Random questions

Okay. I have a couple of questions.

Is it normal for the number of wet diapers to drop around this age? (15 months) I used to be changing diapers 7-8 times a day, and now it's more like 4-5. They are eating the same and getting 12-16 oz. of milk (offered 16 oz, but they don't always finish it), plus they have free access to water whenever they want it.

When did your LO's get good with utensils? We have been offering them consistently every meal since 13 months, so 2 months now. I still give them baby cereal 1-2 times a day hoping that will make the spoon easier since it sticks. They will jam it in and get a little bit, but usually it just gets flung, and they never actually scoop it up unless I hold their hand. With a fork, they will sometimes try to stick things, but they don't actually get them most of the time and just go back to using fingers. Am I expecting too much??

Do you all use blankets with your LO's in the crib? I have tried leaving a blanket in there or even putting one over them after we lay them down, and it just ends up shoved in the corner by morning, so I don't think they are even using it. My mom thinks I should be giving them a blanket at this age - they do have a lovey and a stuffed animal they sleep with.

Do you all give your LO's bowls and plates at meals? We have still been putting things on their trays. They really want to grab the bowls, but I know they are just going to fling them. I've tried a few stick-down bowls and the yank them off pretty quick.

I think that's all...I'm sure I'll think of other questions after I post this.

 

I'm not sure what's "normal" as far as number of wet diapers but my boys are 18 months and have 5-6 a day. So right along the same lines as your boys.

With utensils, they still can't do it completely on their own. They have had them consistently for 2.5 months now. They can eat well with them, but we still have to help them scoop some things with their spoon, and stab with their forks. Of course we didn't even introduce utensils until about 2 months after you did (not sure why we didn't!) so yours will probably get it sooner than mine! Bowls and plates we introduced at the time we moved them from their high chairs to booster seats at the table. I think that was around 15 months. They do pretty well with them while they are still eating. Sometimes they do get tossed when they are done but usually they just push them away.

And they still don't sleep with a blanket (or a pillow). I think it would be fine to give them at their age, but like you said they would just end up in the corner. They still move around quite a bit in their sleep. I was thinking maybe closer to two for that

 

We're in the same boat with wet diapers and their milk intake is probably a little less than yours but they guzzle water.

I stab their food with their kiddie forks and they put the food in their mouths. No way are my kids even close to using utensils. So far they play with them and fling them around or hide them and demand that we find them

we tried the sticky plates too but ours figured it all out WAY too fast!! We're in the sweeping phase, eat some, sweep the rest on the floor and then complain why there isn't any food left.. grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

Sounds like you are ok!!!

 

Diapers: I think this is totally normal (at least in my experience). If I had to take a guess as to why, I'd say it's because they're starting to get bladder control, and are eating more solids/less liquids.

Utensils: We introduced forks at about 1 year; they were easier for my boys than spoons. For a long time we had to fork the food for them, but mostly they just played with them. Now at 2.5 they're pretty good with forks, getting better with spoons (less spilling), but half the time would rather use their fingers anyway! :lol: So I think your LOs sound like they're right on track. :good:

Blankets: I read somewhere (can't remember where) that the recommendation is nothing in the crib but baby until they're 2. I did give my guys a pillow at about 18 months, and a blanket just before 2, but they really didn't even understand that they could pull the blanket up over themselves until they were well over 2. I stuck with sleepsacks with legs for a long time so they would be warm enough.

Bowls vs. trays: We left food on their high chair trays and didn't use almost any dishes until we moved to booster seats at 2. We pulled the high chairs up to the table so they were still a part of the family meal, but the trays were just easier; Nate has a very nasty throwing habit, and it was better not to give him any dangerous ammunition!

Hope this helps!

 

Diapers : Yep normal, they do start developing bladder control, instead of peeing a little bit all day long, they can hold it for longer and longer periods. Which means, one minute, their diaper is basically dry, and the next it's hanging down between their knees! :lol:

Utensils: We started them shortly after they turned 1, and they've done surprisingly well, but they still aren't experts by any means, and they use their hands half the time even though we encourage the use of forks and spoons.

Blankets: Mine have had blankets since they were born. We put a pillow in shortly after they turned a year, a small travel pillow, at about 18 months I bought toddler bedding for them, and just before they turned 2 I got regular standard pillow's, the flat ones for them.

Bowls/trays: We got rid of their highchairs around 15-18 months or so and put them at booster seats at the table. Around that same time frame we started using bowls and plates for every meal. I think only once have they tossed the whole plate on the floor, and if I remember right, that was an accident. We're pretty big believers in teaching/encouraging the proper behaviour from an early age. I was never one to let my kids run around during meal time and such, what we expected from our older kids, we expect from the younger ones as well Even now, at age 2, the twins know to go toss their dirty snack bowls in the sink, how to throw trash in the garbage, and they know how to empty the silverware out of the clean dishwasher (although it all just gets tossed in my drawer in no particular order :lol. We often have people comment on how well our kiddo's behave when we eat in public, what we expect in public, we expect at home too

Just don't ask me about the "twin screeching" thing we are working on now, you know, when one yells, the other one's gotta yell too. We're working on that bad habit now :lol:

 

Thanks, ladies. Sounds like we are doing alright for now then!

 

My girls are 17 months and I usually change diapers about 5x day. Morning,nap,bed and then usually there is a poopie one or two that get done as well.

I still use sleepsacks for my girls at night and for naps. I now have ones that are 16-36 month size so will last for a long time. Back in the day, my Mom said we wore thick sleepers and a blanket. She said we never kept our covers on and that is just the way it was. She figured if we were cold we would wake up crying--but never did. I like the sleepsacks, but in the summer will likely just put them with a light blanket since out house get so hot.

Utensils-- I have one awesome eater, she is great with a spoon, and any dish I give her. The other one, dumps everything off her plate, smooshes her hands into all food, grabs the spoon part with the food on the end, flings dishes on the floor..etc.. I think she is capable of eating nicely, in fact I know she is, but she never has been a great eater and prefers to mess around. Even with all her mess I still give her the utensils and dishes like her sister gets.

 

Diapers-I think that's perfectly normal. I think we were around 4-5 diapers a day per kid as well.
Utensils-I started offering utensils at 12 months and it took my two a while to get them down. Actually, my two got the fork before they were able to master the spoon. I just keep offering them at meals and showed them how they are used. I wouldn't worry about it. My two are three and they still use their fingers from time to time.
Blankets-I believe we started with blankets around 18 months, when they got too big for their sleep sacks.
Bowls and plates-I also believe the kids started getting them at 18 months, when they were out of their flinging food stage. I did find they were better with bowls and plates when the kids could sit down at the table with us and actually on chairs, rather then their feeding seats.
It sounds like your boys are doing well.

 

Diapers--yes and it is a normal part of the progression towards potty training.
Utensils--We started at 1 year and they are now really good with them
Blankets-- They finally now keep a blanket on them
Bowls and plates we have been doing since 12 months also. We had to teach them "the bowl stays on the table" and some days it doesn't.