11 Months!

Yes I know, terribly delayed here - but this month I feel I have a great excuse! Andrew and I were in the Dominican Republic last week for Jeff and Kim's wedding!! It was an awesome 5 days of sunshine and relaxation, and the wedding was gorgeous and a super fun time. Congrats to the newlyweds and thank you for inviting us for your special day!!!! Jack did great while we were gone, and yet another huge thank you to my parents for watching him round the clock so we could go.

Time to report on the 11 month happenings of Mr. Jack Harold:

- He is still comfortably wearing 12 months clothes and can still squeeze into 9 month stuff. He has some hefty thighs and can get quite the belly going throughout the day, but he really is just a big, solid guy. He went to the doctor a couple of weeks ago to check on a cold, and weighed in at 23lbs.
- He is down to 3 bottles of 8oz a day. We are working on using a sippy here and there, but it will still be a bit before we are ready to give up the bottle. Food wise, he is eating 3 table food meals a day, with a bit of baby food still mixed in there for good measure. He is a carb man and really likes puffs, bread/toast, and cheerios, and also enjoys bananas, applesauce, cheese and blueberries.
- He still sleeps 11-12 hours a night and naps are still...a joy. Paulette says that I wasn't a good napper until I went down to 1 nap a day, but I dropped naps all together by the time I was 2 1/2. Good thing Jack is exactly like Andrew in every way, so this shouldn't be an issue for us. Riiiight.
- He has recently gotten really good at walking with his walker around the basement. He hasn't mastered steering yet, but he can plow over anything in his path and still keep his balance which is impressive. He will still occasionally walk with hands, and every once and a while we'll catch him letting go of the toy or furniture he is leaning up against, and stand by himself for 10 seconds or so.
- He is getting so good at recognizing people/objects and really understanding questions and directions. He recently has become a huge fan of Elmo, and if you ask him where Elmo is, he'll stop what he's doing, scan the room for Elmo, and crawl right over to him and give him a big love. We were recently at Target and pointed out an Elmo doll of the shelf to Jack and he seemed to be excited, yet very confused as to why Elmo was also at Target. He also loves turning off light switches and opening and shutting doors.
- He is talking/babbling a TON these days. He's got Dada and Mama down, though he's yet to associate either of us with them. He is also starting to try and repeat words (see "Banana" post below).
- He loves to be chased and to be startled. One of our favorite games is for me to hold Jack while we run around the room while Andrew jumps out and chases us. Jack giggles and squeals and kicks his feet like crazy. He also loves hide and seek, and playing catch.


It's so insane that in just a few short weeks this little dude will be 1. It's also crazy to think that this time last year, I was waddling around and nearing the surprising end of my pregnancy. What a shock his entrance into the world was, but we feel so fortunate that we were given an extra 6 weeks to get to know him and love him and we could not be more proud of how far he's come and what a strong, healthy and happy little boy he is. I can't believe how fast this year has gone, and while I am terribly sad every day that he'll never be this little again, I am so excited to see how he continues to learn and grow and see what kind of a little person he develops into.

 

Banana

I know I need an 11 month post, but in the meantime, here is a new video of Jack "saying" banana. He's a genius!! Over the past few days, he has gotten really good at trying to repeat words that we say. Banana, elmo, kitty, Lucy are among the ones that he sometimes (ok maybe once or twice) has tried to repeat. Also this morning during breakfast he made a growling sound that I mimicked back to him, which started a growling war that was hilarious. I was able to successfully initiate another one over lunch, so I'm hoping this is a new trick that will stick.

https://vimeo.com/55553321

10 Months!

I feel like Jack took off between 9 and 10 months and he is more like a little boy vs. a baby every day these days! Here is what the big guy is up to as he rolls into double digits:

