Meeting Expectations: Milestones at Eighteen Months Old

In less than two weeks I will be eighteen months old. That’s a year and a half! I am such a big girl. Mommy says the time has flown by, but I don’t see it that way. For Mommy, it has been only a year and a half rushing by. For me it has been a lifetime!

It’s been a busy eighteen months, and each day has been filled with exploration, discovery, and adventures. Whether I go out to explore a strange new place, meet a new person, or if I’m just hanging out at home surrounded by the comfortable and familiar, I always manage to find something new. That’s how I learn, and I’m getting pretty smart and very clever.

Learning is my full-time job, and just like most working people, I have goals and deadlines to meet. Most of them are set by my doctor and we have regular meetings to discuss the business of my progress. My next business meeting is fast approaching with the coming of my eighteen months old mark. I have been very busy putting together my report.

My walking has been coming along brilliantly. I am getting much steadier on my feet, and I can go pretty fast now. Mommy has opened up the downstairs for me, which means I no longer have to spend my days confined to the baby zone. There have been a few bumps and bruises, but the extra space has allowed me to practice walking that much more, and the extra effort has really paid off. I have every confidence that my doctor will be very pleased with my progress on this point.

Words Are Hard

I’m far less confident with my words. I haven’t made that much progress with learning how to say new things. My first word was uh-oh, and it’s still my favorite thing to say. I call Mommy more frequently now, and I know that each of our cats has a name of its own. I have been practicing calling them, but they run away even when I scream their names at them.

That’s pretty much it for the words I use consistently, and that’s only five. Not spectacular for an eighteen-month-old big girl like me. What’s even worse is that it’s really only one word more since the last meeting with my doctor. One word in three months is not very good at all. I have concerns as to what my doctor will say.

I actually talk a lot. Most of the day I’m talking, but nobody seems to understand anything I say beyond my five words. I can’t really blame them. I can tell that most of what I say doesn’t come out sounding right. I don’t know what the trouble is. I know what I want to say, but it comes out as a mess. Very frustrating, and I get quite discouraged.

The Good News

I do understand some more words now. I get very excited when Mommy talks about milk. It’s my favorite, and I lick my lips and search for the bottle whenever I hear the word. When I feel like it, I can follow some simple commands like retrieving items and going to Mommy when I’m told. I understand some of the terms we use during playtime, such as push the car, and I know when Mommy is telling me to turn the page when we’re reading.

A few weeks ago I learned something new. Mommy called it a bit of a breakthrough. For some time, Mommy has been telling me about my feet. Now when Mommy asks where my foot is, I point to one and then the other. Being able to identify some body parts was on my to-do list. I’m very happy that I managed to learn at least one in time for my meeting.

I have conflicting feelings about my upcoming meeting with my doctor. On the one hand, I’m very excited to show off the skills I’ve learned. I like it when people watch me do things and tell me I’m doing a good job. On the other hand, I’m uneasy about the areas where I come up a bit short. There are less than two weeks until the meeting. How many words can I learn in that time?

Key Developmental Milestones at Eighteen Months Old

At 18 months, toddlers start exploring pretend play, such as feeding dolls or pushing toy cars, and can follow simple instructions like “Give me the toy.” They recognize how everyday objects work, like a brush or spoon.

They typically speak at least three words beyond “mama” and “dada.” Pointing is common for sharing wants, and they begin following basic commands like “sit down.”

Physically, many toddlers walk alone, scribble, stack blocks, and attempt to eat with a spoon. They’re also learning to drink from open cups, even if spills happen often.

Emotionally, they show affection to familiar people and may cling to caregivers in new situations. Parallel play emerges, where they play near, but not with, other children.

It’s worth checking in with a doctor if they’re not walking, don’t say six words, aren’t pointing or imitating, seem unaware when someone leaves or returns, or lose skills they once had.