12 months

We’ve got a 1 year old! And in my opinion (I’m not biased), the cutest little 1 year old ever!  We see you thinking and becoming smarter and smarter every day.  You love to mimic things that you see us do like comb your hair, use the remote to change the channel (you just point and press…not actually change the channel), and put your toys on top of your head just like we do.  Physically you’ve slimmed down from the steroids, have lots and lots of blond hair, and the prettiest, biggest blue eyes.  You love to people watch and are so flexible in most situations that we put you in even if there are lots of strangers around. 

One year ago I tried, but still could not imagine just how in love with you I am.  We would do anything for you and you bring so much joy into our lives everyday.  I look forward to celebrating so many more birthdays with you in the future and watching you grow up.

Size:
You weighed in at 21 pounds & 8oz at your 1 year appointment.  You actually have lost a bit of weight from a couple of weeks ago, but are still growing and getting taller.  You are currently 29” long and gaining on the height chart.  As the doctor said, we’re starting to see your “genetic potential.”  You are still in size 3 diapers and wear majority 12 month clothes. You wear 18 month sizes in t-shirts and some clothes that I’ve bought for the future.

Sleep:
You are on a very good, predictable sleep schedule right now.  You wake up around 7:15 each morning, nap from 10-11:30, nap from 3-4:30, and then are asleep by about 8 each night.  If we have to change your schedule up a bit (keep you out later or change your nap time) then you are a flexible baby.  Your one requirement for sleep is a blankie so you can cuddle with it when you’re going to sleep.  You’re not picky on which one as long as it’s an Aden & Anais (and we have a lot of them).

Activities:  
You still love to use your walker and any toys that you can stand and play with.  You love playing with doors and opening and closing them.  You also love to get into the tupperware cabinet and crawl around the kitchen with the tops under your hands (we call it skiing). 

You love going on walks in the stroller (I think this comes from riding on the buggy twice a day during daycare).  On the weekends, I try to follow your same routine and take you on a walk before your bottle & nap and it relaxes you.  You still love playing with all your toys, especially your golf club set & little people toys & bus. 

You also still love playing in the bath, even though it’s towards the end of the day when you’re starting to get grumpy.  Your favorite thing is to drop things out of the tub and then try to pick them up.  This involves you standing in the bath tub which we are trying to get you to stop doing!

Food:
You still aren’t the best table food eater, but we’re going to keep trying!  The pediatrician said that some babies just don’t like/can’t eat certain textures until closer to 15 months.  We offer table foods at each meal, but will normally back it up with baby food.  You are good at picking up food and putting it in your mouth, it’s just making sure that you don’t gag and then throw up (which happens more often than I’d like to admit).  Recently, I’ve been giving you whatever Tyler and I are eating for dinner in very small pieces (chicken, veggies, cheese, turkey, breads).

You snack on yogurt and puffs or gold fish.

For milk, you have been taking a 4oz bottle when you wake up, a 6-7 oz bottle at 10am, a 6-7oz bottle at 3pm, and a 7oz bottle at bedtime.  

New Things:
You are a walking cruiser.  You hold onto objects and just cruise around them.  You have gotten faster, but still are not walking or standing on your own.  You feel more confident crawling to get where you want to be. 

You have 3 new teeth this month!  Both top center teeth and then a tooth on the top left side.

You love to point at things and often will just point at everything.  You have also learned to wave to people, although your version of waving it just sticking your hand up in the air towards them and giving a huge smile. 

You also started clapping your hands together.  You have always banged objects together, but not your actual hands.  They don’t make any noise so it’s cute to see how gentle you bring them together. 

This is how you feel about ear infections

You have still been sick again this month and have had a couple of ear infections.  We met with the ENT doc on the day of your one year appointment and we have set the plan to get tubes into action.  I had tubes twice in my younger years and both doctors said that it is often hereditary so I’m sorry for giving you messed up ears L. 

Like I said earlier, you mimic things that we do and are always studying us.  It was so funny the first time we saw you pick up the remote and turn and point it at the tv.  I don’t know if that’s a good thing that you know how to do that!  You also always bring the comb to your head try to comb your hair (although it’s not successful).  When we read a certain book together at night, it has a mirror on the back page.  You always get excited to see yourself and me in the mirror.  I kiss the mirror and then you kiss the mirror each time.  It’s so cute.

Dad also gave you your first haircut.   Your bangs often get too long and will get in your eyes and need trimming so you can see!  He has also trimmed the sides of your hair.  We just have to make sure you’re watching Baby Einstein while he’s doing it.

