Top Ten Toddler Milestones

With Samma a week past the 20-month mark, I felt as if I needed to address this post I began writing some months back.

As a mom, I subscribe to various motherly emails, and I tend to get bombarded with so many that they're usually just archived with the thought that there's nothing in there I don't already know. On occasion, however, I do come across a few articles that catch my attention, and it's just because of one of those articles that you lovely readers get to deal with me now!

While I was pregnant, What To Expect... was my go-to book, so it was only natural that I signed up for their email bombs, and that's where I came across Toddler Milestones: Your One-Year-Old's Biggest Achievements. The article poses the question "So what can you expect in the next 12 to 24 months?" and covers ten milestones that your child is likely to cover with leaps and bounds.

So here you go -- the top 10 toddler milestones, by when they should be occurring, why they're so important, and my own personal commentary about Samantha's status and growth. Enjoy!


Top Ten Toddler Milestones
Milestone #1: Clap hands -- 12 to 13 months
The ability to bring his two hands together means that your one-year-old is developing eye-hand coordination and fine-motor skills — both of which will eventually allow him to do things like catch a ball and hold a crayon.

I want to say Samma was doing this well before she was a year old, if only one clap. We would play patty-cake all the time, and maybe more towards a year, whenever we say "YAY!" she would always clap her hands.

Milestone #2: Take a few steps -- 14 to 15 months
When it comes to one-year-old milestones, first steps are a biggie: Your baby’s graduated into toddlerhood. And once your wee one is walking, he’ll be on the road to all sorts of physical fun, from running to jumping to climbing stairs all by himself.

Samma's first steps were taken just before her 1st birthday, and she was starting to move well enough on her own that same week. It happened really fast, and sometimes I long for the days when she was immobile on the floor trying to play with her toys. Sometimes.

Milestone #3: Drink from a (non-sippy) cup -- 16 to 17 months
The ability to drink from a real cup, versus a spouted one, means that your toddler is gaining mastery over his mouth muscles — and his fine-motor skills and coordination. Cheers to that!

This one we still need to work on... she handles a sippy-cup no problem, and we've even moved on to the harder mouthed ones, and with assistance she can take sips out of our cups or bottles if we're holding them, but at this point, no, she cannot drink from a cup on her own without spilling it all over her. I have made an effort to correct this, as I did purchase a training cup for her to use... I think we may have only brought it out once so far, though..

Milestone #4: Laugh at funny things -- 17 to 18 months
No doubt your child has been laughing along with you for months, but now that he understands the world a bit better, he’s more likely to yuk it up at things he finds funny.

I feel as if Sam was right on track with this one - I don't remember exact what it was that set her off, but there was just one day where she felt as though she was the funniest thing ever and wouldn't stop laughing at herself and what she was doing. Now she knows she's a goofball and it's so hard to reel her in sometimes!

Milestone #5: Say 10 words -- 17 to 18 months
One word was exciting (especially since the first one was probably “Mama” or “Dada”), a handful of words was nice, but ten words? Now we’re talking! Because children’s vocabularies increase exponentially, once a child has a solid ten or so words, he’ll be stringing together sentences before you know it.

I was able to cross this one off Samma's list at her 18-month appointment. The doctor had asked me and I think I counted in my head the number of words she could say, and it was either right at or exceeded ten... needless to say, at this point there's no keeping her quiet, and it amazes me the conversation and communication abilities she and I now have.

Milestone #6: Imitate behaviors -- 18 to 20 months
When your one-year-old picks up your cell phone and pretends to chat, or offers his stuffed bunny a spoonful of cereal, you know that his understanding of how things work and are used is developing by leaps and bounds.

Miss Samantha has known how to use a "phone" since she was pick items up with her own two hands. I'm sure it doesn't help her seeing every one of us using our phones every day, but how else is she going to learn! Now, rather than mimicking what we do, she starts mimicking our actions... if I'm sitting on the couch cross-legged with my elbows on my knees, I can look over and see her doing (or at least trying) the same thing. It really makes me aware how much of a sponge she is becoming, and how everything I do truly does affect her growth and development.

Milestone #7: Dance -- 18 to 20 months
For starters, a toddler who can boogie is one of the cutest things you’ll ever see — definitely fodder for the Flip. But this particular one-year-old milestone also marks a child’s emerging sense of rhythm. His footwork will get fancier as the months go by — a sign that he’s gaining control over his body, building physical strength, and fine-tuning his large motor skills.

I think Samma has been able to boogey ever since she was able to pull herself up on the furniture. The Wiggles were also a big help. Nowadays between the arm-swaying and the hip-moving, this girl doesn't stop! Put a good beat on and she can cut a rug with the rest of them!

Milestone #8: Take off an article of clothing -- 20 to 22 months
If your tot has a motto, chances are it’s “Me do it!” The second (and third) year is all about growing independence, so when a little kid can do a task solo, it’s a major accomplishment. Plus, being able to undress himself takes one job off your plate.

Somewhere, I have a picture of Samma at 6 months old taking her shirt off... either that or it was just too big for her and it casually fell off while she was learning to roll over. Regardless, my daughter has been taking her clothes off for the last couple months -- sometimes I'm OK with this, sometimes it's in the middle of the mall and not all that appropriate. And I can't really put her in onesies anymore -- one time she tried taking her onesie off, her arms got stuck inside because she couldn't get it up over her head. Well, that'll teach her...

Milestone #9: Set simple goals -- 20 to 22 months
No one has to tell you that your toddler has a mind of his own. But the ability to decide what he wants to do and how to do it, and then to carry out his plans, is a huge leap in a child’s cognitive development. You may not always agree with your toddler’s intentions (like when he decides that the dining-room wall would make a perfect canvas for a self-portrait), but there’s no question such antics indicate a creative, resourceful mind in the making.

I don't think we've breached this one yet. I know she knows enough to pour water from one cup to another to make it full... the same with sand while at the beach. When she wants to go somewhere or do something, she WANTS to do it. But setting certain goals, such as setting out to draw a picture or cooling down a patch of hot sand, I don't think we're exactly at that point.

Milestone #10: Show awareness of your approval -- 22 to 24 months
There are a few reasons you’ll want to give this milestone a high-five. For starters, it shows that your toddler is beginning to develop empathy: He’s tuning into how others feel. It’s also a sign that he’s ready and able to start living with some limits.

Samma helps clean up when asked, and when she is doing something, even if she knows it's something she shouldn't be doing, she does often look to me to see my reaction. More often than not, I'm usually in the corner trying not to laugh when I'm supposed to be stern, so I think I have some learning still to do myself.