Passport, please!

I'm ready to go!

So I thought these were going to be more like the tight, James Bond style trunks, but apparently not on my baby.  They are still pretty cute!



12.5 Months

(I have more pictures I will add soon- the uploader is SLOW)

Jack has mastered going up and down the stairs.

Hanging out in his stroller with his bud Enrique.

Eating German potato salad all by himself.  PS- he loves it!

Waiting for me to get home one day.  I love how excited he gets when he sees his mama!

Jack is a great imitator.  He loves to stir things in my saucepan with my wooden spoon and has started fussing every time I'm cooking because he wants me to pick him up and let him stir whatever I'm making.  If he sees a hair brush, he will automatically start brushing his practically bald head.  He tries to put shoes on his feet.  If he finds a pen or pencil, he'll pretend to draw on paper (or actually draw if the caps off).  Lets hope he sticks to paper and not on furniture or walls!

He just started clapping his hands this past month too.  I know many babies do this much earlier, but he was more of a hands up in the air excited kind of a guy.  Now he's a clapper.  He keeps one hand stationary and moves the other one to clap.  Totally cute.  And because maybe he's a little late for this milestone, I have to brag that he can pick up the computer cord and plug the tiny little end into the lap top all in one swift move.  Very impressive!

Auntie Desiree gave him some new toddler silverware for Christmas and he is getting great at feeding himself with a spoon and fork.  He can pierce food and get it in his mouth and he can get things like yogurt or applesauce with the spoon. 

Jack is obsessed with tooth brushes and has been for a few months.  I carry one with me in my purse and if he gets fussy when we're out, it turns into the golden ticket!  Often times he will have two in his mouth at once.  I think they feel good on his teething gums.  Andy is often times trying to track down his own toothbrush.  It's a good think we're all family and that I keep many extras in the linen closet!

Jack also now has 6 teeth.  Two on top and four on the bottom. 
The morning of Jack's birthday he started taking more than just a step or two.  He'd walk up to 8-9 steps between two people and was really proud of himself.  I thought he'd just take off from there, but he's smart and realizes that crawling is faster.  Also, since we live in a small house he can cruise around from room to room hanging on to furniture so it makes it easy to not have to walk.  I'm sure it won't be long!

He likes to crawl and sit in things.  Like the recycle box by the front door, Andy's new little roasting pan that I gave him for Christmas, the drawer of the coffee table, etc.  Andy said that he even crawled up on the coffee table from the drawer this morning.   

Jack is in to everything!  I was making two quiches the other night and when I stopped and looked around the kitchen it looked like a bomb exploded!  After all, his favorite game is emptying/clearing things (including cabinets).  I used to think that parents need to just teach kids that some things they can play with and some they can't.  I told Andy the other day that I'm locking up EVERY cabinet in the house and hopefully he'll get bored and play with all of his toys instead.  This mama is tired of cleaning up!

Jack really has a love for his family.  He will reach for his grandparents from across the room and loves going back and forth between them.  He loves his Auntie Desiree so much.  At church on Christmas Eve, he just wanted her to hold him.  I think he can tell how loved he is and likes to give it back through open mouth smooches and snuggles. 

Jack's 1st Birthday Party!

We celebrated Jack's 1st birthday last Sunday, right on his birthday.  We were lucky to have lots of friends and family help us celebrate.  Especially Aunt Desiree who is turning into a cake master!  Can you believe these are only the second cakes she's ever made?  We had the party at our friends house and were planning to do sleigh rides with their Clydesdale horses, but because it was SO cold, they had the genius idea to bring them in the garage for the kids to see and to feed carrots to.  

And here is the party in pictures!

(Can you tell we went a little "Giddy Up" theme crazy!?) 

Jack's newborn picture and a current headshot.

Jack getting a look at Bubba.

Still keeping his eyes on that awesome horse!

Some of Jack's friends getting a look.

The birthday boy in his cowboy gear and birthday hat that I made him.

First taste...

A little confused why everyone was looking at him...

And yes, there was red frosting everywhere!  He managed to dig into quite a bit of the cake, but all using one finger. 

Jack, you are the sweetest, most handsome, best humored baby.  We have enjoyed you everyday the past year and can't wait to continue to experience life together with you.  We are so lucky to be your parents.

11 Months

Just a month away from this baby's first birthday.  I asked Andy yesterday if he was sad or excited about Jack's birthday and he said excited.  I think I'm a little sad too. 

Here's Jack in the cart with me at JoAnn Fabrics.  About 90% of the time he's a good shopper:)

 We even got to be at cousin Nico's the first night he slept in his toddler bed.  Jack really just wants to be stripped down and in undies jumping on the bed with his cousin!

 Here we are at our playgroup's baby halloween party.  I was holding Jack up on the couch so it wasn't as dangerous as it looks.  It cracked me up that the kids didn't even look twice at there friends in costume.  They just dug right into the toys and played away. 

 Jack is a good helped over at the Park Rd. house.  Sometimes he likes to crawl around and find sticks, but usually he is pretty content hanging out in his stroller.  Here he is without pants on...hence the big smile.

And here's Jack on Halloween.  He really liked being a tree frog and if you ask me, he's the cutest tree frog ever!  We didn't quite get pumpkins carved this year, but we can save that for next year.

