Here I sit on the dawn of New Year's Eve 2004. Jack is lying in our bed asleep, not aware that the end of 2004 is less than 24 hours away and that each day he continues on his journey to adulthood. Gosh, I can hardly stand to think of it that way, but the turn of the year always brings about thoughts of where we are in life and where we are ultimately headed.
It has been a while since I have journaled. The last month has been quite hectic. But even more than that, as Jack gets older, instead of requiring less attention and time, he actually requires exponentially more. Am I complaining? Absolutely not! Each day I think that OI couldn't possibly love him anymore. But then the next day, I feel my heart grow just a bit bigger as I realize that my love for him has grown another degree. It is hard to explain, but my love for this child is overwhelming and I am so happy that I was lucky enough to experience such happiness.
Looking over at him now, I see the sweetest face lost in the sweet dreams of babyhood. His little chubby arm is thrown up over his head, and his little lips are puffed out and his curls are tousled about his head. He is still a baby, not yet two, but you would never know it. He is talking so much now and in long complete sentences.
His favorite phrase lately has been "Mommy hold you." Despite what he is saying, this request is actually asking me to pick him up. (He is confusing the pronoun you.) Tonight as we were driving home from the grocery store, he was so excited about all of the Christmas lights that we saw (he just loves them even though he has seen them every day for over a month). He kept saying "ooooo Mommy, OOoooo" "Ooooo Mommy Oooo" He calls his cousin Olivia "Yivie Yin" (Olivia Lynne). He says "Mommy no go work...Mommy stay home" and similar sentences. He is quite a talker and has recently begun requesting that Daddy and Mommy and Nana make various inanimate objects "talk". It has become quite difficult to have to make very stuffed animal and toy talk...but he just loves it so much and he won't stop asking until you have "made it talk."
We had a wonderful Christmas. The build up to the holiday was not taken lightly. We read books about Jesus (and Jack just loves the stories about "Baby Jeesis" and we talked about Santa a lot and went to see him twice. By the time we were close to Christmas, Jack fully understood that Santa would be coming down the chimney (he talked about that )and that he would be bringing toys for Jack and that we needed to leave out cookies and milk for him. Days before Christmas, Jack would be napping and mumble..."santa....santa" in his sleep. He decided almost 2 months ago that he was going to ask Santa to bring him a train. (He is so into trains that we had bought him a Thomas the train table and train set back in October and just hoped that he would continue to love trains enough to really want one for Christmas.) We needn't have worried. All that he talked about for the last month was a train.
He asked about Santa coming...and on Christmas Eve, we watched Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer twice...and he would/could not go to sleep. He finally fell asleep around 11:00pm (2 hours after his usual late bedtime) and he never even asked to nurse...which is an absolute first. Our theory is that he was trying to stay awake and was just so excited about Santa coming that he couldn't sleep.
He didn't wake up early on Christmas morning (probably because he was up so late). But when he rushed down the stairs after getting up and realizing that Santa had been here....his little eyes were huge when he saw the big train table and train set...and he just shouted out "TRAIN!!!!!"
Since then that train is all he can think about. He got a lot of other toys (and a close second is a little kitchen set with a stove that lights up and sizzles and microwave, refrigerator, etc.) but nothing holds a candle to the train set. He can play with it all day. He just loves it. He wakes up from his nap and says....."Mommy...Mommy....train set?"
I am feeling really guilty. I took this week after Christmas off to spend with him and all that i have done is run around shopping and running errands. It has not been real fun for my baby....and I certainly have not made him the focus of my time. It makes me sick to my stomach that my week is almost gone and I have not spent any real focused time on him and him alone yet. (He goes everywhere with me...and we have been with relatives for Christmas celebrations...but I would have liked to have been more focused on him and him alone during more of my vacation.)
One thing that made Christmas so hectic this year was the fact that at the beginning of December I had to take a last minute business trip to Bal Harbor Florida (Miami Beach area). We arranged (at the last minute) for Paul and Jack to come along and I took a few extra days of vacation. We stayed at a luxurious resort for 6 days and nights and it was amazing. After I was done with my two days of work, we spent our days swimming in the heated pools, walking the beach looking for shells, splashing in the ocean waves, building sand castles.
It was pure heaven. Jack loved it. He was a little afraid of the ocean and the strong waves...but gradually got used to them. We couldn't keep him out of the pool. He was diving under water (while we held him) by the end of the week and staying under for pretty long periods of time trying to swim. We walked down to the little grocery store and bought most of our food and cooked it in our room each evening. It was cozy and fun and a bonding time for the whole little family. We had such beautiful weather the whole week. It was in the low 80's and sunny every day. I would like to take a beach vacation every year...and I am pretty sure that our little fish son wouldn't argue with that!
Looking back at 2004, I can't believe how fast it went and how much has happened. Our little baby has become a communicating little toddler that has stolen the hearts of both myself and his daddy and nana. He is still pretty attached to mommy and refuses to let anyone else do certain things when I am home. (ie, no one can put on or take off his cloths or shoes, he wants Mommy to hold him, Mommy has to feed him, sit with him in the bathroom, etc.) I don't know if this closeness that we share is because I nursed (and am still nursing) him....but I am not worried about it. He is very secure and outgoing (he walks up to just about every person that he sees and says "Hi" whenever we go out). I will be heartbroken if he someday decides that he no longer needs his Mommy anymore. But until that time....I will give him everything that I can, spend as much time as I can with him....and give him every inch of my heart.
Welcome 2005...Happy New Year Baby Jack...Mommy and Daddy love you so much!
Friday, December 31, 2004
Friday, November 19, 2004
In His Toddler Bed & First Movie!
We started last week...putting Jack down for his nap in his toddler bed and we are having mixed success. We started by putting a new Pottery Barn "Little Sailor" comforter on the bed and making it all up. Jack was thrilled and sat down on the bed and talked about the boats. He got in the bed and under the covers smiling. He loved it, lying there with his little head on the pillow.
The next day Paul put him in the bed for his nap (he had fallen asleep in the car so Paul put him directly into the toddler bed) and he did great. When he woke up he sat there on the edge of the bed and looked around and then got up and called for Daddy.
The next day, after Paul put him in his bed for his nap, he got up and was moving about the room playing with his toys for hours. He kept getting back on the bed but then getting up to play some more. He finally fell asleep around 4:00 (at least 3 hours later than normal).
The next day Paul had to rock him to sleep and then put him into the bed...but he woke up after just an hour and half (he usually sleeps for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.)
Since then it has been hit or miss. A lot of playing in the room with toys instead of laying in the bed...crying...not wanting to lay down...thrashing around...and not falling asleep for hours unless we rock him to sleep.
We continue to work with him. It has been about 6 days...and hopefully we can work through this. He had another good day on the bed today.
In the meantime he continues to add to his vocabulary and is talking so well. It is amazing. He repeating almost everything that we say and asking for words for things that he wants to say. On Sunday after church (Jack stayed in the playroom during the mass for the first time and LOVED it) we told him to say goodbye to everybody and he said "Buh ebybubby". It was so cute.
We took him to see the Polar Express on Friday night. We sat in about the 7th row and he (loving trains more than anything right now) was glued to his seat the entire movie! I thought he was a bit young for a movie that lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes...but he never got bored for a second...just kept piling popcorn into his mouth without taking his eyes off the screen. After the movie he kept saying "purr stress" and told his Nana about "Shanta" and the "prusents" and the "bell".
His new kick is wanting to "play" Aggravation. It is an old board game with marbles that you move around the board. We all sit around and roll the die and move the marbles and he loves it. He also sometimes stops and looks out of the sides of his eyes when he is embarrassed or being silly. It is so cute that I laugh every time that I see him do that. So we now say "give me those eyes" and he squinches up his eyes and acts like a big ham to get us to laugh. He is doing so many cute things now...it is hard to remember all of them. I love him more than anything on earth.
The next day Paul put him in the bed for his nap (he had fallen asleep in the car so Paul put him directly into the toddler bed) and he did great. When he woke up he sat there on the edge of the bed and looked around and then got up and called for Daddy.
The next day, after Paul put him in his bed for his nap, he got up and was moving about the room playing with his toys for hours. He kept getting back on the bed but then getting up to play some more. He finally fell asleep around 4:00 (at least 3 hours later than normal).
The next day Paul had to rock him to sleep and then put him into the bed...but he woke up after just an hour and half (he usually sleeps for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.)
