Category Archives: Development 12-18 months

Tantrums – As Much of a Toddler Trademark as the Toddling

Tantrums are commonly associated with toddlers, and for good reason. It all makes sense, if you consider what is going on as a child transitions from being an infant to being a toddler. Infants almost always get what they ask for, because the things that they request (with cries and other cues) are usually things like food, drink, sleep, and cuddles, which parents are happy to provide. When a child becomes a toddler, they begin to ask for more and more things, including things that they can not have or are not permitted to do because they are dangerous, inappropriate, or … Continue reading →

What Does 14 Months Old Look Like?

Toddler development is a funny thing, isn’t it. As your baby grows into a toddler, it’s anybody’s guess as to what skills he will master first. Some toddlers walk early and speak late while others build a pretty hefty vocabulary before they take their first steps. There are plenty of guidelines in books and online that provide a good estimate of what your toddler might be doing, and when. Today, I realized that I did not keep track of many of Dylan’s milestones and I have not really been keeping track of Blake’s either. I have been taking lots of … Continue reading →

The Link Between Toddler Milestones and Unusual Behavior

Did you know that when your toddler is learning to walk and talk, there could be regressions in other areas of his behavior? Mastering new skills is hard work, and it can push a toddler’s system into overload. If your previously mild mannered tot is suddenly throwing tantrums or your little one’s formerly very regular nap time is becoming difficult to predict, there may be a developmental growth spurt happening. While it is exciting that your toddler is acquiring new skills at a very fast pace, the accompanying changes in his or her behavior can be unsettling. Simply knowing that there is … Continue reading →

Learning to Walk

As your baby celebrates her first birthday and becomes a toddler, she may not be toddling yet. Most children learn to walk between nine and seventeen months of age. Each child has his or her own developmental timeline, and the ways in which babies and toddlers approach those first steps are as unique and varied as the children themselves. My oldest son Dylan was a very fast crawler. Crawling worked well for him and got him where he needed to go. He was standing and pulling up before his first birthday but he was not walking yet. He was, however, … Continue reading →

Sister Rivalry

I know about sibling rivalry. I’m the youngest of four with two sisters and a brother. My nephew who is closest in age was born two weeks after I turned eight. He grew up with me like he was my little brother. I’ve watched sibling rivalries with my friends and my nieces and nephews. My sister has worked hard to minimize the rivalry between her four children and assure that they’d be friends all their lives. Siblings compete with other for a lot of things. The most common one is trying to get the most attention from the parents. When … Continue reading →

Corn Dog

When my 20-year-old niece was a baby my mom handed her a strawberry. My sister told Mom that strawberries are unacceptable for a baby Nicole’s age. Mom replied that she gave me strawberries when I was that age. Patti pointed out that I had a lot of skin related allergies when I was little too. After that exchange there’s no way I could forget that berries are on the list of foods not to feed before age one. It confuses me why some Stages 2 and 3 baby foods are made with berries. The recommendations about peanut butter have changed … Continue reading →

What is a toddler?

What is a toddler? When does toddlerhood begin and when does it end? Is a toddler a toddler only when the toddling starts? The marketing world has branded our babies as toddlers when they cross the threshold from months to years. An eleven-month-old is a baby until she turns one and then she’s a toddler. Similarly the marketing world turns our three-year-old toddlers into preschoolers. Emily has been toddling around since she was ten months old, but just turned one last week. She seems awfully little to be a toddler, but she is. Jessie is three years and eight months … Continue reading →

E’s First Birthday Party

I knew that Baby E’s birthday was coming. It really should not have been any kind of a surprise that Baby E was going to be one. I just wasn’t so sure how I wanted to ring in the day. I knew I wanted to celebrate with her; I didn’t know how big of a celebration I wanted to have. All of E’s grandparents were planning to visit to help her change from baby to toddler status. Grammy and Papa were arriving the Tuesday before her birthday and Grandma and Grandpa were coming after. The kids, Daddy, and I were … Continue reading →

Happy Birthday E

I wish a great big happy birthday to my baby daughter. Baby E is one. I can’t believe it. Where did the time go? I can’t believe I now have two toddlers. Baby E has been an adventure. She has not had the best health, but has always been happy. I always said that she’s the happiest miserable baby. We finally got a lot of her misery under control when we got her on the right medicine and formula combination. Baby E has a lot of doctors and only the pediatrician and dentist are not specialists. We’ve been to the … Continue reading →

E’s a Walker

I knew that Baby E’s birthday was coming. It really should not have been any kind of a surprise that Baby E was going to be one. I just wasn’t so sure how I wanted to ring in the day. I knew I wanted to celebrate with her; I didn’t know how big of a celebration I wanted to have. All of E’s grandparents were planning to visit to help her change from baby to toddler status. Grammy and Papa were arriving the Tuesday before her birthday and Grandma and Grandpa were coming after. The kids, Daddy, and I were … Continue reading →