Jack's first turkey leg.  Desiree is super grossed out by all meat on a bone so we made sure we texted her this picture.  Jack ate two large BBQ chicken legs this night.  Looks like he's going to have to fight his dad for the turkey legs on Thanksgiving!

Just looking handsome in his vest before a walk. 

Poor Jack was really sick with the flu last week.  He got sick probably about 20 times over the course of two days and continued to get sick each day for the next three days.  Thank goodness for hardwood floors and Baby Bjorn bibs which helped make clean-up much easier.  There were lots of baths, snuggles, and naps.  Thankfully he's feeling better now.

Here's Jack reaching up for his Dada.  Sweet boy.  Although he's feeling better, he has been a little more clingy than normal.

Yesterday Andy's mom brought over Panera for my birthday breakfast and also these cowboy boots that Andy had gotten from his grandparents when he was little.  They are a little big on him, but so cute.  And perfect for a little boy who is having a cowboy birthday party!



Other updates:

• Jack dances to the beat of all music.  He looks at me with a look that says "I don't know why my body is moving like this, but I just can't help it!". 
• He likes cereal bars, yogurt, apple sauce, grilled cheese, and other things you'd expect a baby his age to eat.  He also surprises us at times like when he ate an entire pulled pork sandwich, bun and all.  Or when he ate a giant piece of eggplan parmesan all by himself.  We're thankful that he's a good eater!
• Jack really likes to be upright.  He'll let go and stand by himself for a short while.  He especially likes practicing in the bathtub where he'll pull himself up, look at me, let go, stand with a proud smile on his face, and then drop down on his bottom making a big splash!  He will take a few steps towards you on his own but just kind of lunges forward in excitement. 
• I always look at him and say "Kiss your Mama!" and he'll kind of just sit back and smile and then all of the sudden dives in and give me the biggest, wet kiss!
• One word that Jack seems to say often is "yeah".  For instance I'll walk in after his nap and ask him if he had a nice rest and he'll respond "yeah".  Most questions that you ask him he'll respond the same way.  I hope it's awhile before he learns the word "no"! 

I'm really going to enjoy the next few weeks with my baby (before he's a big one year old!) and have fun planning his party.  Does anyone have good first birthday party tips?  I want to make sure it's a fun day for him as we celebrate his first year!



10 months

Jack Jack with Andy's cousin Esme.

 Jack is his Ergo while we cheered on Uncle Tyler during his Triathlon.

 Jack checking out the first leaves of fall.

 Here's Jack at play group with his buddy Claire.  Even though they are a year apart, they really do like playing with each other.  Jack has good taste because Claire is such a sweet girl!

Patiently waiting for me to put him in the tub.  This boy loves the water!

 I love a good paci smile!

Jack wanted to get dressed up for his Great Grandma Frieda's birthday brunch so I made him this bow tie. 

Standing up barefoot in the park.  One of the last days before it got cold!

Andy pretty much summed it up when he looked at me and said "It's like Jack just LOVES being a baby".  He always acts completely delighted to be doing whatever he's doing.  He's such a sweet boy!

Updates:

• He loves being upright and continues to cruise around on furniture and can get around really well that way.  He can also walk holding on to one hand.  His balance for standing on his own still needs a little improvement before he starts taking off on his own.
• His favorite dinner food so far has been chicken & rice.  For snacks he like veggie straws, cherrios, puffs, or string cheese.  He usually eats a Yo Baby yogurt every morning and loves those!  He also is a good meat eater.  He pretty much eats whatever we are eating now which certainly makes it easy!  He is also great at feeding himself with his fingers and tries to pile in the food. 
• The neighbor has a cat that likes to hang our in our yard and Jack really likes seeing him.  His new thing is to crawl out onto the back porch to see him while we make dinner.
• We have had a beautiful fall so far and Jack has enjoyed all of his time playing outside in the grass and going on walks. 
• When I run errands with Jack he'll find someone he likes and give them a huge smile and just wait for them to notice him.  Then when they talk to him he gets SO excited and laughs and gives them a big wave. 
• Jack also really likes when Andy and I hug with him between us.  It's like a Jack sandwich!
• Jack is getting into everything!  Two weeks ago I was showering so I just had him playing on the bathroom floor.  I conditioned my hair and I looked out to check on him and he had the garbage completely emptied and his hand in the toilet.  Gross!  I jumped out and grabbed him and brought him in the shower.  He also has learned to pull on the toilet paper so that has now been moved out of reach.  He can even reach his little baby arms into the kitchen cabinets that have locks on them and can still get things out.  Pretty impressive really.
• Current nicknames: Jack-Jack, Baby Bear, Honey Bear, Love-bug
• We go to a play group each week and Jack has always been the baby of the group.  In the last month he's really got into the groove of actually playing and interacting with the other kids (all about 18-24 months old) which includes sharing snacks and trying to drink out of each others sippy cups.  He loves being around the 'big' kids.
• His top teeth still haven't come through but they are so close.  Andy and I both swore that we've felt them.  He had a few nights of waking up numerous times and has needed to be held a bit more than normal.  Because his first birthday is right around the corner, I'm all about savoring my time with my baby and so I hold him as much as he wants.