The last 12 months have flown by and it is crazy how much you changed in a year.  It is so drastic and I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened.  At each milestone like holding your head up, sitting up, and pulling up it is foreign to see you do it on your own for the first few times.  

Happy 1st Birthday Jack!

One year ago today Jack made his debut into this world.  I love looking back at his birth story and how we got to meet him unexpectedly a few weeks early.  He had his own timing and wanted to come meet us!

We told him the play by play of what happened a year ago yesterday and today.  Too bad he has no idea what we're talking about!

We have been celebrating our baby boy all weekend with family and friends and can't believe how he has turned into a little boy with such a curious and happy personality.  I truly can't remember life without him.  It seems like just yesterday he was born, but at the same time it seems like a lifetime ago.

We had an amazing party and a fun filled weekend.  We are exhausted.

Many updates to come.  We have had so much going on and are gearing up for a big graduation weekend!

Happy Birthday, Jack!  We love you so much!

May 20, 2011

  May 20, 2012

House Hunting in Nashville

Tyler and I just returned from our second weekend in Nashville house hunting and getting to know the city.  The good news is we are so excited about the city and have loved what we have gotten to know.  The not so good news is we haven't found the right house, yet.  Send positive thoughts and prayers our way because we're in a time crunch!

The first weekend we went, Janie came down to stay with Jack...and he got sick.  This past weekend my parents came down to take care of him and he got sick again!  Oh, this child.  He's had fever, cough, wheezing, runny nose, and got sick while I was holding him last night.  We headed to the pediatrician today and they tried breathing treatments on him (which was torture for me and him...he hated it).  They did not seem to help too much, so we're just going with the rest and watch to get better. 

This only happens when he's sick

Hanging out with mom today

We did miss seeing a couple of his firsts while we were away.  I got this picture text one day of him climbing the stairs.  My dad was upstairs getting ready and my mom said Jack just went over to the stairs and started to head up.  He's never even attempted it before!

Which resulted in my dad promptly putting our gate up.

We've also never seen him actually clap.  He claps objects together all the time, but this weekend he began clapping his hands together.     

He's also finally moved to the big kid car seat (he's still facing backwards).

He looks so big!

Fun in the Sun

We had lots of fun during our weekend in Plano.  At the last minute, Tyler found out he didn't have to work on Friday so we loaded up the car and left around Jack's bedtime (which was awesome to have a sleeping baby the entire way). Since we didn't have plans on Friday we went to lunch with our parents and relaxed by the pool.

The water was still a bit cold, so Jack wasn't a huge fan of the big pool.

We sent the guys to Wal Mart to pick up a pool for Jack so it would be a bit warmer. 

He's very hesitant about new things lately, so it took him a while to warm up to it but had lots of fun in the end.

My dad got the Red Flyer wagon out of the attic that my brother and I used when we were little.  I remember that thing being huge...and it is not.  I was a little nervous with him riding in it, but he held on tight and we stayed on the grass.

The weekend also included a couple of rounds of top golf and a great family dinner at the Bloomer's.  One night we met Uncle Layne in Addison for dinner and Jack had fun playing with his Rangers hat.  He's a fan.

Baptism

Sunday was a very special day for Jack and our family.  Jack was baptized and we made our commitment to lead him in his faith and his journey to know the Lord.

We were blessed to have Tyler's Uncle Burt baptize Jack at First United Methodist McKinney, which is a church close to the family.  Burt is currently the pastor of Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo and we thank him so much for making the trip to McKinney.  He has now married us and baptized our first born.

We were honored that First United Methodist McKinney opened their doors to our family.  Tyler's grandmother goes to church there and his grandfather was a retired pastor on staff at the time of his passing last year.

I found out Tyler's grandfather had advanced cancer the morning after I found out I was pregnant.  It was a mix of emotions as I realized I would soon be bringing a life into this world and the next moment, we found out Tyler's grandfather might be leaving us soon.  I have lost both of my grandfathers and miss them so much.  I loved Tyler's grandpa like he was my own.  We were able to spend many happy times with him throughout the pregnancy and he passed away about a week and a half after Jack was born.   It is all part of God's plan and sometimes I think that's why I had Jack a few weeks early.  We were able to make the trip back to Plano for his memorial service and Jack was able to meet many family members when he was only days old. 

His spirit was definitely with us on Sunday, but we missed him dearly.

After the baptism, everyone headed to El Dorado Country Club for a wonderful brunch. 