Since then it has been hit or miss. A lot of playing in the room with toys instead of laying in the bed...crying...not wanting to lay down...thrashing around...and not falling asleep for hours unless we rock him to sleep.
We continue to work with him. It has been about 6 days...and hopefully we can work through this. He had another good day on the bed today.
In the meantime he continues to add to his vocabulary and is talking so well. It is amazing. He repeating almost everything that we say and asking for words for things that he wants to say. On Sunday after church (Jack stayed in the playroom during the mass for the first time and LOVED it) we told him to say goodbye to everybody and he said "Buh ebybubby". It was so cute.
We took him to see the Polar Express on Friday night. We sat in about the 7th row and he (loving trains more than anything right now) was glued to his seat the entire movie! I thought he was a bit young for a movie that lasted 1 hour and 40 minutes...but he never got bored for a second...just kept piling popcorn into his mouth without taking his eyes off the screen. After the movie he kept saying "purr stress" and told his Nana about "Shanta" and the "prusents" and the "bell".
His new kick is wanting to "play" Aggravation. It is an old board game with marbles that you move around the board. We all sit around and roll the die and move the marbles and he loves it. He also sometimes stops and looks out of the sides of his eyes when he is embarrassed or being silly. It is so cute that I laugh every time that I see him do that. So we now say "give me those eyes" and he squinches up his eyes and acts like a big ham to get us to laugh. He is doing so many cute things now...it is hard to remember all of them. I love him more than anything on earth.
Tuesday, November 9, 2004
He's Potty Trained!
My little baby is amazing. At barely 21 months he is potty trained...completely! Of course he will still have an ocaissional accident...but we have put away all of the diapers. He wears underpants to bed (hasn't had a night accident in weeks). He is so proud of himself.
Also, he is really speaking in sentences now. He is putting 3, 4 and 5 words together (sometimes the words aren't very clear and sometimes the grammar isn't the best..."dark outside no, light"...but he has become so much more verbal in just the last week or so.) He now says "orange" instead or "aachooo" which is how he has pronounced orange for the last 4-5 months. It is kind of sad to say goodbye to some of these sweet little ways of saying things. He can also say "uncle chris" now...where he had always made the kissing sound to refer to Uncle Chris.
One other strange change is that all of a sudden he has become very afraid of certain things. (He never had really shown fear of anything prior to going to Disney. While at Disney he became infatuated with the "dark" to the point of talking about it all of the time and looking outside whenever it got dark. He also was afraid of the characters which I think is normal and totally understandable.) But as of two days ago, he has become terribly afraid of a lion statue that we have in our family room. So scared that he becomes hysterical and cannot stop crying if he gets too close to it and suddenly remembers that it is there. He has shown the same fear of a mask that he colored while he was at Epcot. He runs by it and cries when he sees it. I can't help but wonder whether Halloween and all of the scary things that go along with it caused this sudden fear of things. He so enjoyed Halloween...and seemed to be infatuated with all of the scary things...but I wonder whether this is the backlash of that.
Jack has also decided that he doesn't want a baby brother. I had talked to him briefly about a week ago and told him that he had to stop having "num nums" if he wanted to have a baby brother or sister. I didn't think he understood....but I wanted to start preparing him for a gentle transition when we try to start weaning. Today, I met Paul and Jack for lunch and I asked Jack if he wanted a baby brother and he said, "Nope...num nums." I can't believe that he remembered and understood our conversation over a week ago to make that connection. My sweet angel. I would only ever even consider a sibling because I want Jack to have someone to grow up with and family after Paul and I are gone....I am totally fulfilled and happy with my baby boy.
Also, he is really speaking in sentences now. He is putting 3, 4 and 5 words together (sometimes the words aren't very clear and sometimes the grammar isn't the best..."dark outside no, light"...but he has become so much more verbal in just the last week or so.) He now says "orange" instead or "aachooo" which is how he has pronounced orange for the last 4-5 months. It is kind of sad to say goodbye to some of these sweet little ways of saying things. He can also say "uncle chris" now...where he had always made the kissing sound to refer to Uncle Chris.
One other strange change is that all of a sudden he has become very afraid of certain things. (He never had really shown fear of anything prior to going to Disney. While at Disney he became infatuated with the "dark" to the point of talking about it all of the time and looking outside whenever it got dark. He also was afraid of the characters which I think is normal and totally understandable.) But as of two days ago, he has become terribly afraid of a lion statue that we have in our family room. So scared that he becomes hysterical and cannot stop crying if he gets too close to it and suddenly remembers that it is there. He has shown the same fear of a mask that he colored while he was at Epcot. He runs by it and cries when he sees it. I can't help but wonder whether Halloween and all of the scary things that go along with it caused this sudden fear of things. He so enjoyed Halloween...and seemed to be infatuated with all of the scary things...but I wonder whether this is the backlash of that.
Jack has also decided that he doesn't want a baby brother. I had talked to him briefly about a week ago and told him that he had to stop having "num nums" if he wanted to have a baby brother or sister. I didn't think he understood....but I wanted to start preparing him for a gentle transition when we try to start weaning. Today, I met Paul and Jack for lunch and I asked Jack if he wanted a baby brother and he said, "Nope...num nums." I can't believe that he remembered and understood our conversation over a week ago to make that connection. My sweet angel. I would only ever even consider a sibling because I want Jack to have someone to grow up with and family after Paul and I are gone....I am totally fulfilled and happy with my baby boy.
Wednesday, November 3, 2004
Trick or Treat!
Need I say that Jack just LOVED Halloween?? He loves scary things...even though he is afraid. He was so infatuated with pumpkins (pumpums as he calls them) and the candles and ghosts, scarecrows...and most of all skeletons. Jack got to go Trick or Treating two nights. Once near his Godmother's house on Thursday and at home on Sunday. He loved it! The first night after he figured out how the whole process worked (and understood that he needed to say "tick teet" at each house) he started running up to each house in his little Mickey Mouse suit saying "Mour Canny"...it was so cute. He would spend time looking at the decorations at each house and talking about the candles in the pumpkins. He loved seeing all of the scary costumes...and was not a bit shy about sticking his hand into a bowl to try to take his own piece of candy.
In fact, at one home, when the man handed Jack a piece of candy that he had taken out of a large pumpkin basket...Jack looked at the piece of candy and then at the large pumpkin basket and then handed the piece of candy back to the man and tried to grab the whole pumpkin basket instead. It was hilarious. If we had gotten that on tape that would have been a winner on America's Funniest Videos for sure.
At another home, the man handed Jack a whole handful of goodies including a small box of rub-on tattoos. Jack was trying to put all of the items into his bag and the box of tattoos feel on the ground. I picked them up and said, "Oh, neat tattoos," and put them into Jack's bag. The man handing out the candy said, "Yeah, they ran out of candy so I got some of those." Jack must have heard that and figured, he didn't want anything second-rate. So he immediately dug into his bag, pulled out the box of tattoos, placed them on the man's doorstep, pushed them to the man, stood up and walked away. It was so funny!
Lastly, at one of the houses, Jack saw a pumpkin that had ghosts and the word "BOO" carved into it. While the woman was trying to hand him some candy, Jack was pointing to the pumpkin and said "B" "O" "O". The lady was impressed that this little 21 month old could identify those letters so clearly and without being prompted. I then said, "What does that spell" (never imagining that he would know) and he immediately said "Boo". We were all shocked. I had read Jack a story about a little ghost that didn't know how to say BOO several times a couple of weeks ago so he must have recognized the word form that. I am pretty amazed.
Anyway, I will mark Halloween down as Jack's favorite holiday so far....he loves to be scared. His current favorite phrase is "dark outside" and he loved to tickle himself on the chest and say "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" as we do that when we go through dark tunnels. He is such a doll. Happy Halloween my little goblin!
Tuesday, November 2, 2004
Election Day!
John Paul Butler Carson took part in his very first presidential election this morning. He was at the polls with Mommy at Daddy first thing this morning as we cast our ballots for one of the closest and most highly polorized and presidential election in recent history. Just think, in five elections, he will be able to vote himself.
For the safety of our Jack and for the safety of all of the children in our country I HOPE we re-elct President George W. Bush.
For the safety of our Jack and for the safety of all of the children in our country I HOPE we re-elct President George W. Bush.
Sunday, October 31, 2004
A Short Haircut!
