18 Months.

Looking at the fish.

In the waiting room. He was eating his Tylenol tablets in preparation for his shots. But this was his exact face after the shots. So sad.

I hate shots. The even thought of getting a shot, watching someone get a shot, or listening to my baby get a shot, sends my stomach into knots. And today was one of those dreaded days, the 18 month old check up.

I love finding out his statistics, growth wise, but those shots...make us all sad. And what's even worse is the fact that Brycen knows it and is still as brave as ever. As soon as we entered the office, Brycen 's whole mood changed. He became very serious and on alert even though it's been six months since he's last check up (we didn't have a 15 month one since we were traveling). And he sat perfectly still as both the nurse and doctor took measurements and necessary procedures to make sure he is healthy (listening to his heart, looking in his ears). He is at the age where he is more intrigued by the unknown then scared and he just would watch them work and never minded when they touched and moved him (even if Mommy and Daddy stepped away). Never a peep, just still as ever as he watched them.And even when it came time for those dreaded shots, he let the nurse lay him down and had Daddy pin down the legs and Mommy pin down the arms and just watched what the nurse would do next.

Oh, boy he wasn't expecting the ouches though. Who would from such a nice nurse? The first one caught him so of guard, that he didn't even cry-he was too busy trying to figure out what just happened but the second and third came so fast after that he didn't know what to do but cry. Poor guy.

Luckily though, my biggest fear of what would happen today didn't happen. Brycen was so concerned with what the nurse was doing, I don't think he registered with him that Mommy and Daddy were holding him down so that she could do it. He still wanted to be comforted by us after and thank goodness, he doesn't see us as bad guys yet.

I don't think he forgave the nurse though, he made it up in his mind that she DID NOT deserve a wave goodbye or a "thank you" and refused to do either on the way out the door. haha.

As soon as we got in the car, he ripped off and chucked his three bandaids and when we got home and I took him out of his carseat and then collected the bandaids to throw away, he pulled away and whimpered. It was heart breaking and what's even worse, he goes back in exactly a month for 3 more since we missed his 15 month shots. Sad day. I sure don't mind him curling up and falling asleep in my arms though. That makes anything worth it.

Here are his stats

27 lbs 8 oz weight (70th percentile, he gained exactly one pound in 6 months)

35 inches tall (100th percentile)

51 cm head circum. (big, 100th percentile).

He's tall, smart, and active; thus, thinning out a bit and losing some of his adorable baby rolls. He's growing up.

A few of his favorite things as an 18 month old child:

Reading books with DaDa.

Watching the insects.

Re-living his baby year :).

One of my most favorite things that he is doing at this age and has been for awhile, is when either Daddy or I are working on something: either fixing a cabinet, cleaning up a mess, cooking, doing the dishes, Mommy doing push-ups, etc. and often times, one parent is doing the work while the other is standing near by holding Brycen, Brycen will reach out and pat the one working on the back or leg (whichever is at his level). When you turn to see if it's something he wants, he gives you the biggest grin and just keeps patting. He doesn't know the words yet, but he knows when we're working hard and literally "pats us on the back". Especially when it's his mess that we are cleaning up.