Roman turned eighteen months old today. According to the experts, it is the official end of babyhood and start of todderhood. I never quite understood why people would talk about their children’s age in terms of months once they passed their first birthday but now I do. The massive amount of change that can happen in weeks, let alone months at this stage of life justifies the need to measure in smaller increments.
I am already having those moments when I glance over at him and I can see glimpses of a teenager and some days a very old man. Roman has a new face he is trying on where he squinches his face so super tight, he looks about eighty. When he lounges on the couch with his hands behind his head and his leg splayed out I can catch a glimpse of what he’ll look like as a teenager. I have no information on his birth family so his mannerisms, his gestures, his features and the way he navigates the world is an unfolding mystery.
I wondered how to mark this day. It’s not his “birthday” but it’s a big milestone. There will be doctor’s check ups and milestone checklists so I think I need to sweeten it with at least a little cupcake.
“They” say to expect a one month delay for every three months your child has spent in an orphange. To not expect your child’s chronological age to match their developmental age for quite some time. According to those calculations Roman would be at 14 months developmentally but no one told Roman that and he is thriving.
I read up on the milestone markers and happy to discover that my little man is right on schedule. I was amused to see that kissing skills made the checklist. At 18 months your child should be able to “kiss with a pucker”. I wonder how this progresses for the next check in?
Roman is a mimic, a musician and a comedian. He can “play” a recorder and will dance to any sounds, including the coffee timer and the shaking of the dog food bag. In the last few weeks he has picked up many new words including “open” “dog” “down” “water” “ok” “no” “uh-oh” “kitty-cat” and “vroom vroom”. No longer interested in being pushed in a stroller and very interested in exploring every ounce of his world.. Sometimes he resembles a pint size rock star on a drunken bender trashing his hotel room and sometimes so angelic, long eyelashes softly closed, nested in a soft blankie.
Always, he is my dream come true.
Happy ‘birthday’ Roman!!! I want to hear his new words….and give you that car thing… I’m with you on the month thing – always thought it was nuts…but yes, I get it! He looks so happy!
I do believe, Heather, that you are the reason he is not experiencing any delays. He’s forging forward with a zeal that only comes from what he’s received from you and your family! Kudos and happy toddlerhood!
What a cutie. I remember I had a great book called the Wonder Weeks which really helped me understand developmental leaps in infancy in toddlerhood.
It goes by so fast. Enjoy every second.