Today I asked (a differnt stylist) for a cut that was shorter on the sides, but longer on top and asked her to leave his curls in the back (but NOT to give him a "mullet"). She gave him a short boy's cut.
He is so cute....but I guess I was just not ready for this haircut. He looks so much older now. (And because he is so big, now with this haircut....he certainly looks older than 21 months.) I know that I will get used to seeing him without his little curls....I just wasn't prepared for this drastic change today.
Thursday, October 28, 2004
My Little Talker.
Jack has been adding new words to his vocabulary every day. But as of last weekend...talking has really officially kicked in. He is putting words together all of a sudden. "dark outside" "red balloon" "eat Zoro" "Daddy doctor" "no, no Zoro, eat" "pumpkin seeds" "trick or treat" "pink pop please" etc.
It is amazing. Almost over night Jack just began trying to make short sentences to communicate.
One thing that I have been thinking about (and it may be totally unfounded) is that Jack doesn't seem to move around a lot. In the house he sometimes runs around...but often he is happy just sitting down looking at books, playing with toys, etc. When we are outside (or out anywhere, really) he almost always refuses to walk. He will take a step or tow and then want to be picked up. If I won't pick him up he cries. Paul does take him out during the day to parks and gyms but I just wonder whether he is getting enough exercise.
Jack is currently totally infatuated with trains. All he wants for Christmas is a train set. (We already bought the set with a big train table and trundle drawers.....he is going to LOVE it). So last weekend we took him to a Haunted Train ride at the Ohio Train Museum.
When we got there, Jack was able to climb all over some very old train engines and cars. There were kids everywhere....he was having so much fun. We all walked through a decorated vintage train and then got on an old trolley that took us for a ride along the train tracks. They turned out the lights and told a ghost story about lost conductors...and then stopped the trolley and two people dressed as skeletons got on and punched everyone's tickets (if you didn't have a ticket they were going to throw you off to live with the hobos.) Jack was scared and hid his face in my hair when the skeletons came our way. But when I told him what happens if we didn't have a ticket he turned right around and held out his ticket to the skeletons. At the end of the "ride" they gave all of the children suckers.
Jack just LOVED it. All week he has wanted to look at his ticket where the skeletons punched holes in it...and wants Mommy to talk about our ride ont he trolley and about the skeletons that came on in the dark. (He is very infatuated witht he dark and the moon).
On Sunday we took him to Boo at the Zoo. (They had the Zoo decorated for Halloween and had candy stations where the kids could get candy throughout the zoo.) Jack wore the hood portion of his little Monkey costume and he was soooo cute. Everyone kept pointing at him and comenting on how cute he was. He was having so much fun until I let him walk along a wall that was about 3 feet high. He wouldn't let me hold his hand (Mr. Independent) so I was walking along beside him ready to catch him if he started to fall. Paul called out to me to point out another candy station and when I looked to see what Paul wanted, Jack misstepped and fell on to the hard cement right on to his face!!!
He was screaming hysterically and I ran over and held him...we were all distraught! it was so horrible. We weren't sure how badly he was hurt. His lip was a little bloody and his cheek began to swell up. We ended up getting some ice and holding on his cheek and it seemed to be much better so we let him go to a few more candy stations and take a ride on the Haunted Train. By the next day he had a bruise, but he was okay, thank goodness. It does go to show you how careful you have to be with these little ones...and how you really can't take your eyes off them for one minute.
Jack continues to do great with his potty training. He wears training underpants all of the time now (except at night). He does still have an accident here and there (and the poops seem to be the hardest ones for him to predict) but he is trying so hard. He hates the diapers, though...and loves his underpants. He still does not tell us when he has to go regularly, so we try to take him to the potty pretty regularly. But sometimes, he will tell us when he has to go BEFORE he goes...and we are so proud of him for that. He is doing really really well. I love his little heart.
It is amazing. Almost over night Jack just began trying to make short sentences to communicate.
One thing that I have been thinking about (and it may be totally unfounded) is that Jack doesn't seem to move around a lot. In the house he sometimes runs around...but often he is happy just sitting down looking at books, playing with toys, etc. When we are outside (or out anywhere, really) he almost always refuses to walk. He will take a step or tow and then want to be picked up. If I won't pick him up he cries. Paul does take him out during the day to parks and gyms but I just wonder whether he is getting enough exercise.
Jack is currently totally infatuated with trains. All he wants for Christmas is a train set. (We already bought the set with a big train table and trundle drawers.....he is going to LOVE it). So last weekend we took him to a Haunted Train ride at the Ohio Train Museum.
When we got there, Jack was able to climb all over some very old train engines and cars. There were kids everywhere....he was having so much fun. We all walked through a decorated vintage train and then got on an old trolley that took us for a ride along the train tracks. They turned out the lights and told a ghost story about lost conductors...and then stopped the trolley and two people dressed as skeletons got on and punched everyone's tickets (if you didn't have a ticket they were going to throw you off to live with the hobos.) Jack was scared and hid his face in my hair when the skeletons came our way. But when I told him what happens if we didn't have a ticket he turned right around and held out his ticket to the skeletons. At the end of the "ride" they gave all of the children suckers.
Jack just LOVED it. All week he has wanted to look at his ticket where the skeletons punched holes in it...and wants Mommy to talk about our ride ont he trolley and about the skeletons that came on in the dark. (He is very infatuated witht he dark and the moon).
On Sunday we took him to Boo at the Zoo. (They had the Zoo decorated for Halloween and had candy stations where the kids could get candy throughout the zoo.) Jack wore the hood portion of his little Monkey costume and he was soooo cute. Everyone kept pointing at him and comenting on how cute he was. He was having so much fun until I let him walk along a wall that was about 3 feet high. He wouldn't let me hold his hand (Mr. Independent) so I was walking along beside him ready to catch him if he started to fall. Paul called out to me to point out another candy station and when I looked to see what Paul wanted, Jack misstepped and fell on to the hard cement right on to his face!!!
He was screaming hysterically and I ran over and held him...we were all distraught! it was so horrible. We weren't sure how badly he was hurt. His lip was a little bloody and his cheek began to swell up. We ended up getting some ice and holding on his cheek and it seemed to be much better so we let him go to a few more candy stations and take a ride on the Haunted Train. By the next day he had a bruise, but he was okay, thank goodness. It does go to show you how careful you have to be with these little ones...and how you really can't take your eyes off them for one minute.
Jack continues to do great with his potty training. He wears training underpants all of the time now (except at night). He does still have an accident here and there (and the poops seem to be the hardest ones for him to predict) but he is trying so hard. He hates the diapers, though...and loves his underpants. He still does not tell us when he has to go regularly, so we try to take him to the potty pretty regularly. But sometimes, he will tell us when he has to go BEFORE he goes...and we are so proud of him for that. He is doing really really well. I love his little heart.
Tuesday, October 19, 2004
Potty Training...20 Months...WOW!
Jack continues to use the potty completely on his own! We purchased some training underwear this weekend...and he wore underwear all weekend (though we put him in a diaper at night since he sleeps with us) and he only had one accident and that was during his nap in the crib. He is consistently going number one and number two on the potty. This morning, before I left for work, we asked him if he was going to come outside to say goodbye to Mommy, and he said "uh huh" and then gasped and said "Mommy Poop". He ran back into the bathroom (his underpants were already off as he had just gone number one) and he sat right on the potty and went poo poo. I know he will have accidents...but he is basically out of diapers except at night now.
I can't believe this! We really have done nothing to encourage him until he started sitting on the potty and actually going. Then we just started asking him if he had to go, and then giving him one M&M when he went number one and two M&M's when he would go number two in the potty (as well as kisses and encouragement). What he started on Friday is to go pee pee just a little bit....so he could get an M& M and then go right back in to go a little more to get another M&M...etc. He was holding it to try to get as many M&M's as possible! He is my amazing baby.
His vocabulary is growing like crazy too. He astounds us by saying words we didn't know he knew ("spoon", "sausages", "Yay," "casserole", "house", "ghost", "pizza", "Wow", etc.) Last night when we were at the store Jack was amazed by all of the Halloween decorations....and just kept repeating..."Wowweee". It was so cute.
Thursday, October 14, 2004
Potty Training at 20 Months!
