15 Months!

I may have skipped a monthly update, but that just means little man is full of 2 months worth of tricks to report on today. So, let's get to it:

- as of a week after my 13 month post, Jack started full on walking and is now practically running all around the house. He has 2 pairs of shoes that he is still getting used to, especially outside, but he's getting the hang of them.
- speaking of outside, Jack is obsessed with the outdoors. Thanks to a few days of decent weather the past week, we have started to venture outside and explore our new surroundings. As soon as we come back inside, he is grunting and reaching for the door to go back out. Our yard is in need of some serious repairs and currently is extremely uneven, and coupled with the shoes - poor Jack is like a brand new walker outside stumbling all over the place.
- he is in the nap transition phase where some days are 2 naps, others 1. Sometimes it the am nap, sometimes it's just the pm nap. BUT, no matter what he doesn't fight to go down for naps hardly ever anymore which is the best part. Even if he goes down in a nap attempt but doesn't fall asleep, for the most part he'll just play and roll around in his crib for a bit before he starts to become unhappy and want out.
- Also as of my 13 month post, we have stopped bedtime bottles and we read many stories before bedtime now.
- he loves books. He can point out items/characters in several books such as the mouse in "Goodnight moon", almost all of the animals in "Brown Bear", and the butterfly in "Thumper's Fluffy Tail." He can also be very particular about his books. He will push a book out of the way if it's not the one he wants to read, and tonight while reading a baby animals book, I realized he was saying "quack quack" because I had accidentally missed the first page of the book with the baby duck.
- animal noises are about the same since my last post, but we've maybe added a few like "quack" (cack) and my personal favorite "meow" (maaaa).
- other words he is attempting: we've been getting more ma ma and da da lately, more so if we ask him "who's that?" vs him calling us on his own, but I'll take it. He starting to say hi more (haaaaah) which is super cute. If you ask him to sing he'll do some sing song jabber, and will from time to time mimic me when I say "ay yi yi"
- he has figured out how to clap and blink. The blinking is hysterical as he does these long slow blinks, and you can sometimes see his eyes rolling back into his head too. He also knows that he's cute when he does it, as he purposefully started doing it at dinner tonight for Grandma Susan because she gets a kick out of it.
- he can point out his ears, nose, belly and sometimes his eyes. Andrew has taught him how to slap his belly and make muscles.
- Grandma Paulette has taught him to raise his hand and he's starting to do it more often. The other day after he pooped I said "raise your hand if you're stinky" and up went his arm. Tonight I was trying teach him to say Jack and he would raise his hand when I said "raise your hand if you're name is Jack."
- he is starting to have some slight toddler fits when he doesn't get what he wants. Mostly at night when he is tired. Tonight trying to change him and put his jammies on at bedtime was the closest thing to a tantrum we've experienced so far.
- He is obsessed with Sesame street. He was in love with his Elmo dolls before he ever saw the show, but now he is all about Grover "go go". The Easter bunnies brought all kinds of new Sesame street cups, bowls, dolls, books, bibs, DVDs, etc. About the only time he sits still is for the few minutes we'll put it on for him. Hmmmm, that sounds familiar :)
- He dances aka squats and bounces to music. His favorite song is Kesha's Die Young. If Andrew plays songs for him on his phone, he was repeatedly hand the phone back until Kesha comes on.
- He got his first haircut a few weeks ago courtesy of Dad. He used clippers all around and did a pretty good job for a first attempt. That was about 3 weeks ago and he's about ready for another trim.
- can still wear 12 month stuff, though pants are a bit short. 18 month stuff fits him nicely.

We go to the doctor on Friday for a check up, so I will post updated stats then.

13 Months!

Jack celebrated 1 year and 1 month on Saturday! He is learning all kinds of new things:

- he is walking...almost! He has made huge progress in the last week and is definitely getting more confident and excited to try out his new skills. He can go a good 5-7 steps no problem and is getting better at controlled falls vs face plants. Though we've already had a few face plants :( Another week or so and he'll be 100% there I'll bet.
- he has a ton of new "words." Banana is still a good one, but there is also cookie (cook cook) choo choo (cook cook), hot (haaaa), mama, dada. He also has animal sounds down for sheep, rooster, leopard, monkey and cow according to Grandma Paulette. All of his animal sounds are variations of a throat clearing growl, but he and his audience know what he's doing.
- he consistently waves bye bye when leaving or going upstairs to bed, and is very good pointing to his ears when asked. He can also point to someone else's nose, just not his own yet. Still working on clapping (he just shakes his hands or bangs them something when he tries to clap).
- he has started sharing things with others when asked and giving wide open mouth kisses and some hugs.
- he still loves to be chased, scared and tickled more than anything. He also now loves to hide himself behind the couch or ottoman and pop up over and over again to "scare" us. It's too cute and he gets so proud of himself.
- we still struggle to get meals down him on most days. He is very particular and his tastes vary from day to day. Ravioli that got rave reviews one day will get spit out and chucked on the floor in seconds. Grandpa Jim has nicknamed him Chuck because of this habit. But fruit, bread, mac n cheese and puffs remain to be sure fire go tos. We're on all whole milk and sippy cups (except for the bedtime bottle that Mommy can't seem to break yet b/c she likes the snuggles). We'll see if I can report on that being done by month 14 :)
- he is starting to be very interested in using the spoon himself at meal time and is getting really good at it. He'll dip the spoon into his applesauce or yogurt and then goes straight to his mouth pretty easily.
- he is still taking 2 naps a day, though Saturday he refused to take his afternoon nap which was interesting...and 2 naps are still necessary in our house.
- 12 teeth still, but the next 2 are just about to break through on the top next to the middle 4. I think we've had a couple mid night cuddle sessions as a result of those pesky little things.

we had a WONDERFUL birthday party for Jack on Jan 12th at the Maple Brook Clubhouse. Jack did great playing with his friends and opening his gifts and got very into his owl smash cake. Such a fun day celebrating our little man. Thank you to everyone would made the long trip out and for all of the generous gifts! Jack is very lucky boy and he promises the thank you cards are in the mail soon :)

pics to follow soon, prom prom.
 

