Right Now She's 18 MONTHS...Tomorrow...18 YEARS

Dannika had her 18 month well check today with Dr. Shannon.

She's a healthy 24 pounds, and 32 inches long.

I love Dr. Shannon.

He has over 36 years of experience.

He has patients that he has known since newborns bringing their own kids to him...now THAT is experience!

I also found out today from one of the mothers of one of the young men I put in the Marine Corps, that Dr. Shannon was both of her sons' pediatrician!

With all that said...he makes me feel SO comfortable as a parent.

I love his style of medicine.

He's slightly "holistic", but not like hippie weird holistic.

For instance, he doesn't believe in growth charts or milestones (unless a child is like WAY WAY WAY behind)...he believes children develop at their own pace.

He does not believe in "potty training".

He told me today that kids potty train themselves, and that they will start talking about it before they actually do it (usually by 2 1/2 - 3 years old).

Basically...just put a mini potty in the bathroom and have your child watch YOU go...they'll eventually figure it out.

He's also delays a lot of vaccinations that most pediatricians give to babies (he does give an explanation for this, but that's a whole another blog).

I love that about him though.

He's known since Dannika's 3 month well check that she would be a late walker....so it wasn't a total shock to Nick and I when she wasn't anywhere near walking at her 1st birthday.

AND.

I didn't want to get everyone TOO excited....

But Dannika has been WALKING the last week or so.

I wouldn't classify her as a "walker" yet, but when she feels like it, she'll take a couple steps here and there.

Then she gets overly excited and falls on her butt...it's quite cute actually.

I can't believe she's already months old.

I really feel like tomorrow she'll be 18 years old leaving Nick and I to start her life :-(

Nick has been EXTREMELY busy at work these past few weeks, but he made it a point to make it to her 18 month well check...then going straight back to work. What a great daddy!

We are not morning people...for you Opa!