Nine Months Old

Oh my goodness, I really can't believe it's going by SOOOO fast. To think Jack is 3/4ths of the way to being a one year old (and no longer a baby) gives me chest pains!!! He is getting to SUCH a fun age, though. We have some really sweet times of nonstop giggles and bonding and it is so rewarding. And he gives the best hugs, wrapping his arms around our necks... so sweet!!!

Jack had his nine month appointment today and it went well! He weighs 19 pounds, 7 ounces and is in the 35th percentile for weight. He is 27 1/2 inches long and in the 25th percentile for height. He has slowed his growing in the past couple months, probably due to the fact that he still isn't eating very much! But the doctor said that he seems totally fine and that is common among babies his age because they often come to a growth plateau.

Jack is doing some preciously adorable new things!! For one, he's pointing at everything and simultaneously whispering "tuh, tuh" as he points to different things. It cracks me up because I know he is trying to tell me about all the things he sees! He has also learned how to turn off lights, so when we leave a room he always assists me and he's so proud when he turns them off. Another really cute thing he is now doing is making a hilarious face where he scrunches up his eyes and nose and says "Eoooowww"! It is SO funny and he'll do it when we do it in response to us!!! There are pictures below of "the face".

Jack is becoming quite proficient at feeding himself finger foods. With the encouragement of a friend (thanks Fera!), I FINALLY became comfortable feeding him finger foods without fearing he'll choke every second at about 8 1/2 months. I have issues, I know! He even feeds us finger foods, putting them in our mouths when we prompt him! And the latest new thing he's done is the SIGN for "more"! It is super clear and we're so proud of him! He does it now when I'm feeding him and I give him more when he signs it so he's really learning the meaning!!! He's getting really fast and good at crawling, too. He is standing on his own but only a few seconds (sometimes around ten seconds) at a time before he falls. He also walks really well while holding onto our fingers and he scales furniture and walls too. He's growing and learning new things every day! The following pictures are of Jack's eighth month of life.


My little cutie pie!


Trying his first finger food, Cheerios!


This is how I always find him now after a nap or in the morning (or sometimes what should be in the middle of a nap!)


At our friends Ashley and Brandon's with Caitlin, Kolby, Jack, Kevin and Andy


Me and Kolby with Jack



Kevin, Jack and I went to lunch with Mom a couple weeks ago.


Nana and Jack!


Jack loves climbing stairs and would do it during his entire wake times if I let him! You can tell it takes some serious concentration!




Sheer delight in the ExerSaucer!



Sweet happy boy!








Jack likes to stand between the couch and coffee table and go back and forth between them.


Off again!


Jack likes to crawl through the ExerSaucer like a tunnel, too!


This picture is a tribute to the pain and suffering Daddy and Mommy have had trying to feed Jack his veggies the past couple weeks. He whines and wipes them everywhere!! And now that I'm trying to get him to eat veggies in small pieces also (not just pureed), they get dropped all over the floor, too. FUN!


The "Eoooowww" face with Daddy.




"Eooooowwwww..."


Jack and his beautiful Aunt Holly! Jack and I went to hang out at Holl's one night and had a great time!!!


Playing with Brady!


Jack watching his first UK basketball game with Daddy! Go C-A-T-S!!!


He seems more interested in his bib than the best team of all time... that will soon change, son!

A Day at the Park

This weekend was beautiful here in Louisville, so we took advantage of it! Kevin and I walked Jack to our neighborhood park down the street on Sunday. It was so cute to see Jack enjoying himself so much on the swings and slides!!! I'm glad we got to do that before it gets way too cold!


This was Jack's first time on a swing. He didn't know what to think of it at first but he quickly decided he loved it and did not stop smiling!


And he also kept eating the swing, of course!


He thought it was so fun crawling through the tunnel


Daddy crawled through it with him a couple times


Mia and Piper came along too, and I'm not sure if you can tell, but Jack is CRACKING UP at the doggies in this picture while he pets Piper. He just loves them so much and they avoid him like the plague!


Sweet picture on the swing with Dad


Weeeee! He liked going down the slides and laughed each time (don't worry, I was at the bottom to catch him).

What Happened to my Angel Baby?

Jack has turned a new corner at eight and a half months old. He has always been my perfect little angel and I've had it really easy! Well, now he is going on a hunger strike and no longer eating his veggies like a good little boy. He likes fruit just fine but has been giving us headaches when we try to feed him veggies. He fusses and cries and rubs his food all over his face, hands and clothes. Fun!

He has also given up on sleep. This is the child who, until a week ago, has been sleeping perfectly for twelve or thirteen hours straight at night and also two 1 1/2 to two hour naps per day.He woke up last night at 3:30 and 6:30 and cried for a while before falling back to sleep both times. And he's been waking up around 45 minutes early each morning (so that's around 6:45) since the time change even though I'm keeping him up later at night now. He often takes really short naps now and refuses to go back to sleep when woken up in the middle of one. Instead he stands up and screams. And screams.

He is becoming quite disobedient too. There is only one consistent and stern "no" in the house and that is not to play with Mia's food bowl. He has put food in his mouth before and I am petrified that he is going to choke (not to mention it's just disgusting). Plus he's knocked the water bowl over before and water spilled all over him. So I am doing my best to teach him limits and boundaries in this elementary form at this young age. He is really testing my limits, however, because the food bowl is the ONE thing in the world he desires. It is the only thing that gets a reaction out of me and I think he thinks it's fun! As soon as I set him down, he makes a b-line straight for it. Ahhh!!! I squeeze his little hand and he sometimes cries a heart-wrenching cry and sometimes he laughs at the same pressure of squeeze! He's a little stinker!

