12 Months

**Woops! I had this all written and ready to go, and I guess I forgot to hit publish...**

12 Months

November 27 – December 26

Long story short:

-Milestones: Jack took his first steps this month!!!  He wrapped up the month with 2 more teeth- making it 8 in total.  Jack said his first words this month, “ho ho ho!” (so fitting for my day-after-Christmas-baby, AND just in time for Jack to celebrate his first Christmas. 

-Likes: Jack is still crazy-obsessed with his walkers- especially his Y-bike.  Houston has been having very warm weather for December, so we have been taking advantage and visiting our park across the street at LEAST once a day.  Jack loves going across the bridge, eating rocks, going down the slide, and pushing his y-bike as far away from me as possible.  Jack is also really into playing peek-a-boo lately.  He loves to hide under a blanket with his little hands and feet sticking out and twisting in excitement just waiting for me to pull the blanket off. 

Favorite toys: Y-bike, stacking rings, light up ball, stacking ducks toy from Aunt Renee, crib aquarium, empty Diet Dr. Pepper cans (that’s my boy!), straws.

-Dislikes: Jack still hates having his face, nose, hands, etc. wiped off.  Either do it yourself or get used to it, buddy.  He also severely dislikes when anyone takes something away from him, and he super hates when I have the nerve to leave the room without him (major mommy attachment this month). 

-Foods:  Jack’s love for avocados is still going strong.  He also really enjoys grapes, pasta, yogurt, chicken, goldfish, and his sippy cup of water.  He really does not enjoy eggs or bread.

-Sizes: Diaper size 4, Clothing: 18-24 months, Shoes: between size 4/5

-Sleep: Overall, Jack is still sleeping pretty well!  Although this month has brought us more sleep disruptions than I care to discuss due to teething, travel, etc.  Also, I hate to acknowledge it, but I think Jack is beginning the transition from 2 naps to 1 nap.  Neither of us are really ready for this (him, because on the day he tries 1 nap, he is an awful Grinch until bedtime, me, for selfish reasons and wanting two “breaks” each day).  Sigh.

Long story (very) long:

49 Weeks (November 28 – December 4):

Well, it happened- Jack took his first steps!  It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving, and we had stopped over at my Aunt Mary’s house to visit.  Mary and I were sitting across from each other, and she was holding him between her legs.  I had literally just gotten done telling Mary how Jack didn’t really seem to be too interested in walking when he started fussing for me and took about 4 or 5 steps over to me.  I couldn’t believe it!  He did it again a couple more times and then again when we got home so David got to see it, but then he didn’t step again the rest of the week!  It was like he was thinking, “oh oops, didn’t mean to let you know I could do that.” 

It’s hard to top first steps, but a few other highlights from the week: kneeling and playing rolling catch. 

Open mouth kisses

Big park, little baby

 50 Weeks (December 5 – 11):

I started preparing for Jack’s first Christmas this week.  It’s so fun to think about Christmas with a baby around.  And SO crazy to think about what I was doing this time last year.  

New this week: drinking out of a straw and beginning to throw mini-tantrums.  I guess it’s getting me ready for life with a toddler.  Jack loves to push his y-bike outside, but he loses his mind when I won’t let him go into the street.  I know, mean mom. 

Grill master

Meltdown

51 Weeks (December 12 – 18)

This week we Jack got to meet Santa TWICE.  The first meeting was a little neighborhood setup, and to be quite honest, Santa and Mrs. Claus truly were a bit frightening, so I don’t blame Jack for being skeptical and then flipping out.  Later in the week, we went to visit Santa at the mall.  This encounter was a little less upsetting.  We are still having amazingly warm weather, so we are making at least daily trips to our across the street park.  Jack is FINALLY becoming less interested in putting the pebbles that cover the playground floor in his mouth.  But now he will sit there and throw handfuls of rocks over his shoulder, which ends up with a shirt and diaper full of rocks.   

Also new this week- Jack loves playing with my iPhone and he thinks it’s hilarious to “talk” to Siri. 