Well, we hadn't planned on working on this yet.....but Jack has jumped into potty training all on his own. We have a little potty in our master bath and he has been sitting on it quite often lately. So on Tuesday (two nights ago) I took off his diaper and he sat on the potty. I asked him if he was going to go "pee pee" and he stood up and began to go. I helped him sit back down and he did the rest in the potty. I left his diaper off for the rest of the evening...and later he began to go on the floor, so I scooped him up and told him that we do that on the potty as I sat him on the little potty.
Then yesterday, I took off his diaper when we got up and sat him on the potty. He immediately went Pee Pee. Then Paul called me while I was at work later that morning to let me know that Jack put his hand over his mouth and gasped and then ran into the bathroom and sat on the potty and went pee pee all on his own. Since that time, whenever we take off his diaper, he does all of his pee pees on the potty.
In fact, yesterday we started giving him one M&M each time he successfully used the potty. By this evening, the little stinker has figured out that if he just goes a little and holds the rest, he can get an M&M and then he can go right back to the potty and go again and get another M&M and so on and so on. I am telling you....he is so smart!!!
(I will note that he is not the neatest baby in the world...as he hasn't mastered keeping his pee pee pointed down while he sits on the potty and we end up with a bit of a mess each time he goes on the potty....but we can work on that later.)
I am pretty amazed at how early he is able to grasp this concept and actually begin potty training.
Then yesterday, I took off his diaper when we got up and sat him on the potty. He immediately went Pee Pee. Then Paul called me while I was at work later that morning to let me know that Jack put his hand over his mouth and gasped and then ran into the bathroom and sat on the potty and went pee pee all on his own. Since that time, whenever we take off his diaper, he does all of his pee pees on the potty.
In fact, yesterday we started giving him one M&M each time he successfully used the potty. By this evening, the little stinker has figured out that if he just goes a little and holds the rest, he can get an M&M and then he can go right back to the potty and go again and get another M&M and so on and so on. I am telling you....he is so smart!!!
(I will note that he is not the neatest baby in the world...as he hasn't mastered keeping his pee pee pointed down while he sits on the potty and we end up with a bit of a mess each time he goes on the potty....but we can work on that later.)
I am pretty amazed at how early he is able to grasp this concept and actually begin potty training.
Wednesday, October 13, 2004
Back From Disney...We Had So Much Fun!!!!
Oh My Gosh....we had so much fun!
We ended up leaving for Disney on Friday, September 23rd (after having rescheduled twice due to Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Ivan) despite the fact that Hurricane Jeanne was now turning back and heading toward Central Florida.
We arrived on Friday afternoon...after an easy 2 hour flight. We checked into the Boardwalk...and were thrilled with our beautiful 2-bedroom villa. It was beautiful and huge....and we couldn't have been happier. We spent that evening at Epcot (just a 5 minute walk from our resort) and then everyone else called it a night while Paul and I went to the grocery store to get food for the entire group.
We ended up leaving for Disney on Friday, September 23rd (after having rescheduled twice due to Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Ivan) despite the fact that Hurricane Jeanne was now turning back and heading toward Central Florida.
We arrived on Friday afternoon...after an easy 2 hour flight. We checked into the Boardwalk...and were thrilled with our beautiful 2-bedroom villa. It was beautiful and huge....and we couldn't have been happier. We spent that evening at Epcot (just a 5 minute walk from our resort) and then everyone else called it a night while Paul and I went to the grocery store to get food for the entire group.
We woke the news that Hurricane Jeanne was headed right toward us and that Disney would be closing its parks early that day and would remain closed on Sunday as well. We spent a somewhat rainy day at the Magic Kingdom and had a ball. Jack was afraid of many of the rides that involved "animated people and animals" but loved the rollercoaster, the Dumbo ride, and anything not involving "scary characters." That night we ate at the resort (they had a buffet available as all of the restaurants were closed due to the looming hurricane. It was amazing....that night all of the news was about the storm....everyone was preparing and all of the state was wondering how bad this was going to be. It was scary as things became dark...and we heard that the hurricane would come ashore over night. However, down in the lobby the staff had coloring stations for the kids, a volleyball net made out of tape and balloons, characters walking around, etc. People were sipping drinks, and the kids were running around screaming and laughing and playing as the sky grew darker and Hurricane Jeanne got closer and closer. It reminded me of a scene from the Titanic...where the danger was approaching and everyone knew it was there...but the activity and celebration continued in the beautiful setting. Erie.
We spent the next day in the resort. Jack had so much fun with his cousin Olivia and just being with Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Uncle "kiss" (he makes a kissing sound for Uncle "kiss") and his Aunt "Aaayna". (He just adores his Aunt Aaayna"). The kids had a bath in the garden tub...and played downstairs with the other children. We ate at the buffet served at the resort...and all carried juice and cake back to the room to eat and drink later..."just in case". We watched the hurricane arrive and stayed safe a protected and thought about all of the people and animals out in the storm...and hoped this storm would pass quickly. It did.
The very next day, the parks were open and you never would have known that a hurricane had gone through. Jack, Paul and I stayed and spent the morning/early afternoon at the pool while the rest of the group went to a character breakfast. (Jana ended up being rushed to an emergency room due to a terrible pain in her side...but was released a couple of hours later when blood work and everything else appeared normal).
We spent the next day in the resort. Jack had so much fun with his cousin Olivia and just being with Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Uncle "kiss" (he makes a kissing sound for Uncle "kiss") and his Aunt "Aaayna". (He just adores his Aunt Aaayna"). The kids had a bath in the garden tub...and played downstairs with the other children. We ate at the buffet served at the resort...and all carried juice and cake back to the room to eat and drink later..."just in case". We watched the hurricane arrive and stayed safe a protected and thought about all of the people and animals out in the storm...and hoped this storm would pass quickly. It did.
The very next day, the parks were open and you never would have known that a hurricane had gone through. Jack, Paul and I stayed and spent the morning/early afternoon at the pool while the rest of the group went to a character breakfast. (Jana ended up being rushed to an emergency room due to a terrible pain in her side...but was released a couple of hours later when blood work and everything else appeared normal).
The rest of the week was a blur. We spent most of our time either at the pool (Jack loved it...and wanted to swim kicking his arms and legs and going under water for hours!) at Magic Kingdom or Epcot. (We spent a day at MGM which was fun.) As the week wore one...Jack began to love the animated rides! He loved Peter Pan, and Pooh, and the Pirates of the Carribbean, the Tikki Room, the Jungle Cruise, and just about any we took him on. However, his very favorite ride was the Barnstormer rollercoaster at Toontown. We would ride that 4-5 times in a row...with Paul, Mom and I alternating turns waiting in line and handing him back and forth. We must have ridden that ride 50 times by the end of the week. He also adored the space orbiter in Futureland (the rockets on top of a building that go up and around...they scared me to death...but he rode that ride 3 times with Daddy).
By the middle of the week, each time Jack saw the bus that took us to the parks, Jack would gasp loudly and say "Mama!!" pointing at the bus. And each day when we would enter the Magic Kingdom and as soon as he would see the castle he would say, "Oh, Mamma!!!" He loved the train so we often rode that to Toontown as soon as we arrived (so he could immediately ride the rollercoaster)...but he never fully warmed up to the large characters. He would be shy when they paid attention to him and hide his face in my chest or hide behind my legs (very unusual...as he is so outgoing most of the time) but as soon as the characters would walk away or pay attention to someone else...he would follow them and was very interested in them.
During this trip, Jack definitely developed a personality. He figured out how to scream and how to demand. I am not sure if it was because of all of the stress and the continual movement and action, but he began throwing screaming and crying fits when things were not going the way he wanted them to go. He loved the monorail adn would beg "pease, pease...whenever we would leave begging to ride on the "choo choo" as he called it.
This trip also turned in a true time to bond and get to know my baby boy and for him to get to spend time and bond with Jana, Chris, Mom and of course Daddy, too. (Although Jack made it very clear that he is Mommy's baby when it comes right down to it...only Mommy can push his stroller, only Mommy --sometimes Aunt Jana--can hold him on the rides, only Mommy can pick him up...etc.) All in all, we all had so much fun....Jack so much more fun than I thought that he would have and so much more fun than I would have expected to ever have myself. Paul was a bit stressed because we were spending so much time taking naps during the day that he felt we were wasting our trip...but I thought it was wonderful and perfect...and would love to do it again tomorrow if we could!!!!!