I have been getting consistently exasperated at Jack for the first time in my life over the last week or two and it's heartbreaking and exhausting all at once. I'm starting to see why people say motherhood can be so challenging. But I'm discovering, it's impossible to MAKE someone sleep or eat their veggies or obey, especially when they're only eight months old! I'm realizing I've had it really good and easy up till now and I'm hoping this is just a phase!!!

Jack's First Halloween

Fall is here!


Mia blends in with the leaves!


Daddy's sitting on the pumpkin







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Jack enjoyed his first Halloween as a cute little monkey! We went to our friends Dave and Leigh's house for a party and also helped pass out candy to trick-or-treaters.


My little chunky monkey!!! Kevin couldn't come because he ended up having to work late, so he was really sad to miss Jack's first Halloween.


Here's Jack with his Aunt Holly and (very soon-to-be) Uncle Bryan. They dressed as a bride and groom, getting in a little practice before the big day!




Jack and his buddy Greta. What a cute little bumble bee!


Hope everyone had a Happy Halloween!

The "Mom Hairdo"

I caved! I cut my hair four inches a couple months ago and decided (pretty much immediately) that I would go much shorter next time! Well, here it is! I had five more inches cut off last Friday!!!

Eight Months Old

Time is flying by and this is our favorite stage of Jack so far! He is so much fun, he interacts with us so much and has developed such a joyful and happy disposition! He is an absolute delight to be around and we love him more and more with every passing day.

Jack is crawling like a champ and I am TIRED!!! He keeps me VERY busy now, and I thought my life was busy before! He is also pulling up and stands really well when holding onto things. He even moves a little while standing if he's holding on to something and is sort of "walking" when he holds our hands. It's too cute! His new thing (as of two days ago!) is trying to stand alone so he pulls up and then lets go. His current record is probably about three seconds before falling on his tooshie, but he keeps trying!!! He is just growing and changing so fast now-a-days! He crawls up stairs now, he crawled up our entire flight of stairs twice since he started doing it yesterday!

He also has started to figure out a little bit of cause and effect. He plays with his toys now knowing he can manipulate them so that's fun to watch. He has also started dropping things off his high chair just to watch them fall (and Mommy picking them back up)! This is not my favorite game we play! One of my favorite new things he does is giving Eskimo kisses, though! These pictures are from his seventh month of life.


Before church one Sunday as it was just starting to get cool, I couldn't resist taking a picture of him in his fall clothes and cute shoes!


Hanging out on Daddy's shoulders...


... and biting his nose...


... and playing Superman!


Waving "Hi"


Jack absolutely loves, ADORES, Mia and wants to pet her all the time! If she's across the room, he labors and crawls to her and as soon as he's almost there, Mia nonchalantly gets up and moves. But sometimes I hold them both and chaperon Jack as he pets Mia "gently"! It is the highlight of his day!!!


"Crying, it gets the job done" So true!


Jack playing with his Elmo Live doll, he is mesmerized by him every time!


Out to lunch again with Nana


"I'm so cute it's scary"






I think he's so cute when he cries!


Hanging out with Pops


Mr. Mom doing the dishes with a baby... I've got a good one!


Teething


A picture of little Jack whistling at seven and a half months old!!


Making funny faces in his Pack-n-Play!!


The loves of my life


Crawling!!!


My little Christopher Columbus LOVES the new-found freedom that comes with crawling! He explores ANYTHING he can get to before Mommy catches up with him. He actually put a piece of dog food in his mouth today! Yay!


Daddy's crutches look like a fun toy!


Out to lunch with Aunt Ginny and Mom


My "Little Pumpkin" sitting at a high chair at the Feed Bag!


He LOVES to stand up at his piano toy and bang away


Okay, embarrassing I know, but I went down an abandoned aisle while grocery shopping and took a picture of my cutie the first time he was sitting in the grocery cart!!! What a big boy! You would have thought he was in Disneyland, he loved looking around so much!


Getting into trouble... again!


But he's just so darn cute!!!


Crawling up the stairs


He laughs at every single stair like he's so proud of his accomplishment!

A Busy Weekend

We had a great weekend with family and friends! Saturday was my sister's first bridal shower, hosted by her future mother-in-law and sister-in-law. I am still so happy and shocked that I live in Louisville this year and can celebrate these fun things with my family! Doesn't she look pretty!


Holly with her bridesmaids: Wendy (her future sister-in-law), me, Jackie and Erika


Family: Wendy, Debbie (Holly's future Mother-in-law), Bryan, Holly, Mom, and me


Bridesmaids after the "Make your veil out of tissue paper game"!!


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Saturday night we helped ring in our friends' (and new small group members') five year wedding anniversary at 60 West Bistro Martini Bar! Happy anniversary Mary Beth and Jonathan!


Linda, Judith, Mary Beth and Leigh


Dave (our small group leader) and Kevin looking perplexed...


Dave, Leigh, Mary Beth, Jonathan, me and Kevin


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Sunday we went out to my future brother-in-law's parents' farm to celebrate Bryan's birthday. Jack got to see Alpacas and he experienced his first bonfire! We welcome you to the family Bryan, happy birthday!!!


Jack was bundled up in Daddy's toboggan because it was really cold!


Feeding Alpacas!






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Then last night, I went to dinner to celebrate my friend from high school's birthday. Ashley looks as beautiful now as she did back then and I had fun visiting with my other friends at Le Gallo Rosso. Jennifer, Meghan, Ashley, me and Emily


Me and my bestest friend, Ems!