Thank you to all the family and friends who were there with us.  It was a great big, fun group.  I'm sad we didn't get a group picture! 

11 months

Are you seriously 11 months old?!  Is it possible that my newborn baby is about to be a year?!  We love you so much and your personality brings life to Tyler and I each day .  You still have so much more to grow, but you are already growing up into a little boy who knows what he likes and doesn't like and loves his mama.  I look forward to picking you up from daycare all day everyday and when I see you through the window and you smile at me it makes my day.  I'm enjoying my time with you as an infant before you become my little toddler. 

Size:  You weighed in 2 weeks ago at about 22.5 lbs.  You are definitely starting to slim out since you have been off the prednisone for a while.  Your neck rolls are starting to disappear but you still have some super cute cheeks!  You are currently wearing mostly 12 month clothes, but can still fit into a few 9 month pjs & one piece sets.  You are wearing a size 3 diaper.

Sleep:  Once again, your sleep pattern is pretty unpredictable.  You had started to turn a corner right when we took you off your medicines and were sleeping through the night at times.  But you got sick once again and you have been waking up quite a bit during the last week.  Hopefully we will get you back on schedule.  Your nap routine is very consistent each day and you nap from about 10-11:10 and 3-4:20.  This makes life much easier to plan around.

Activities:  You now crawl at lightning speed.  If we take our eyes off of you for a few seconds you are across the room.  You have also started cruising on the furniture and will move from couch to table to couch.  You go directly for any cords or outlets that you see which has made baby proofing fun.  You also love to pull up on Jake’s water bowl (it is on a stand) and splash around in the water and bang his food bowls together.  Mom & Dad do not like this.

You have SO many toys that you play with.  You still love to walk across multiple times using your walker and play with the front of it.  You have a newfound love for your golf set and getting each golf ball out one at a time.  You still love your construction set & car steering wheel and anything that makes noise, especially your hammers.  Around Easter we bought you an activity table that you can stand at and play, which you also enjoy.

Food:  You have about 4 bottles a day: a very small bottle in the morning when you wake up, and then a bottle at 10, 3, and bedtime.  You eat 3 solid meals between these bottles and a snack.  You still hold your bottle to feed yourself, even when I am holding you before bedtime. 

We are trying to get you to eat more solid foods, but you are giving us some trouble.  You are an excellent eater when it comes to baby food stage 2 and any puffs or mums mums, but will have none of the stage 3 foods.  You gag majority of the time and often end up spitting up what you had previously eaten.  I have tried small pieces of cheese, beans, fruit, veggies but sometimes you even gag when you taste the different textures.  We are trying to stay consistent and keep trying.

When we are out to eat you love to chew on tortillas, bread, pancakes, or anything you can hold and bite on.

Nighttime Routine:  Recently, we start your nighttime routine about 7:30, which includes a bath, book, and bottle.  I have been rocking you for a few minutes after your bottle and you love to cuddle which I LOVE!  I miss cuddling with you and I can only do it when you are very sleepy.  You still sleep with a blanket (you are not picky about the blanket as long as it’s an Aden & Anais) and love to hold on to it and pull it to your face.  If you are upset at any time, a blanket helps calm you down.

 

New Things:  Last month was such a big milestone month for you and since then you have continued to develop these skills.  Like I said earlier, you are a speed crawler and pull up on everything.  You are so curious and love to crawl under chairs and tables.  You can also cruise along the furniture and you are walking excellent when we stand above you and hold your hands.  Your balance is improving and soon enough (although I’m in no hurry) you will be walking.

You crawl with objects in your hands (like your favorite hammers) and also crawl while pushing your little people bus around or anything with wheels.

You had another ear infection that resulted in a fever and the doctor changed your antibiotic.  She changed it to Azithromycin and you had a mild allergic reaction and broke out in a rash.  When we followed up with the pediatrician they decided to give you a shot of antibiotic and you (and mom) did not like it!  It was a very big shot and different took much longer to give than your immunizations. 

You love to play with doors.  This is not a good thing because we have had a couple of upsetting moments when you have pulled the door onto your leg or shut your own fingers in the door.  Also, if mom is in the closet, you will shut the door and sit in front of it where I cannot get out.  You are a tricky little guy. 

You have totally given up your pacifier.  You have literally not used it for the last month (and at times I really wish you would J).  If we give it to you, you just chew and bite on it but there is no sucking. 

Here's Jack when we were out to eat on his 11 month birthday!