- not sure on weight check, but he seems to be working on getting a good belly going again. He can still pull off 9 month clothes (though pjs are a bit tight) but fits more comfortably in 12 month stuff. Size 3 diapers.
- He's still taking 4 bottles a day of 7oz. 2 meals of baby food, and maybe a snack here and there throughout the day. He's had baby yogurt and loves it and has mastered puffs and Mum mums. He's had slices of apple in a mesh bag, and while We've tried to start to work in finger foods more, he's not a fan yet. The kid sticks absolutely everything in his mouth that he can, but put a piece of pear or potato in front of him and he won't touch it. Or, he'll touch it, but put it close to his mouth and it's no dice. He's getting better with a sippy cup too, but I think he mostly prefers to drink straight from Grandma P's water glass.
- 9 months marked the big crawling milestone, and these days he is ALL over the place and is becoming quite the speed demon. Especially when he knows he's crawling towards something he shouldn't have, like Grandma's wine rack in the basement. It's hilarious though - you can see him spot it, wait for a second like he's plotting the best time to take off and then bam, he's off and running, literally.
- He's also a big fan (as am I) of playing hide and seek/chase. He'll start in his room and I'll call him out from around the corner.  As soon as he sees me he squeals and his little arms flail and he takes off back into the room as fast as he can. Sometimes he falls over himself because he's going so fast, but it's hilarious. And I love that he "gets" how the game is played.
- He pulls up to everything he can and has absolutely no fear. When he first started doing it, when he was ready to sit down he would just let go and tip backwards/sideways and either expect someone to catch him, or take a pretty decent tumble. Now, thankfully, he has figured out to bend his knees and sit down. He'll move around the sides of a table or pack n play and is starting to bend down to pick things up in one hand while standing. He also sits/stands up in his crib when he is done with naps or up for the morning. And he loves to play with this music machine now that he can reach it, pressing all the buttons and turning the music and night light on and off over and over again.
- He can wave! It's so cute. He sticks his whole arm out and shakes it. He started doing it the week of Halloween and while he doesn't do it that much anymore, he'll still bust it out every once and a while. I know my parents are very proud as they are the ones that got him doing it. And, as of last week, he can also do "so big". he does it very randomly,  not always when prompted, but he can do it nonetheless! Yesterday he was doing it while sitting on my lap and was launching himself completely backwards onto the couch cushion next to him. Again, no fear with this kid.
- As of this week, he is working on tooth #7 and it is a big one! Top left, and not immediately next to the others which is random. Over the weekend he was a bit crabby and tired and I think that was the cause. He is also a shoulder biter when he gets excited but he is getting better at not doing it. A few weeks ago, I was calling him "little Edward" multiple times a day.
- he finally loves books again! For several months, trying to get him to sit still long enough to read a book was not worth the struggle, but now he'll happily sit and go through several books in 1 sitting. He loves to turn the pages himself and is digging touch and feel and the peek a boo books Grandma Susan got him.

while Mommy was in Orlando

playing with Jonuts

fun snooze with Ma

not impressed with LeMutt

pumpkin patch

not impressed with his costume

love this face

Saturday morning fun

Boy on the Move!

Wow - the past few weeks have been huge for Jack! He's at the point where he is growing and learning leaps and bounds and everyday there is something new. Since he started full on crawling, the kid is always on the go! He rarely tummy scoots anymore and I can't even remember the last time I saw him roll, which used to be nonstop and his preferred mode of transportation. He is a pro at going from sitting to crawling, back to sitting and is good at catching his balance if he starts to topple a bit. He has also pulled up to standing a few times but that is one we need to keep a close eye on as he is completely oblivious to the fact that he needs to keep holding on in order to stay upright. Last night he would have gone headfirst into all kinds of corners or fallen completely backwards had I not kept 1 hand on him. Crazy dude. He also gets the biggest kick out of crawling into bathrooms, towards outlets or any of Grandma Paulette's fake plants (and there are MANY to choose from) and gives a good squeal when he sets out for any of the aformentioned. Below is a video that helped me survive my week away in Orlando. Note: his juicy burp at the very beginning of the video and his delight when he notices the outlet on the wall :)

https://vimeo.com/51999371

I'm taking notes for the big 10 month post next week - lots more to report on for little Jack Harold!

9 Months!

3/4 of a year - holy moly! Can't believe it just 3 short months we'll be celebrating Jack's first birthday! But what a fun 3 months it will be - Halloween, Turkey Day, Christmas parties, Christmas and plenty of quality time at Grandma and Grandpa's house :) Here is what Jack is up to as a 9 month old:

