15 months

Nora is a busy 15 month old.  She had her check-up today and she is doing well.
Height:  30.5 inches (50th percentile)
Weight:  23 lbs. 8oz  (60th percentile)

I have been concerned that Nora is not saying any words (very rarely does she say "mama", occasional "dada.")  I know, however, that she is understanding almost everything we say.  I will ask her to get her shoes on and she runs to the closet and pulls them out, if I ask her to bring me something she can go get it, etc.  No worries on her receptive language skills and the doctor assures me that at 15 months, the typical child only has 2-3 words so she is not that far behind.  If she is still not saying anything at her 18 month check-up we will have to have a speech evaluation.  I have a feeling that being the third child may be a contributing factor since she has so many people around her to help her get what she wants without her saying anything.

I think it is also part of her personality.  My aunt and uncle lovingly call her "Ignora."  She is a very cautious child around those she does not know, heck, even around those she does know sometimes.  She certainly takes after her older brother, Will.  He was quite the observer and Nora is the same.  It's funny to see her imitate the things we do.

Nora currently loves:

• dogs---animals in general.  Nothing gets the girl more excited than seeing a furry creature and the only time she has ever put two words together was about 2 months ago when she saw our neighbors dog and she yelled, "Hi dah"
• running.  She can often be found running around with her brothers, trying to keep up with the mayhem
• jumping.  It is so sweet to watch her try and get those feet in the air.  She has been successful a few times
• not eating her food.  It is quite strange to have a child that refuses some of her foods.  We never had any issues with the boys but Nora seems to be going through a stage right now of eating certain things
• coloring.  She really wants to sit in a chair and try to color.  She also loves taking the crayons out of the box and putting them back in
• sandbox.  Whenever we go outside she gestures for us to open the sandbox.  I would love to do it more often but we have an ant issue over there
• the basement.  It's really not that interesting but whenever we open that door, even if she is in another room, she runs over, puts her arms up for us to pick her up and whines and cries if she can't go down
• the phone.  I have tried giving her a pretend cell phone but this smart cookie cannot be fooled.  I'm pretty sure we will have an accidental call to 911 in the near future
• tampons.  What the????...you are surely saying, but when I get ready in the morning I have to have Nora upstairs in the bathroom with me since I don't trust her brothers to look after her downstiars (and there are probably laws about that ;).  So, many days, the only way I can get my make-up on and ready is to let her play with the box of tampons.  She loves to take them out and put them back in the box (and no, I don't let her open them).  Wasn't sure if I should include this on the list but it will be a funny memory in a few years.

That is our little Nora in a nutshell.  I love this age---the toddling, the learning, the talking.  Have to savor these moments!