18 month check up!

Taylor had her 18 month check up today, and she's doing great. I've been
slightly concerned that she isn't eating much and drinking lots of milk, but
her height is off the charts and her weight is about 75-95%, so we're fine
there. She'd only gained about a pound since we were in last time in April,
but she grew 3 inches! She is definitely thinning out, which you can really
notice in her legs -- those rolls of chub on her thighs are disappearing!

She is learning so many new words every day. She'll ask for "hep" now, if
she needs assistance crawling up on the sofa or a chair, or "hand," (as in,
she needs a hand up), and can identify multiple face and body parts by name
and by pointing (neck, chin, cheeks, mouth, eyes, nose, head, hair, and we
just learned eyebrow, along with hand, fingers, thumb, arm, leg, feet, toes,
and belly). She also has gobbled up the alphabet and numbers 0-9, having
them almost down pat. Yesterday she sat on the couch and "counted" my toes,
"won, too, free, for, fife!" sometimes skipping four, but generally getting
it right. She loves to count things, although I don't know that she
understands the whole counting concept, she loves to point to things and
repeat the sequence of numbers. It's too cute.

I just signed her up for a 12 week stint at Gymboree, and we went yesterday
for an intro class with a friend. It was great and I really liked it.
Taylor was okay with it, parts she really enjoyed, and parts she basically
ignored, which is all fine by me. I know she'll continue to get more and
more into it. One of the main reasons why I signed her up, besides the
concept of getting up and out of the house each Monday morning, is that she
is so used to being by herself, that she starts to freak or cry if another
child comes into her space, or plays with a toy that she deems hers. I know
some of this is just normal, but some is due to the fact that we are alone
in the house all day long most of the time, so she hasn't had much
socialization. There are all sorts of great play mats and structures at
this Gymboree, and at one point she was on a 8X8 foot mat. Another child
climbed onto the mat, and Taylor looked at me with panic in her face, signed
"all done" repeatedly (meaning the other child should be all done and go
away), and began to cry. I assured her that she was fine (from across the
room), and smiled at her. Within a few moments Taylor settled in with the
"intruder" and continued her play. I know this is something that she'll get
used to, and especially since we are planning on adopting another baby, I
want her to start the process now, of getting used to other children in her
space.

We also have made some new friends in our neighborhood who have an almost 2
year old daughter, (who took me to their Gymboree class) so we're going to
start making a point to have them have some play dates together, perhaps
weekly.
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest1,
Password: Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Check out our Adoption Page at http://home.earthlink.net/~jamielee6

Jamie Clark wrote:

Taylor had her 18 month check up today, and she's doing great. I've been
slightly concerned that she isn't eating much and drinking lots of milk, but
her height is off the charts and her weight is about 75-95%, so we're fine
there. She'd only gained about a pound since we were in last time in April,
but she grew 3 inches! She is definitely thinning out, which you can really
notice in her legs -- those rolls of chub on her thighs are disappearing!

She is learning so many new words every day. She'll ask for "hep" now, if
she needs assistance crawling up on the sofa or a chair, or "hand," (as in,
she needs a hand up), and can identify multiple face and body parts by name
and by pointing (neck, chin, cheeks, mouth, eyes, nose, head, hair, and we
just learned eyebrow, along with hand, fingers, thumb, arm, leg, feet, toes,
and belly). She also has gobbled up the alphabet and numbers 0-9, having
them almost down pat. Yesterday she sat on the couch and "counted" my toes,
"won, too, free, for, fife!" sometimes skipping four, but generally getting
it right. She loves to count things, although I don't know that she
understands the whole counting concept, she loves to point to things and
repeat the sequence of numbers. It's too cute.

I just signed her up for a 12 week stint at Gymboree, and we went yesterday
for an intro class with a friend. It was great and I really liked it.
Taylor was okay with it, parts she really enjoyed, and parts she basically
ignored, which is all fine by me. I know she'll continue to get more and
more into it. One of the main reasons why I signed her up, besides the
concept of getting up and out of the house each Monday morning, is that she
is so used to being by herself, that she starts to freak or cry if another
child comes into her space, or plays with a toy that she deems hers. I know
some of this is just normal, but some is due to the fact that we are alone
in the house all day long most of the time, so she hasn't had much
socialization. There are all sorts of great play mats and structures at
this Gymboree, and at one point she was on a 8X8 foot mat. Another child
climbed onto the mat, and Taylor looked at me with panic in her face, signed
"all done" repeatedly (meaning the other child should be all done and go
away), and began to cry. I assured her that she was fine (from across the
room), and smiled at her. Within a few moments Taylor settled in with the
"intruder" and continued her play. I know this is something that she'll get
used to, and especially since we are planning on adopting another baby, I
want her to start the process now, of getting used to other children in her
space.