Well, that's one way to do it

He loved his first candy cane!

Visiting dad at work

Spending a rainy day at the Children's Museum

52 Weeks (December 19 – 25)

Jack had a very busy last week as a baby.  We started the week off with back to back birthday parties at The Little Gym.  Jack had a lot of fun, and was worn out afterwards!  We traveled to Phoenix this week to celebrate Christmas and Jack’s first birthday with my family.  It was so fun to be with family for these two special occasions.  Of course, Jack didn’t have any understanding of what was going on as far as Christmas or his birthday went, but it was still fun to celebrate with him.  He got some great gifts from Santa, but he of course mostly enjoyed playing with the wrapping paper and ribbons.  On Jack’s actual birthday, we had a few family members and friends over to my parents’ house for a little birthday celebration.  Jack was so fascinated when everyone sang him happy birthday, but he was not at all interested in his cupcake.  I was really surprised!  We had a great time though, and I can’t believe my sweet boy is ONE year old now!  

New this week: Jack’s first word- “ho ho ho!”  So fitting for my little Christmas baby! 

New trick - crossing his fingers

Santa on the plane - Santa pushing his sleigh

All dressed up on Christmas Eve

Our 1st Christmas Eve as a family of three

Christmas morning fun

10 Months

10 Months

September 27 – October 26

You’re a double digit baby now!  And you’re getting way too close to being a one year old.  I’m not ready for my baby to become a toddler!  Slow down, sweet boy! 

Here’s a look at what Jack was up to this month:

Long story short:

-Milestones: Jack is cruising and speed crawling everywhere!  He is SOCLOSE to standing on his own- I just know he will be standing any day now.  Jack had his first vacation this month- to Hawaii (lucky baby), and he traveled like a champ.  He still has just the 4 teeth, and I love his little vampire smile.  He can feed himself most table foods with his hands, and he is making all kinds of new sounds: “k,” “g,” "b," and unfortunately for our ears, his scream has reached even higher volumes. 

-Likes: Jack still loves climbing the stairs- he will stand at the gate and whine at me until I open it for him to do his daily stair climb.  At the beginning of the month he HATED when I would try to make him use his walker, but now he loves it, and he pushes it everywhere.  He’s still oddly obsessed with the alarm panel, the thermostat panels, and the string that hangs down from the attic door.  Weirdo.  Unfortunately, he still loves pulling my hair and now biting me.  Yay.  Favorite toys include: big stuffed bear (who really needs a name), Baby Einstein “ipod,” Tupperware, toilet paper, toilet seat, walker, rugs (he obsesses over the fringe), and his basting brush (don’t ask). 

-Dislikes: Diaper/clothes changes and wiping of face/hands = torture. 

-Foods:  I haven’t really come across any foods that he refuses to eat, but in general he’s just not that big of an eater.  He still loves his milk and formula.  Sometimes I get a little worried that he’s not eating enough solids, but I figure he is gaining weight fine, so I try not to worry about it.  He does really seem to like avocado and still loves broccoli.

-Sizes: Diaper size 4, Clothing: 12 months, moving into 18 month

-Sleep: Sleep got a little messed up with all the travelling we did, and the 5 hour time change was a doozy.  But overall, it really wasn’t as bad as it could have been, and I’m so glad we started sleep training BEFORE our trip to Hawaii.  It took about 3-4 days to adjust back to Houston time, but after that sleep was good again.  That is, until he started cutting 3 teeth all at once.  Grrrrr….

Long story (very) long:

40 Weeks (September 27 – October 2)

During Jack’s 40^th week, we made a quick trip to Austin so that he could meet David’s cousin who was visiting from Germany.  This week Jack also cut his 4^th tooth.  So now he has the two bottom middle teeth and the top two lateral incisors.  Which basically means he looks like a vampire.  He caught a cold this week, unfortunately.  Just in time for our trip to Hawaii… ugh!

