Your 18-month-old: Week 4

You can practically see the lightbulb go on when your toddler first figures out how to fit the pieces of a puzzle together. Simple puzzles, nesting blocks, and stacking toys not only draw on your child's mental resources, they help refine his fine motor skills (which until now have probably taken a backseat to more physical activities like running and climbing). While your toddler will continue to burst with energy, he's also more interested in sitting still longer, especially when there's a problem to be solved.
這週大概因為把拔出國，只有我跟小馨在家，所以小馨更黏人了！
一定要我坐在旁邊、我走到哪兒就跟到那兒，我們吃飯、洗澡、睡覺、上廁所都在一起，這種感覺很黏人、卻也很甜蜜。

Your toddler now

Building vocabulary
Your toddler's vocabulary will grow by leaps and bounds over the coming months. While the first single words are usually nouns ("cat," "ball," "bottle"), phrases that use nouns and verbs tend to follow within a few months of first words: "Me want." "Go bye-bye."

For every chatterbox, there's a child who's relatively quiet. It's still too early to worry about a late talker, although if your child doesn't speak at least 15 words by now, it's a good idea to consult your doctor, who may recommend seeing a speech therapist to rule out any problems.
Counting on calcium
Don't make a big deal out of it if your child suddenly decides she hates milk. It's one of those small ways toddlers exert their independence. Continue to serve milk, but don't force her to drink it. At the same time, make sure she's getting plenty of calcium by providing plenty of other dairy foods such as cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt. Disguise milk in shakes or puddings (in moderation).

Some milk naysayers can't resist the offer of chocolate milk. Fortified soy milk is another option. See what our expert says about which kind is best for toddlers.