We also have made some new friends in our neighborhood who have an almost 2
year old daughter, (who took me to their Gymboree class) so we're going to
start making a point to have them have some play dates together, perhaps
weekly.

Awwww, she sounds so sweet. I'm glad she's doing well!

Aaaw...I just looked at Taylor's pictures again (I hadn't for a few
months) and she is such a (tall) little beauty!

BTW, I LOVE your new office...the cabinets are beautiful!

Carla
Mom to Victor Paul born 5.16.04
www.victorpictures.com --See him here!

"Jamie Clark" wrote
I just signed her up for a 12 week stint at Gymboree, and we went
yesterday
for an intro class with a friend.

What is Gymboree, and what kinds of things do they do? Is it a place you can
go to for just one visit without signing up etc? I think there is one within
20 miles of here, but I can't tell from their website what they are (I just
gave it a quick glance)....

Glad to hear Taylor is doing well. She is such a cute girl!

Jill

Check out Taylor Marlys

BTW, she is gorgeous. In the family photo, where you say that you are going
to use that on the Dear Birth Mother letter, I can't get over her eyes, wow!
What a cute, cute girl!

Jill

Yes, I believe that you can just do drop ins at Gymboree, but of course you
get a better deal when you sign up for 12 or 24 weeks at a time.

Gymboree is a parent/child play place, with "teacher" led songs and
activities. It's like a gym for tiny people, with lots of mats on the floor
and very cushy age appropriate climbing things, tunnels, tiny trampolines,
balls, bubbles, parachute time, etc. I believe that the target demographic
is 5 and under, and parents of course.

I highly recommend it. As with anything like this, Kindermusic, Gymboree,
etc, you want to find a good teacher. It might be worth dropping in to
several classes at several times, and possibly at several locations (if
accessable) to find a teacher that you like.
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest1,
Password: Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Check out our Adoption Page at http://home.earthlink.net/~jamielee6


"Jill" wrote in message
.com...
"Jamie Clark" wrote
I just signed her up for a 12 week stint at Gymboree, and we went
yesterday
for an intro class with a friend.

What is Gymboree, and what kinds of things do they do? Is it a place you
can
go to for just one visit without signing up etc? I think there is one
within
20 miles of here, but I can't tell from their website what they are (I
just
gave it a quick glance)....

Glad to hear Taylor is doing well. She is such a cute girl!

Jill

Thanks. Her eyes ARE really beautiful. They still amaze me every day!

Although I don't think she looks that great in that photo. My mom just told
me that she thinks that Taylor looks like she's being held hostage in that
photo, and we should reshoot it if we can. Although not exactly the "look"
we are going for on our Dear Birthmother Letter, it will have to do for now!
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest1,
Password: Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Check out our Adoption Page at http://home.earthlink.net/~jamielee6


"Jill" wrote in message
.com...

Check out Taylor Marlys

BTW, she is gorgeous. In the family photo, where you say that you are
going
to use that on the Dear Birth Mother letter, I can't get over her eyes,
wow!
What a cute, cute girl!

Jill

Jamie Clark wrote:

Thanks. Her eyes ARE really beautiful. They still amaze me every day!

Although I don't think she looks that great in that photo. My mom just told
me that she thinks that Taylor looks like she's being held hostage in that
photo, and we should reshoot it if we can. Although not exactly the "look"
we are going for on our Dear Birthmother Letter, it will have to do for now!

Funny... I thought that that pic was really very nice.

Thanks. It's hard for us family to see it as unbiased as a stranger though,
since we know how really spectacular she CAN look in photos. I'm hoping
that a potential birthmother will just not notice, and think we're a nice
looking familyl : )
--

Jamie & Taylor
Earth Angel, 1/3/03

Check out Taylor Marlys -- www.MyFamily.com, User ID: Clarkguest1,
Password: Guest
Become a member for free - go to Add Member to set up your own User ID and
Password

Check out our Adoption Page at http://home.earthlink.net/~jamielee6


"Vicky Bilaniuk" wrote in message
.. .
Jamie Clark wrote:

Thanks. Her eyes ARE really beautiful. They still amaze me every day!

Although I don't think she looks that great in that photo. My mom just
told
me that she thinks that Taylor looks like she's being held hostage in
that
photo, and we should reshoot it if we can. Although not exactly the
"look"
we are going for on our Dear Birthmother Letter, it will have to do for
now!

Funny... I thought that that pic was really very nice.

Jamie Clark wrote:

Thanks. It's hard for us family to see it as unbiased as a stranger though,
since we know how really spectacular she CAN look in photos. I'm hoping
that a potential birthmother will just not notice, and think we're a nice
looking familyl : )

Well at most I thought that she looked a little shy in the pic, which I
thought was really cute. I'm sure that any potential birth mother will
think that it's an adorable picture.