By the middle of the week, each time Jack saw the bus that took us to the parks, Jack would gasp loudly and say "Mama!!" pointing at the bus. And each day when we would enter the Magic Kingdom and as soon as he would see the castle he would say, "Oh, Mamma!!!" He loved the train so we often rode that to Toontown as soon as we arrived (so he could immediately ride the rollercoaster)...but he never fully warmed up to the large characters. He would be shy when they paid attention to him and hide his face in my chest or hide behind my legs (very unusual...as he is so outgoing most of the time) but as soon as the characters would walk away or pay attention to someone else...he would follow them and was very interested in them.
During this trip, Jack definitely developed a personality. He figured out how to scream and how to demand. I am not sure if it was because of all of the stress and the continual movement and action, but he began throwing screaming and crying fits when things were not going the way he wanted them to go. He loved the monorail adn would beg "pease, pease...whenever we would leave begging to ride on the "choo choo" as he called it.
This trip also turned in a true time to bond and get to know my baby boy and for him to get to spend time and bond with Jana, Chris, Mom and of course Daddy, too. (Although Jack made it very clear that he is Mommy's baby when it comes right down to it...only Mommy can push his stroller, only Mommy --sometimes Aunt Jana--can hold him on the rides, only Mommy can pick him up...etc.) All in all, we all had so much fun....Jack so much more fun than I thought that he would have and so much more fun than I would have expected to ever have myself. Paul was a bit stressed because we were spending so much time taking naps during the day that he felt we were wasting our trip...but I thought it was wonderful and perfect...and would love to do it again tomorrow if we could!!!!!
First Haircut!
On September 22, 2004, after much thought and consideration, we decided to have Jack's hair cut. His hair was so long and beside the fact that everyone who didn't know him thought he was a girl, we didn't want him to have to suffer in the heat with hair down his back in Florida...so I snuck away during lunch and we had his hair cut at the Cookie Cutters (a special salon just for little kids.)
We asked the stylist not to cut it too short and she did a fabulous job. We were so proud of him as he was so good. Surprisingly, I think he is even cuter with shorter hair! Maybe next time we will get even shorter.
BEFORE:
We asked the stylist not to cut it too short and she did a fabulous job. We were so proud of him as he was so good. Surprisingly, I think he is even cuter with shorter hair! Maybe next time we will get even shorter.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Our Trip to Disney Was Cancelled Again--Hurricanes!
We were supposed to leave for Disney World on September 3rd to spend a fun-filled week at a lovely Boardwalk Villa with my Mom and Jana, Chris and Olivia. Unfortunately, Hurricane Frances was headed right for Florida....so we cancelled and rescheduled for the following week. We prayed for all of the people and animals in Florida.
The next week, despite the brewing Hurricane Ivan, we packed and were ready to leave Friday morning, when the news channels began announcing evacuations of Florida and that Hurricane Ivan was threatening the West Coast of Florida. This Hurricane was a Level 5....and was killing people and devastating the countries that it passed over. We called Disney (just hours before we were scheduled to leave) and they allowed us to cancel once again. This time, they did not have any rooms available at the Boardwalk Villas through the end of the year. In fact, they said that they really didn't have anything available in a villa through the end of the year. We were devastated! We were completely packed....showered, pet sitter all set to take care of everyone, literally ready to go when everything changed.
Obviously, this was nothing compared to what the poor devastated Floridians were going through again and again as they braced for the third Hurricane in less than two months. Ultimately, Disney was wonderful and after 3 hours on the phone....they were able to get us in to a Saratoga Springs Villa on September 25th for a week. Thank you so much Disney! And Delta graciously allowed us to reschedule our flights without any charge. People and companies can be so wonderful during rough times. It is nice to know that there are companies like this still out there.
Now it looks as if Ivan will thankfully be sparing Florida...and the poor Floridians who have been through so much already are breathing a HUGE sigh of relief. But it looks like New Orleans may be the next target and everyone fears that the strength of Ivan could devastate the city if it hits as a category 5 Hurricane. The zoo is being evacuated today and people are frantically moving inland. We will pray for the people and animals of Louisiana.
In the meantime, it looks like Tropical Storm Jeanne is brewing on the Atlantic and is scheduled to reach the Bahamas by early Sunday.....what is happening
The next week, despite the brewing Hurricane Ivan, we packed and were ready to leave Friday morning, when the news channels began announcing evacuations of Florida and that Hurricane Ivan was threatening the West Coast of Florida. This Hurricane was a Level 5....and was killing people and devastating the countries that it passed over. We called Disney (just hours before we were scheduled to leave) and they allowed us to cancel once again. This time, they did not have any rooms available at the Boardwalk Villas through the end of the year. In fact, they said that they really didn't have anything available in a villa through the end of the year. We were devastated! We were completely packed....showered, pet sitter all set to take care of everyone, literally ready to go when everything changed.
Obviously, this was nothing compared to what the poor devastated Floridians were going through again and again as they braced for the third Hurricane in less than two months. Ultimately, Disney was wonderful and after 3 hours on the phone....they were able to get us in to a Saratoga Springs Villa on September 25th for a week. Thank you so much Disney! And Delta graciously allowed us to reschedule our flights without any charge. People and companies can be so wonderful during rough times. It is nice to know that there are companies like this still out there.
Now it looks as if Ivan will thankfully be sparing Florida...and the poor Floridians who have been through so much already are breathing a HUGE sigh of relief. But it looks like New Orleans may be the next target and everyone fears that the strength of Ivan could devastate the city if it hits as a category 5 Hurricane. The zoo is being evacuated today and people are frantically moving inland. We will pray for the people and animals of Louisiana.
In the meantime, it looks like Tropical Storm Jeanne is brewing on the Atlantic and is scheduled to reach the Bahamas by early Sunday.....what is happening
Friday, August 27, 2004
You Are So Smart!
My Baby Boy is so smart. He is talking (pointing out words, etc.) so much now. He has started to put two words together here and there ("Hello Dada" "Up Pease"). He also is saying new words like crazy!! He knows words that we were surprised that he knew! (Pop, candy, dark, puppies, Tigger, etc.)
He loves his Poo and Tigger toys and wants to sleep with them...and he knows all of the letters in the alphabet....and he can even spell "MOM" if we ask him.
He is my amazing little monkey...and I am so proud and overflowing with love for him!
We leave for Disney World next Friday....along with Jana, Chris, Olivia and Mom. We are staying in a Boardwalk 2 Bedroom Villa together...how fun!!! I can't wait to have that week with everyone we love!!! I hope Jack will be old enough to at least have some memories that last from this time together.
He loves his Poo and Tigger toys and wants to sleep with them...and he knows all of the letters in the alphabet....and he can even spell "MOM" if we ask him.
He is my amazing little monkey...and I am so proud and overflowing with love for him!
We leave for Disney World next Friday....along with Jana, Chris, Olivia and Mom. We are staying in a Boardwalk 2 Bedroom Villa together...how fun!!! I can't wait to have that week with everyone we love!!! I hope Jack will be old enough to at least have some memories that last from this time together.
Thursday, August 19, 2004
My Baby....Still.
Dearest Baby Jack,
Even though you will turn 19 months old at the end of this month.....you are still my baby. You and I have been so busy that I haven't even had time to write down all the wonderful things you've been doing! You are saying so many different words...and know the entire alphabet, numbers 1-10, shapes and colors (if we point at a letter or number or color or shape you will tell us what it is!) You don't talk a lot....but you know so many words. And when you do decide to say something spontaneously, you are LOUD! (Like Mommy).
This morning, I pulled out the blow dryer....you looked at it and came into the bathroom and pointed at it and said something that sounded like "Say That." You said it again and again, so I told you that it was a blow dryer and you then said the word blow dryer (you don't pronounce things so well yet...but Mommy knows what you are saying.) Anyway, I think you were actually asking Mommy what the word for that item was.
You are now running and walking up and down stairs while standing. Mommy has to watch you carefully to make sure that you hang on to the railing. You have no fear and will dive off the edge of the playground equipment. Fortunately, Mommy has always been there to catch you....but you certainly have a way of making Mommy's heart jump.
You love to have Mommy and Daddy read to you. You also love your Reader Rabbit and Mickey Mouse and Pooh computer learning games. Mommy bought you a stuffed Pooh Bear last weekend...and for some reason you decided that you just love this little stuffed bear. You carry him around with you and want him in bed with you when you go to sleep. If you do not have him....you will ask, "Pooh?"
