McKenna Pre-Toddler Summary: 16 Months Old

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A full summary of life for this 16 month old. Find out what daily life was like and find a 16 month old sample schedule to follow.

Things have continued to be busy with reunion after reunion and camping trip after camping trip.

EATING

She still eats a whole lot of food. She will eat anything we eat.

We have, much to our surprise, discovered three foods she doesn’t like. She does not like raspberries (just in their tart, fresh-picked state. Raspberry jam is just fine 🙂 ).

She does not like microwaved hot dogs. She prefers those roasted over a fire, will tolerate them on a grill, and will not eat them from a microwave.

She also does not like tomatoes. In fact, one day I gave her a tomato from the garden and she looked at me and cried! So funny. She will eat them on sandwiches and in things, but not alone.

PLAYING

I get independent play in there each day, but that is about it. We don’t have the time or consistency for blanket time right now. It will be interesting to see how it goes when I reinstate that.

When McKenna tries to play with both Brayden and Kaitlyn, it doesn’t go smoothly. She likes to destroy everything and they like to do things like build Lego structures.

If she plays just with Brayden it goes well and if she plays just with Kaitlyn it goes well, but when she tries both everyone ends up frustrated.

>>>Read: Independent Playtime: The Ultimate Overview

SLEEPING

Sleeping is still going well. I think I will soon start evaluating her two naps. I would love to have that to one nap by 18 months old.

It would be nice to be able to leave and run errands in the morning again :).

But at the same time, with the two naps, it will give me greater opportunity for one on one time with Kaitlyn each day while Brayden is at school. I won’t be forcing anything, but I think it could be nice.

My guess right now is she will drop the morning nap around 18 months old. Maybe 19. She has always been pretty textbook on her nap dropping.

The only question I have on that is that she is a big sleeper. She sleeps a lot and more than average. Kaitlyn was also a big sleeper and I had to force the morning nap to drop at 20 months. So we shall see how it goes.

Due to traveling, we had one day during this period where she had one nap. It didn’t go well. Her one nap was shorter than one nap usually is on its own, and she woke up crying, which is completely uncharacteristic of her.

So she is definitely not ready for one nap right now.

>>>Read: Dropping the Morning Nap Guide

COMMUNICATION

She is still adding more and more words all the time. She is at an age when she screams if she can’t say what she wants, so it is an easy age to decide what word to work on next.

I make sure she doesn’t get what she wants when she screams; she needs to communicate it first.

She often screams when she wants a drink. She can both say and sign drink, so I will say and sign, “McKenna, do you want a drink?” and she will say and sign “drink” back.

She also will scream when she wants up, so I am working on her saying “up.”

>>>Read: The Screaming Non-Verbal Baby/Toddler

TEETHING

McKenna got another tooth during the last couple of weeks.

MINI-FITS

Still no official fits. The screaming for things is the closest thing to a fit we have right now.

>>>Read: The “Mini-fit”

STRANGERS

McKenna is pretty much a stranger lover now. She loves attention and loves to go to people, smile big and say, “Hi” in her cute little voice.

She always gets a positive reaction and lots of comments on how cute she is, so what’s not to love?

ENTERTAINER

McKenna loves to entertain and have an audience. Her two biggest fans are Brayden and Kaitlyn.

They both think she is the funniest thing ever and laugh and laugh at her tactics.

She is very happy to repeat her funny behavior, and since they are kids, their laughter never waivers.

16 month old schedule and routine

SCHEDULE

We are waking up later for now because nights tend to be later at the moment.

8:45-9:00–wake and eat breakfast. Music time. Bath. Go for a walk.
10:45-11:00–nap
1:00–wake and eat lunch. Independent play.
2:45-3:00–nap
5:00-5:30–wake and eat dinner. Various activities.
8:00-8:30–bed

GOOD BOOKS/WEBSITES

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