And the kid keeps growing, growing, and growing, growing!

I haven't the words to describe how excited we are for summer (well, just Welton and I--Ben is ready to melt already and it just hit 90).  I know it's going to be hotter than I can imagine because our blood thickened while spending the last two summers in Utah, but I have the inflatable back yard pool all ready and we are stocked up on swim suits and sun block.  I'm anxious to see how tan Welton gets, which will no doubt have people doubting my maternity of the Samoan Chief.

December seems like eons ago because so much has happened!  Unfortunately I have been too busy trying to keep up with Welton, I have failed to write down exact dates.  And I have obviously been spending too much time texting, because I keep expecting the computer to automatically add the periods after my sentence. 

First: Welton's 18 mo. stats--34 in. (90%tile), 26.5 lbs. (50%tile), 18.5 in. head circ. (25%tile).


Ok.  He is walking, finally.  He started toying with the idea at the beginning of March, but it took him a few weeks to get up the courage to take a step.  Now, 99% of his moving around is done on foot rather than on knee.  It's nice, because he had worn holes in the knees of all of his p.j.'s.  He's getting faster and faster every day, and has gotten up to running speed.  One of his favorite games to play with momma is catch.  He has little bean bag footballs from his birthday party, and he loves to toss them back and forth with me.  It makes him giggle, and he could go all day if I had to patience.  As most babies are, he's obsessed with cords, buttons, strings, the blinds, and trying to touch the tv.  He hates watching the tv, but he LOVES to touch it. 

I guess there is proof now that he is actually my child; that kids loves to talk.  His favorite words these days are "tickle tickle," "peeka" (peek-a-boo), "bey buh buh" (belly button), "whas dat" (what's that), and today he said, for the very first time, the most beautiful words a mother can hear.  He said "lub you!"  I thought I was going to die.  I cried, of course.  He makes new sounds and words every day, and it never gets old.  He has pretty much grown out of the paralyzed vocal cord (from his heart surgery at day 5), so we are glad he inherited momma's volume!  He is so dang loud. 

The kid is smart.  He constantly discovers new things, and I love his face when he figures it out.  Just today, he was trying to fit his toy choo-choo in a nook inthe entertainment center.  It took him a minute or two, but once he got it, he was so excited!  He loves colors, and he will point our nose, ears, and eyes when you ask him.  We are officially off the bottle and on to the sippy cup (I know it took a while, but if any kid deserves to be spoiled, it is he). 

Welton loves going for walks, and is definitely a people watcher, just like momma and daddy.  One day we forgot sunblock, and the kids got darker than me, and I had been tanning for 2 weeks.  So, I guess we know whose skin he got :)  He's still a little skeptical of the grass, but he's warming up to it.

We just spent a week in Utah, spending time with Ben's family, and having fun at Welton's NICU reunion.  Ben spent most of the days working, but we had plenty of family fun together.  Hopefully we will be able to go back up a few times this summer, especially to see Ben's parents with they back from the islands. 

I promise to get pictures up soon, but I'm having camera problems.  Take my word for it--he's still cute :)