When I ask you where my Baby is....you point a finger to your face...it is so cute. When we ask you what your name is, you say "Aack" and when we ask you what your other name is you say "Bonn Baul." It is the cutest thing in the world. You also know how to get whatever you want by folding your little hands together and saying "PEAS"...no one can resist that!
You still love to nurse, love to cuddle and sleep with Mommy and Daddy. Mommy knows that we will have to wean soon if we want to try to have a brother or sister for you....but it just breaks my heart to think about ending that bond that we have. I love you more than I could have ever believed that I could love anything.
You are now moving into size 3T for some things...but mostly you wear 2Ts. Your little brown curls have turned lighter with golden highlights since you have been out in the sun and your hair is getting longer and longer...we will have to have your haircut at some point...you are just so cute now....we hate to change you in any way!
Your eyes are definitely turning green....but still look blue/gray at times.
I don't know how I made it through life before you. You make every day a wonderful one. My heart swells every time I see your little face or hear your voice. I am in love with you angel. I look forward to watching you become a little boy, and to being there with you for each new discovery.
All my love,
Mommy
Even though you will turn 19 months old at the end of this month.....you are still my baby. You and I have been so busy that I haven't even had time to write down all the wonderful things you've been doing! You are saying so many different words...and know the entire alphabet, numbers 1-10, shapes and colors (if we point at a letter or number or color or shape you will tell us what it is!) You don't talk a lot....but you know so many words. And when you do decide to say something spontaneously, you are LOUD! (Like Mommy).
This morning, I pulled out the blow dryer....you looked at it and came into the bathroom and pointed at it and said something that sounded like "Say That." You said it again and again, so I told you that it was a blow dryer and you then said the word blow dryer (you don't pronounce things so well yet...but Mommy knows what you are saying.) Anyway, I think you were actually asking Mommy what the word for that item was.
You are now running and walking up and down stairs while standing. Mommy has to watch you carefully to make sure that you hang on to the railing. You have no fear and will dive off the edge of the playground equipment. Fortunately, Mommy has always been there to catch you....but you certainly have a way of making Mommy's heart jump.
You love to have Mommy and Daddy read to you. You also love your Reader Rabbit and Mickey Mouse and Pooh computer learning games. Mommy bought you a stuffed Pooh Bear last weekend...and for some reason you decided that you just love this little stuffed bear. You carry him around with you and want him in bed with you when you go to sleep. If you do not have him....you will ask, "Pooh?"
When I ask you where my Baby is....you point a finger to your face...it is so cute. When we ask you what your name is, you say "Aack" and when we ask you what your other name is you say "Bonn Baul." It is the cutest thing in the world. You also know how to get whatever you want by folding your little hands together and saying "PEAS"...no one can resist that!
You still love to nurse, love to cuddle and sleep with Mommy and Daddy. Mommy knows that we will have to wean soon if we want to try to have a brother or sister for you....but it just breaks my heart to think about ending that bond that we have. I love you more than I could have ever believed that I could love anything.
You are now moving into size 3T for some things...but mostly you wear 2Ts. Your little brown curls have turned lighter with golden highlights since you have been out in the sun and your hair is getting longer and longer...we will have to have your haircut at some point...you are just so cute now....we hate to change you in any way!
Your eyes are definitely turning green....but still look blue/gray at times.
I don't know how I made it through life before you. You make every day a wonderful one. My heart swells every time I see your little face or hear your voice. I am in love with you angel. I look forward to watching you become a little boy, and to being there with you for each new discovery.
All my love,
Mommy
Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Jack--Another Modelling Job!
Oh, and I just must mention that Jack has become quite manipulative! Now, when he really wants something....he clasps his hands together and looks at me with pleading sad eyes and says "EASSSSE" (please). Ugh....I cannot refuse him when he does that! I just can't. Also, when he wants to do something again and I tell him it is time to go, or he has had enough, he holds his little pointer finger up in front of his face and looks at me asking with his eyes and his gesture..."one more?" Again...I can't refuse him when he does this...and I know that I am asking for trouble by giving in to his adorable pleading....but can you blame me?
Monday, August 2, 2004
He is Officially 18 Months!
Where has my baby gone? On July 29, 2004, he turned 18 months!!!
I took the day off Friday to go with him to his 18-month check up. He weighed in at 30lbs. 10oz (85%) and was 34 3/4" tall (98%) and his head measured 50cm (100%) He is a tall big boy....and we couldn't be prouder.
He is saying so many words now...and he will repeat anything we say...he just can't pronounce everything right but he is at least trying!
He only cried a few little tears when he got his shot at the pediatrician's office. He was sooo good...letting Dr. Anne check him all over, look in his ears, etc. (He just put up a little bit of a fight over letting her see his teeth.)
After his appointment, Daddy and I took Jack to the Zoo again. (We took him for the first time the weekend before with his Aunt Jana, Uncle Chris and Olivia. We were so looking forward to it...but we got started late and he saw a few animals and fell right to sleep.) On Friday he got to see the Manatees, an alligator, and ride the carousel twice, he also took a pony ride, and saw some swans before it was time for his nap. He loved it. In fact, he loved it so much that the next day he kept asking "zjuoo?" "zjuoo?" and pointing to the car.
We took him back again on Sunday and he saw the Gorillas, the Reptiles in the reptile house, he rode the carousel again, and took a boat ride, and saw some of the other apes before he got tired. It was so much fun for all of us! I wish I was able to be home with him all of the time.
he was so cute this morning. (I had gotten out of bed before he and Paul were awake.) I went downstairs had some toast, packed my lunch and fed Poo, one of our cats. When I went back into our room, Jack was sitting up in our bed with Daddy, his little eyes were still sleepy...but as soon as he saw me open the door, he got the biggest toothy little grin on his little round face....I wanted to just kiss him and hug him forever. I love the little guy so much.
I took the day off Friday to go with him to his 18-month check up. He weighed in at 30lbs. 10oz (85%) and was 34 3/4" tall (98%) and his head measured 50cm (100%) He is a tall big boy....and we couldn't be prouder.
He is saying so many words now...and he will repeat anything we say...he just can't pronounce everything right but he is at least trying!
He only cried a few little tears when he got his shot at the pediatrician's office. He was sooo good...letting Dr. Anne check him all over, look in his ears, etc. (He just put up a little bit of a fight over letting her see his teeth.)
After his appointment, Daddy and I took Jack to the Zoo again. (We took him for the first time the weekend before with his Aunt Jana, Uncle Chris and Olivia. We were so looking forward to it...but we got started late and he saw a few animals and fell right to sleep.) On Friday he got to see the Manatees, an alligator, and ride the carousel twice, he also took a pony ride, and saw some swans before it was time for his nap. He loved it. In fact, he loved it so much that the next day he kept asking "zjuoo?" "zjuoo?" and pointing to the car.
We took him back again on Sunday and he saw the Gorillas, the Reptiles in the reptile house, he rode the carousel again, and took a boat ride, and saw some of the other apes before he got tired. It was so much fun for all of us! I wish I was able to be home with him all of the time.
he was so cute this morning. (I had gotten out of bed before he and Paul were awake.) I went downstairs had some toast, packed my lunch and fed Poo, one of our cats. When I went back into our room, Jack was sitting up in our bed with Daddy, his little eyes were still sleepy...but as soon as he saw me open the door, he got the biggest toothy little grin on his little round face....I wanted to just kiss him and hug him forever. I love the little guy so much.
Wednesday, July 28, 2004
A Talking EXPLOSION!!!!!!
Wow, Baby Boy!!! What has happened to you in the last week? Just last week we were so impressed that you had started to say some different words (random strange words, like "thread," "No, No, No," "Open Door," "Yes," "DVD," etc.) but adding a new word (or your rendition of a new word) every few days. Mommy just loved it so much that you were saying "I yav u" (I love you)and both Mommy and Daddy have gotten a kick out of the fact that when you want something, you yell "Paul" to get Daddy to do it for you. (Don't get used to that as we do not intend to allow you to call Daddy by his first name for long!!!)
But starting last weekend (just two weeks before you turn 18 months) your vocabulary has exploded! All of a sudden, you are repeating just about anything that we ask you to say (you use baby talk...and it is sometimes hard to understand...but you give just about every word a try!) You can say and identify just about every letter in the alphabet. You can say and identify the colors red, purple, green, blue, yellow and orange. (You have trouble saying "pink"). You can identify the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5...and you love to play your Toddler Mickey Mouse CD and Pooh and Reader rabbit CD's on the computer.
