Dear Peanut,

Just last week, you hit eighteen months, and I’m amazed at how different you are now from a few short months ago. But then, the six short (to me) months back to your birthday are a full third of your life so far, so it only figures!

As your personality reveals itself, I’m finding a little girl living with me (instead of a baby!) who has definite ideas about how the house should work, who’s considerate, who loves to kiss everybody (and everything) and who’s a nutcase. You make me laugh. You’re really funny, did you know that? Some days, you’re walking around with a dishtowel over your head, waiting for me to ask, “Where’s Maya?” Other times, you tease Clay with just a lick at your Cheetoh, then race away, hoping he’ll chase. When he (usually) does, you squeal and laugh with sounds that could make even the most cynical see hope.

You fixate on objects and tasks now, almost to the point of obsession. If you’re in a shopping cart or a restaurant highchair, you’re not satisfied until you figure out how the plastic buckle works. Um…oops…since you’ve yet to develop enough hand strength to buckle it yourself, that means you’re not satisfied!

You give love to the world, and lately, you kiss everything. Me (random toddle-by kissings of my legs), toys, animal cookies (right before you eat them)…you name it. You’re a happy girl most of the time, and when people make comments in a semi-negative tone like “wow, she must be a handful,” I want to clock them. What do they know?

You’re getting bigger and bigger…as of a week before your 18 month birthday, here were your stats:

Maya at 18 Months

height: 31.5 inches / 50th percentile

head: 17.25 inches / below the 5th

weight: 18 pounds, 12.8 ounces / below the 5th

Yup, you’re still a skinny-mini, but you’re gaining at a faster rate than most kids your age! As most toddlers’ growth curves level off somewhat around 12 months, yours is climbing — and getting steeper. In other words, you’re doing just fine!

Sometimes, you sleep all night in your own room. As much as I wake up feeling rested when you do this, invariably, I wake up in a panic around 5am. Is she breathing? Is she okay? Then other nights (most, actually), you wake in the middle of the night and cry as if your heart would break until I finally bring you to my bed. This isn’t so bad now — you’re still an awful bedhog (who knew a toddler could take up so much space?), but at least you don’t kick me all night anymore. When you wake up, you’re all smiles and giggles. You’re annoyingly happy in the early morning, but you’re also willing to play by yourself for a half hour or so before I get up, and for that, I thank you.