"Mama!"

Finally heard the one word I've been waiting to hear since Isabelle started talking. I've been worried that she hadn't said it yet. I don't remember Natalie waiting so long to say it but for some reason, she's really struggled with that M sound. I even talked to the pediatrician last week at her 18 month appointment because I was getting concerned that she hadn't said it yet. I mean, isn't that most babies' first word? Just about every talking doll you get says it. But she's always said "Dada", not "Mama". She might say it if she was distressed or angry but other than that, not once. I was getting pretty bummed about it too! But finally, while I was changing her diaper last night, she said it. She pronounces the M first but says "Mama". It's amazing how waiting so long for her to say it made it seem like a much bigger deal for her to say that word. I couldn't tell you when Natalie first said "Mama"; I'm pretty sure it was one of her first words and said it within all of her babbling but Isabelle just seemed to have more trouble with that sound for reason. She has said it several times now though she does have to kind of be coached to say, she's not yet saying it on her own. I'm sure she will soon and then she won't stop. Kind of how it goes.

Which reminds me, the girls both saw the doctor last week. Well, to be honest, most of the appointment was with a resident and while I don't have any issues with residents, the fact is is that I chose their doctor for a reason and I would rather see HIM for the girls' check-up than a resident. I have a relationship with HIM, not with someone else, especially for my older daughter who only sees a doctor now once a year for check-ups. And to be honest, I think I may even switch her to a new doctor, a female doctor since she is getting old enough now to start feeling more of a sense of privacy. I have always liked the doctor we've been seeing, first met him before Natalie was even born and I especially liked how he wasn't overly pushy about vaccinations compared to other doctors there but I don't know. It's getting to where it's a lot of work just to get to their appointment because he only works at the one clinic and the bus route for that area is not the greatest. It's something to think about before next year. For sure, I will not schedule check-ups for both of them at the same time. It's just too much of a hassle and too much chaos. I know John wants to be able to go with for the appointments but it really is just too much to have both of them there especially when one or the other is not getting attention from the doctor. This juggling two kids thing is a lot harder than I thought it would be, even with the girls being almost 5 years apart.

But anyway, Isabelle managed to increase her weight quite a bit in the last three months. She's now up to 22 lbs and 6 oz and is at the 19th percentile (quite a jump from her low of .9th percentile!!!). She's growing rather well too, up to 31 inches (actually taller than Natalie was at this age). Natalie is currently 52 lbs and 45 inches tall so growing pretty well and probably due for another growth spurt anytime now (she usually has one or two good ones a year). So they're both doing well and Isabelle is picking up on all kinds of things these days too including talking, singing, stacking blocks, walking backwards, dancing, giving kisses and hugs, and more. Natalie is reading and writing and doing her math and picking up all kinds of things on her own too. So they both at least seem healthy and right on track for their age which is good considering everything we've had to deal with this last year. *sigh*