You now answer questions with a Yes or a No. It is so nice to be able to ask you if you want to go outside, ride on your bike, go for a walk, color, etc. and have you be able to tell Mommy what you want to do! You understand so much!
Last Saturday, when Mommy tried to feed you your Mac and Cheese you started to have a temper tantrum because you wanted to hold the spoon yourself. (You have gotten really good at feeding yourself with a fork and we let your feed yourself all of the time now....but you haven't grasped the concept of keeping the spoon upright when you move it into your mouth.) Anyway, you began to scream and cry...and kicked your legs...things began to escalate...and no matter what I tried to do, you were so upset. Then, I just calmly explained to you that Mommy would let you feed yourself, except that with the Mac and Cheese you had to use a spoon and you couldn't do that yet. I told you that I would let you feed yourself other foods with the fork, but I needed to feed you this with the spoon right now and that we would let you try the spoon with some different foods. You stopped and listened to everything I said, and then opened your mouth and let me feed you your entire meal. You completely understood why you couldn't feed yourself and you were fine as soon as you understood. Amazing.
You now can say your name...and prefer to say "John Paul" as opposed to "Jack" though you can say both. You have been climbing so much lately, and have become a little daredevil. You have been falling almost every day. (Off the bed, slipping on the wet bathroom floor, off the steps at the playground, tipping the chair over, etc.) Thus you are getting a lot of bumps and bruises. You are such a tough little guy, though. You never cry much and just get up and "brush yourself off" even when you clearly have hurt yourself.
Mommy loves you so much and can't wait to come home to you every night and spend every minute that she can with you. I love it more than anything when you walk up to Mommy for no reason and wrap your little arms around my leg and just hug me. I could stay like that forever my sweet angel. I love you with every ounce of my heart!
But starting last weekend (just two weeks before you turn 18 months) your vocabulary has exploded! All of a sudden, you are repeating just about anything that we ask you to say (you use baby talk...and it is sometimes hard to understand...but you give just about every word a try!) You can say and identify just about every letter in the alphabet. You can say and identify the colors red, purple, green, blue, yellow and orange. (You have trouble saying "pink"). You can identify the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5...and you love to play your Toddler Mickey Mouse CD and Pooh and Reader rabbit CD's on the computer.
You now answer questions with a Yes or a No. It is so nice to be able to ask you if you want to go outside, ride on your bike, go for a walk, color, etc. and have you be able to tell Mommy what you want to do! You understand so much!
Last Saturday, when Mommy tried to feed you your Mac and Cheese you started to have a temper tantrum because you wanted to hold the spoon yourself. (You have gotten really good at feeding yourself with a fork and we let your feed yourself all of the time now....but you haven't grasped the concept of keeping the spoon upright when you move it into your mouth.) Anyway, you began to scream and cry...and kicked your legs...things began to escalate...and no matter what I tried to do, you were so upset. Then, I just calmly explained to you that Mommy would let you feed yourself, except that with the Mac and Cheese you had to use a spoon and you couldn't do that yet. I told you that I would let you feed yourself other foods with the fork, but I needed to feed you this with the spoon right now and that we would let you try the spoon with some different foods. You stopped and listened to everything I said, and then opened your mouth and let me feed you your entire meal. You completely understood why you couldn't feed yourself and you were fine as soon as you understood. Amazing.
You now can say your name...and prefer to say "John Paul" as opposed to "Jack" though you can say both. You have been climbing so much lately, and have become a little daredevil. You have been falling almost every day. (Off the bed, slipping on the wet bathroom floor, off the steps at the playground, tipping the chair over, etc.) Thus you are getting a lot of bumps and bruises. You are such a tough little guy, though. You never cry much and just get up and "brush yourself off" even when you clearly have hurt yourself.
Mommy loves you so much and can't wait to come home to you every night and spend every minute that she can with you. I love it more than anything when you walk up to Mommy for no reason and wrap your little arms around my leg and just hug me. I could stay like that forever my sweet angel. I love you with every ounce of my heart!
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Haircut????
I just don't know what to do. Jack has beautiful long brown hair that is just a mass of ringlet curls in the back. When it is dry it touches his shoulders....just a mass of loose curls. When it is wet, it falls halfway down his back.
People often think he is a girl because his hair is long and he has big blue/green eyes and long eye lashes. Sooooo...with much regret, I figured that when he was 18 months old (in just two weeks) we would go have his hair cut for the first time. Now I am having second thoughts.....
He looks so cute....and I am afraid that he will look so grown up when we cut his hair. Also numerous people (friends, family, acquaintances) have told us to leave his hair long as it is so cute and he looks "different" from other babies/toddlers.
People often think he is a girl because his hair is long and he has big blue/green eyes and long eye lashes. Sooooo...with much regret, I figured that when he was 18 months old (in just two weeks) we would go have his hair cut for the first time. Now I am having second thoughts.....
He looks so cute....and I am afraid that he will look so grown up when we cut his hair. Also numerous people (friends, family, acquaintances) have told us to leave his hair long as it is so cute and he looks "different" from other babies/toddlers.
Now, I don't want him to hate me someday in the future for leaving his hair long...and I don't want him to look like a freak...or to be made fun of, etc. I also would kind of like to see what he would look like with short hair (if I could have the long hair back immediately if not totally thrilled with the short hair).
On the other hand, I think it is nice and really like the idea of him looking "different" than everyone else...and his hair is beautiful. He looks like a little trendy tot.....and people seem to remember him and comment on how cute he is. I just don't know what to do.
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
I Love You So Much!
Sweet Baby:
I sit here at the computer late at night in the dark...watching you sleep peacefully. I love you more than I can ever express in words. I am crying as I write this...not because I am sad sweet baby of mine...but because my heart is so full of love and joy for having you in my life...that it overflows with tears of happiness.
Please know that I will always love you more than anything...ANYTHING. So if sometime in the future you are sure that I am mean and that I do not love you...please know...that I am so full of love for you that I cannot find the words to tell you how much to mean to me.
I am so thankful to have had the chance to be your Mom. I never knew that a person could love someone so much. I would do anything in the world to be sure that you are safe and happy and that you have a happy life. Baby...you are the best and most wonderful thing in my life. Mommy loves you with every ounce of her heart...and everything that I do and have done since the day you were born will be and has been with you in mind.
I Love you up to the moon my sweet baby.
Love Forever and Always,
Momma
I sit here at the computer late at night in the dark...watching you sleep peacefully. I love you more than I can ever express in words. I am crying as I write this...not because I am sad sweet baby of mine...but because my heart is so full of love and joy for having you in my life...that it overflows with tears of happiness.
Please know that I will always love you more than anything...ANYTHING. So if sometime in the future you are sure that I am mean and that I do not love you...please know...that I am so full of love for you that I cannot find the words to tell you how much to mean to me.
I am so thankful to have had the chance to be your Mom. I never knew that a person could love someone so much. I would do anything in the world to be sure that you are safe and happy and that you have a happy life. Baby...you are the best and most wonderful thing in my life. Mommy loves you with every ounce of her heart...and everything that I do and have done since the day you were born will be and has been with you in mind.
I Love you up to the moon my sweet baby.
Love Forever and Always,
Momma
Friday, June 25, 2004
"Baked Bees" and Using the Potty for the First Time!
Even though I am very busy at work right now and don't like to spend any extra time at work than I have to, I had to take the time to write about two Jack "moments". I try to go immediately home without stopping anywhere so that I can spend every minute of my time with Jack. On the weekends, and evenings after work, I try not to do anything that does not invlove time with him or that would take away my precious time with him. I hope that I always feel this way....I just can't wait to get home to him....and can't imagine ever wanting to be anywhere without him!
Anyway, the point to this entry was to memorialize two cute little "Jack" things that I don't want to forget.
First, Jack is infatuated with bees. This began on Mothers Day when my Mom received a planter from my sister that had two little bees on it that were stuck to the planter with little springs so that they appeared to buzz around when you moved it. Nanna told Jack that those were "bees" and that they said "Buzz, buzz BZZZZZZZ". Since that time Jack loves to pick out bees in books, outdoors, anywhere and point to them and make the raspberry sound....as he equates that with a "bzzzz" sound.