Other highlights of the week: loves sticking his tongue out.  He also loves to blow raspberries on his hand, my neck, the couch, etc.  

42 Weeks (October 10 -  16)

First taste of Texas BBQ

TEEF!

Jack ALWAYS rubs his head while eating

41 Weeks (October 3 – 9)

Jack traveled to Hawaii this week!  We went for my mom’s 60^th birthday celebration, and I’d been both looking forward to and dreading this trip for months.  I was mostly nervous about the flight, but he did great!  It was totally exhausting to entertain a baby on your lap for 6+ hours, but he really surprised me and was a great little traveler.  Once there, we had lots of extra hands to help out with Jack, and he loved all the attention.  The 5 hour time difference was a big adjustment and resulted in many EARLY mornings, but again, overall, he did really well, and I can’t complain.  It was so fun to watch him experience the beach and the ocean for the very first time.  He loved the water and (eating) the sand! 

New trick this week: rubbing his fingers over his lips to make a “blub blub” sound

First time in the Pacific Ocean (or any ocean for that matter)

Stuck

Rough life

42 Weeks (October 10 - 16)

This week we were mostly just recovering from our trip and readjusting to the time change and our normal schedule.  I have been trying to get him to practice “walking” either by holding onto his hands and making walking motions forward or by trying to get him to practice with his walker.  Every time I try either method, he plants his feet firmly and leans forward for as long as he possibly can without moving his feet.  And when I try to get him to use the walker, he just cries.  It’s so pathetic.  Poor guy!  Also noteworthy this week- Jack is getting a little bit more cuddly!  He has always loved being held, but he hasn’t ever been cuddly while being held.  He’s much too busy to lay his head on my shoulder or relax on my lap.  But it now seems like this is slowly changing.  When he is sleepy before naps, he will rest his head on my shoulder for a minute or two… until he gets distracted by something more interesting.  I’ll take what I can get though!   He also is starting to reach his arms up/out when he is sitting on the ground and wants to be picked up.  And he also loves to pull to standing at my leg while I am cooking or washing dishes or otherwise busy and whine and cry until I pick him up,  He loves being in on the action at all times and does not appreciate being left alone for very long.  

Last day in Hawaii

Tickle!

43 Weeks (October 17 – 23)

This week started off with a bang.  Literally.  Jack had his first big fall.  He fell off of our bed and landed right on his head.  And it happened on my watch.  I felt so awful. Still do.  It was so scary for both of us!  He screamed and cried, and even ended up vomiting shortly after it happened, which can be a bad sign after a fall.  I spoke with a nurse at our doctor’s office though, and she asked me a million questions, gave me some things to watch for, and determined that he didn’t need to be seen.  I took him in to see his pediatrician the next day though, just to be sure.  He got the all clear. 

We had some fun Halloween/Fall activities this week.  We had a neighborhood Halloween play date where we decorated pumpkins.  Jack was more interested in the toys, but we left with his very first Halloween pumpkin that he (I) decorated.  At the end of the week, Jack and I went to ZOO BOO at the Houston Zoo.  This is definitely an activity that will be more enjoyable when he is older, but it was still fun to check it out.  The highlight of that trip was that he stood on his own for the very first time while we were in the mini pumpkin patch!  And lucky for me, it was right when I was taking pumpkin patch photos of him!  He has only done it again a handful of times.  I don’t think he even realizes what he’s doing when it happens, but there’s no doubt that he will be standing on his own very soon! 

Other updates from the week:  After the drama of me forcing him to use his walker last week, he now LOVES the walker and waddles around all day now!  It’s the cutest thing, and he is just so proud of himself!  He will walk full speed ahead until he rams into a wall, and then he will just stare at me like, “um mom, hurry up and get over here to help me so I can keep moving!”  

My very own JACK-o-lantern

Obsessed

Trouble

Mohawk

1st time standing!!!

Why is this a thing again, mom?...

Zoo selfies

It's been a wonderful 10 months with you, Jack Andrew!  Can't wait to see what the next month brings!