- we went to the doc last Thursday for his 9 month appointment. Kid has exploded and weighs 21lbs 9oz which puts him in the 75th percentile UNADJUSTED. He is 29inches which is 70th percentile UNADJUSTED. I definitely feared I was overfeeding him for a bit, but seeing how his height took off just as much as his weight makes me feel much better.
- due to his size, he is comfortably in 12 month clothes. He can rock 9 month stuff, but who knows for how much longer
- he is eating 4 bottles a day - mostly all 7 oz (sometimes an 8 here or there) and has solids 2 times a day. Cereal and fruit in the morning and cereal and veggies at night. Starting tomorrow we are on to meats and veggies for dinner :) We have yet to try and table/finger foods though he has started to get the hang of puffs and can successfully get them into his mouth on occasion. He also CAN pick up and use the sippy though he's still not too keen on that one.
- he's still a rock star nighttime sleeper and usually sleeps 12 hours a night. I think he really likes his new bedroom - it's a lot darker than the condo and think allows him to sleep in longer in the am. For the past few weeks we've not needed to bring him into our bed for another hour at 6am, which is nice - though a good morning snuggle with the much is always welcomed. He also now sleeps with a blanket and bumpers on his crib, GASP! Pretty sure he loves how snug they make him feel.
- he can give "high fives" - meaning if you stick your hand up in his face and say "give me a high five" he'll hit your hand.
- he always likes to stand and likes to practice walking with the help of sturdy hands overhead.
- he also still LOVES his baths. he gets so excited as soon as the water is turned on.
- he can plan peek a boo with a blanket and gets a real kick out of it. Some of his best belly laughs come from blanket games and tickle sessions.
- he has 4 teeth - 2 on the bottom and the top 2 both came in around the same time a few weeks ago. When the top first started to appear he had a nasty habit of grinding his teeth, but thankfully that seems to already be over!
- And finally...as of tonight, he is CRAWLING! He has been very close and has become very efficient scooting on his tummy to wherever he wants to go, but guess he decided today was the day! He did it several times and even fell down on his tummy and pushed back up a few times, turned directions mid crawl and started to pick up some speed. I guess we really did get out of the condo just in time!! There is much more room in Mokena for little man to take off. Eeks! such a big boy.

Happy 9 months, Jack Harold! We love you to pieces and everyday you entertain us more than the day before with your new tricks, expressions and discoveries.

working hard

Bearing down

how most of the 9 month photos turned out

I Spy...

with my wittle wittle eye (actually Grandma Susan saw it), a 3rd toothum poking through! Top right.

8 Months!

Ok, I know. Worst. Mom. Ever. Jack is practically 9 months old and I am just getting around to his 8 months post. Better late than never, so here we go:

- Mr. Jack has had quite the growth spurt! At 8 months, he was weighing in at 21lbs! 6 month clothes are pretty much a joke, and we are going to just blow through 9 month clothes :( He has a great set of thighs on him and a good belly and some incredibly sweet little cheeks.
- He is still eating solids twice a day and as of last week is down to 4 bottles a day (7oz each). I believe his "growth spurt" may have been attributed to perhaps 1 bottle too many for the past month, but he certainly wasn't complaining.
-Still just has those 2 bottom toothums!
- He is still a rolling machine and it is his preferred method of travel to get to what he wants. However, just this week he has developed an inch worm scoot on his belly to reach for objects nearby thanks to countless block towers built by Grandma Susan and Grandpa T. The start of crawling! He is also really starting to rock back and forth when put up on his hands and knees. He doesn't push up onto his knees on his own yet, but he's definitely made progress over the last month.
- He is developing so many facial expressions, and interacting with us more and more everyday. He's started to reach for people when he wants to be picked up or passed over and is really studying our mouths when we try to get him to say "Mama" or "Dada" and the like.
- Sad to report, we still struggle in the nap department, but we have more good days vs bad, so we'll take it. On a good day, he still is taking 3 naps a day. 2 1+ hour naps and a shorter catnap in between.
-His demeanor is still very pleasant most of the time. He definitely will whine or grunt when he is unhappy or tired, but he very rarely cries. Hope I didn't just jinx us.
- Jack had his first night away from both Mom and Dad a couple weekends ago and did just fine at Grandma Paulette's house. Mom and Dad also did just fine :)
- He now visits "baby jail" a couple times a day (pack and play in the living room) to give us a break and does pretty well chilling in there with toys and entertaining himself.
- This should wait until his 9 month post, but since it's fresh in our minds I'll mention now that Jack is currently dealing with his first cold. Started in the middle of the night on Saturday, he wasn't himself Sunday afternoon and then Sunday night was awful. I was up rocking him probably 3 times in the middle of the night, brought him into our bed for a little bit at one point - brought me back to the joyful early days :) He was not a happy boy and I felt bad. But, thankfully that seemed to be the worst of it and he is getting less snot nosed each day!

Happy 8 months, Jackypants!

one of my all time favorites

tough guys need to chill too

Add caption

swinging in Mokena

HUGE fan of the electric toothbrush

Uncle Jeffers got me camo

I-L-L