, as you were, what, 60th % at your last one, and I was concerned then too. She said no, you're just fine and your weight will still fluctuate a lot at this age. She said you're very healthy and good to go.

Got some free samples of Aquaphor for your chronic dry skin on your thighs, calves and shoulders. I hope that helps.

So that's it. Pretty good appointment. I gave you some preemptive Tylenol and trucked you back off to school. I hope you don't pop a fever with all those shots today. :( I called to make sure Daddy was on alert just in case. Hopefully you'll be just fine.

+ One ear, two ears, red ear, blue ears +
You're one sick baby. You came home from school yesterday with a 102.6 degree fever, poor thing. You haven't been sick in a while, and it's already interestingly different from the last time you were sick. You still wanted to play with the dog ("Ball! Ball!") and you wanted to be awake and cheerful. But occasionally you would just stop in your tracks and cry. Why?

Because you have a double ear infection! Yikes! You were rubbing one of your ears quite a lot last night, so I was pretty confident it was infected. Daddy was off today anyway, so he took you to the doctor at 11. You have a double bacterial ear infection and some viral throat illness (not strep, apparently). I have to pick up your bubble gum antibiotics (your favorite!) on the way home tonight and you're on soft foods for the foreseeable future. Poor baby.

This morning, all you wanted to do was cuddle with me. If I set you down, or gave you to Daddy or really did anything at all, you screamed "Mama! Mama! Mamaaaaaaa!" Yeah, if that doesn't break your heart I don't know what does. I just want you to feel better soon.

Tonight is my 11-year reunion (long story), and tomorrow night we're going to a party for Daddy's best friend's birthday. So you'll be with Uncle Chris tonight and with Grandma and Grandpa Devine tomorrow night. At least you will get uninterrupted cuddle time with me tomorrow and Sunday all day.

+ Slacker +
Yeah, I know, I'm slacking again. Sorry about that. Most recent development? Last evening as I was preparing dinner, I peeked into the dining room to see what you were up to since you'd gotten ominously quiet. What did I see? A determined Ceili, standing solidly in her high chair. Daddy was on task to watch you and clearly doing a bang-up job. *sigh* You apparently now are adept at climbing. I kind of knew this, but the thought simply never occurred to me that you'd figure out how to climb up into your high chair. I had it on its highest adjustable setting! Not anymore. Now it's at its lowest. And turned in towards the wall, not that I actually believe that will deter you much.

Grandma's back from vacation, and we'll be seeing her for quite a while on Sunday. Thank goodness she's back. We missed her.

Happy Grandparents' Day to all you grandparents out there. Grandparents' Day is this Sunday 9/12. Live it up.