18 months old today...

Mummy and Max today

Max at 18 months

My baby turned 18 months old today. I always like to mark the milestone ages, and I think this is definitely one of them. As the babycentre email informed me, "Many parents say that this is when they stop thinking of their child as a baby." 

Max a few days old

I agree, he's not really a baby anymore, but he's the last one I'll have so he's still my baby! It was at precisely this age with Laila that I got broody for (and conceived!) a second baby, and not a moment before. I've always known I only wanted 2 children, and was pleased to find I haven't had any broody feelings in the last 18 months, except when holding my gorgeous niece, but I managed to control them! Weirdly though in the last few days, those broody feelings are coming back, and I need to keep them at bay as there is no way I could cope with another child!

6 months old

Max at 1 year old

I loved the early baby months, but toddlers, although rewarding, are bloomin' hard work, so I am looking forward to it all getting a little bit easier in a year or so, when they can both play a bit more independently and not need constant supervision!

So back to my boy, he's the most cuddly, sweet and loving little child. He is also extremely determined and as many second children (I have discovered through many conversations with mums of 2), he wants to do everything his big sister is doing! It doesn't matter to him that he is 2 years younger and can't do these things yet, he still wants to do them! He is also braver and more adventurous and more curious than Laila was. Another 2nd child characteristic. The great thing about younger siblings, is their ability to play on their own and amuse themselves when needed. Firstborns appear incapable of this trait, and it's us parents that are to blame. They had 100% of our attention when they were babies, and the younger siblings have always had to share it. Of course, even if I'd been warned of this potential issue, I wouldn't have given Laila any less attention than I did!

Another result of Max getting less one-to-one time is his language skills. I know Laila was particularly advanced with hers (and still is actually), but Max is by no means behind with his. He can say several words in English and French (I can think of about 25+, Laila was at around 50 words already!), his understanding of both languages is really good. He can follow specific instructions and has actually started to obey them which is great! Laila was already putting 2 words together at his age, but he's not there yet. However, we can feel he's trying really hard to tell us things now, not just the odd word in context, he wants to tell you something important and he gets cross if we don't understand! 

However, whatever he has missed out on by being a second-born, is more than made up for with everything he has learned from having an older sister. They are the cutest pair, ok they fight over toys, but they also share and play together nicely, they defend each other from other threatening children and have been known to cause trouble together too (remember the hammer incident?!). 

Max and Laila singing 2 little dickie birds sitting on a wall

He's working very hard on learning to jump at the moment. It's so cute, last week he tried flapping his arms as fast as he could (no kidding) and sort of skipping in the air, but he must have realised quite quickly he was getting nowhere so he gave up on that method. He's still trying the sort of skipping technique without the arms and is getting better results, I hope he'll get lift-off soon!  

He was delighted today with the postman who brought him the "That's not my tractor" book I ordered for him. He LOVES tractors and was not disappointed with the book!