12 Months - 1 YEAR OLD!!

Soooo, that was a fast year?! My baby is 1 year old - insane! Jack had a wonderful day today...I think he would say it was by far his best birthday yet :) We woke up and he opened one of his gifts and we had birthday pancakes for breakfast. We then met Grandma & Grandpa, Auntie Gretchen and all of his cousins and Choo-Choo Johnny's for lunch. I wasn't quite sure if Jack would get a kick out of it or not, but he absolutely loved it. He did not stop smiling the entire time we were there as he watched the train run overhead. We sat at the counter, which has a track for a train to come out and deliver your food, and every time they blew the whistle to signal an order was coming out, he would turn in the direction of it and watch it come around the track with a huge grin or giggle. After lunch we came home and sang happy birthday and gave him his owl smash cake. He ate about 3 bites of it, smeared all the chocolate in his hair, and then didn't want anything more to do with it...oh well. He at least touched it and ate something, so I call that a success. We then opened the rest of his gifts, played a bit and he took a good afternoon nap. I think he knew it was his birthday today or something. He was so happy and so sweet and smiley all day, my heart just melted over and over.

What a fun day celebrating my little man and what a year this has been! This past year has brought us so much love, pride, smiles and laughter and every day truly gets better and better. Jack, you are my world, and every day I thank God for you and for letting me be your Mommy. You are the sweetest, most hilarious, craziest nutball of a little man and I love you to pieces. There is no better feeling than watching you learn something new, and I can't wait to see what this next year brings you!

Speaking of learning new things, here are some of Jack's latest tricks:
- He is walking around everything and can crawl faster than lighting. He isn't too keen on practicing walking on his own, but every once and a while you can see the wheels turning as he tries to go from toy to toy, or he'll let go and stand on his own for a bit when he thinks no one is watching, so I don't think it will be too much longer. Actually, I'm predicting it will happen the week I am out of town for work at the end of the month :(
- He is trying to repeat a lot of things - banana is the most deliberate, but he'll also attempt things like Lucy, Grandpa, Elmo, etc. They are all just grunts, but he's trying so we applaud the effort :) His latest trick is to make the animal noise a sheep says. Trying to get that one on video!
- He gives hugs when asked...and it's awesome. He has also become very snuggly lately and will crawl over to just put his head down on my lap or shoulder randomly to say hi before he heads back over to his toys. So sweet.
- Knock on wood, but he seems to be doing much better with his naps. I honestly think it has been because we've been home so much over the holidays, and he feels like we're around enough for him to relax and get the sleep he needs and he won't have to miss us :) He's also been awesome at going down for his naps too. Once he starts to get crazy, I can ask him if he's ready for a nap and he'll reach for me to pick him up and immediately put his head down on his green blanket on my shoulder. I reallllly hope this is not a phase!!!!!
- He's mastered the sippy cup and bottles should be done soon. We also tried whole milk for the first time today. I did a half and half mixture with the formula and he sucked it down. Hopefully that will be a smooth transition and we will be done with formula within the next couple of weeks. I've given Jack more time to make these changes taking his prematurity in account, and I think it's worked out really well for us so far.
- He is understanding more and more every day and it amazes me. I feel like he understands so much of what we say and ask of him. If you ask him to give you his pacifier or something in his hand, he'll do it. Close/open the door, put the ball there, etc. he is really getting it all!
- We are still sitting at 12 teeth, though I've not looked for any new ones in a bit so who knows!
- He tries his best to eat only puffs, bananas, blueberries and bread and is sometimes very picky to try new things. But, we've made a lot of progress with table food in the last month or so, so I'm confident that he'll be eating everything in sight in no time.
- He fits comfortably into 12 and some 18 month clothes. We've still been rocking the size 3 diapers, but 4s are up once our current box is done. He is still sleeping 11-12 hours at night and taking 2 naps a day.

We head to the doctor on Friday - will post his stats after that!

Very Merry Christmas

Jack had a great first Christmas! The festivities started on Sunday, the 23rd, with Christmas with the immediate Luchansky clan. He ate like a big boy at the adults table for dinner, and enjoyed his first serving of french toast. When it came time to gifts, he showed interest in ripping off wrapping paper here and there, but that was very short lived, and he preferred to crawl around amongst the chaos instead. On Christmas morning, we woke up and opened presents and stockings from Santa, and Jack spent the rest of the morning riding around in his new red wagon. He LOVES it! He will sit contently and ride around the basement, giving out high fives to whoever he passes. We've also created a makeshift ball pit in it,  courtesy of Kristy and Jonah. We spent Christmas day with the extended Luchansky family, and Jack did a great job hanging out with everyone and even taking a good afternoon nap despite the excitement of the day. The Christmas celebrations came to a close with our Morrison Christmas on the 30th with the Nobles. Jack spent the whole weekend with Grandma Susan and Grandpa T, and not surprisingly, we left with a whole new wardrobe and just about any battery operated toy you can think of :) We had so much fun with Jack this Christmas, and certainly look forward to many many more Christmases in our new home!

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