Last weekend, I made baked beans for the first time for Jack to go along with his veggie burger. I gave him a bite of benas and told him that they were "beans". After tasting the benas, I tried to offer him some veggie burger and he shook his head no and pointed to the baked beans. I told him that he had to eat his burger and he shook his head "no" and pointed at the beans again....and made the raspberry sound. The little squirt thought they were "bees" not "beans". For the rest of meal he continued to point to the beans and make the raspberry sound. So cute!!
Then, on Monday, I took off his diaper in the morning and asked if he wanted to sit on his potty. (He is so smart...he can go number 1 when asked...so we thought let's just get a potty and have it there for him to play around with and get used to...no pressure). Anyway, he went over to the potty and sat down on it halfway (normally he doesn't want anything to do with it). I told him to go ahead and go "pee pee" and he did!!!! It went outside the potty because he wasn't sitting on it right...but I was so proud of my little sweet angel. He is such a good little baby.
I do worry that he is not talking a lot or saying a lot of words. Really he only says Momma, Dadda, Nanna, Up, Blue, Bye, Ball, and poor renditions of Bed, On, Off, Purple, Yellow, Jana, and I Love You (Wa wuuu ooo). He doesn't use these words a lot (except for Momma, Dadda, Nanna and Up) and he is not putting words together yet. Also, he hasn't really added any new words to his vocabulary as he has been saying most of these words for months. I hope my worries are for naught....I know he is such a smart little guy....I just have to have something to worry about!
Anyway, the point to this entry was to memorialize two cute little "Jack" things that I don't want to forget.
First, Jack is infatuated with bees. This began on Mothers Day when my Mom received a planter from my sister that had two little bees on it that were stuck to the planter with little springs so that they appeared to buzz around when you moved it. Nanna told Jack that those were "bees" and that they said "Buzz, buzz BZZZZZZZ". Since that time Jack loves to pick out bees in books, outdoors, anywhere and point to them and make the raspberry sound....as he equates that with a "bzzzz" sound.
Last weekend, I made baked beans for the first time for Jack to go along with his veggie burger. I gave him a bite of benas and told him that they were "beans". After tasting the benas, I tried to offer him some veggie burger and he shook his head no and pointed to the baked beans. I told him that he had to eat his burger and he shook his head "no" and pointed at the beans again....and made the raspberry sound. The little squirt thought they were "bees" not "beans". For the rest of meal he continued to point to the beans and make the raspberry sound. So cute!!
Then, on Monday, I took off his diaper in the morning and asked if he wanted to sit on his potty. (He is so smart...he can go number 1 when asked...so we thought let's just get a potty and have it there for him to play around with and get used to...no pressure). Anyway, he went over to the potty and sat down on it halfway (normally he doesn't want anything to do with it). I told him to go ahead and go "pee pee" and he did!!!! It went outside the potty because he wasn't sitting on it right...but I was so proud of my little sweet angel. He is such a good little baby.
I do worry that he is not talking a lot or saying a lot of words. Really he only says Momma, Dadda, Nanna, Up, Blue, Bye, Ball, and poor renditions of Bed, On, Off, Purple, Yellow, Jana, and I Love You (Wa wuuu ooo). He doesn't use these words a lot (except for Momma, Dadda, Nanna and Up) and he is not putting words together yet. Also, he hasn't really added any new words to his vocabulary as he has been saying most of these words for months. I hope my worries are for naught....I know he is such a smart little guy....I just have to have something to worry about!
Friday, June 18, 2004
Talking More, Long Curls, and Growing Up....
"Baby" Jack continues to amaze me every day. Each night when I get home from work, he has changed just a bit more and knows or does something remarkable (in my eyes, at least it is remarkable).
For instance, last night I got home and was getting something to drink in the kitchen and I heard Jack playing out in the living room. He was saying "sssssss" (the sound a snake makes). I knew he must be playing with his letters, because that is how he says the letter "S". So I said that's right and I pronounced "S". Immediately after I said that he said "S" correctly (instead of the "sssss" sound) and then repeated it again and again. (I called Paul on the phone--he had left to run an errand--just so he could hear.) Then later that night, he said "ball" very very clearly with no prompting (he has said "Bah" for ball...but never really pronounced it perfectly clear like this.)
His hair is getting so long. But it is just too cute to cut...the whole back and the sides are just a jumble of ringlet curls. Everyone assumes that he is a girl, but as soon as we tell them that he is a boy and that we just haven't had his hair cut yet...they all tell us not to do it as it is sooo cute long. We have decided that we will take him for his first haircut when he is 18 months old. It is going to be sad...as it is going to make him look so much older. But I know he will be so cute with a haircut too...so in a way I can't wait to see him like that while wanting to hold on to his baby curls.
Jack and I were outside at the park across the street from us last night (as is our ritual) and there were a lot of young children and babies playing there...so it was fun. One little boy was toddling around and Jack just sort of pushed past him while heading up the steps to go down the slide...and I told Jack to be careful with the baby. (He was much much smaller than Jack and not maneuvering as well). Anyway, I find out that this "baby" is 20 months old (4 months OLDER than Jack). As usual, they were amazed by how tall Jack is. (they said that their son was usually the biggest boy his age.) This happens constantly, Jack is sooo much taller than any other toddler his age. He usually compares to a 2 1/2 -3 year old depending on their size. I have yet to see a child near Jack's age that is as big as him. It is weird. For the record, he measured (by me) at about 34" tall and weighed (as of this morning on my home scale) 29 pounds.
While we were outside playing...a thunderstorm was brewing. The dark clouds started to cover the sky and you could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance. The wind started to get stronger...and Jack pointed to the sky and made his standard exaggerated "surprised gasping sound" (I do this when I am startled or to point things out and he has been doing it since he was 12 months old to indicate something that he has just noticed or is excited about....it is one of the cutest things in the world...everyone thinks it is darling when they hear him do it and see him pointing at something like a flower that he just noticed, etc.) Anyway, he made this sound and pointed up to the sky and then put his little hands up on his cheeks at the same time (like a person in the silent movies would do to indicate surprise). It was so cute. He just kept doing that and doing that. I love my baby so much and cannot wait to get home from work each night just to spend time with him.
He is still nursing and has gotten into the habit of wanting me to read him a story while he is nursing. So...what was once a nice relaxing time for me to doze off or watch television, as now turned into story time...but that is okay...I would do just about anything for him. He is still showing no signs of giving up or slowing down on nursing. He just loves it...so not sure when he will be weaning...but that is a whole different post. I just wanted to update on our baby and what he has been doing lately. (Oh, and he loves crayons and coloring....and our walls, windows, toilet, toy chests, etc. have all seen his artistic work...and he is only 16 months old!!!)
For instance, last night I got home and was getting something to drink in the kitchen and I heard Jack playing out in the living room. He was saying "sssssss" (the sound a snake makes). I knew he must be playing with his letters, because that is how he says the letter "S". So I said that's right and I pronounced "S". Immediately after I said that he said "S" correctly (instead of the "sssss" sound) and then repeated it again and again. (I called Paul on the phone--he had left to run an errand--just so he could hear.) Then later that night, he said "ball" very very clearly with no prompting (he has said "Bah" for ball...but never really pronounced it perfectly clear like this.)
His hair is getting so long. But it is just too cute to cut...the whole back and the sides are just a jumble of ringlet curls. Everyone assumes that he is a girl, but as soon as we tell them that he is a boy and that we just haven't had his hair cut yet...they all tell us not to do it as it is sooo cute long. We have decided that we will take him for his first haircut when he is 18 months old. It is going to be sad...as it is going to make him look so much older. But I know he will be so cute with a haircut too...so in a way I can't wait to see him like that while wanting to hold on to his baby curls.
Jack and I were outside at the park across the street from us last night (as is our ritual) and there were a lot of young children and babies playing there...so it was fun. One little boy was toddling around and Jack just sort of pushed past him while heading up the steps to go down the slide...and I told Jack to be careful with the baby. (He was much much smaller than Jack and not maneuvering as well). Anyway, I find out that this "baby" is 20 months old (4 months OLDER than Jack). As usual, they were amazed by how tall Jack is. (they said that their son was usually the biggest boy his age.) This happens constantly, Jack is sooo much taller than any other toddler his age. He usually compares to a 2 1/2 -3 year old depending on their size. I have yet to see a child near Jack's age that is as big as him. It is weird. For the record, he measured (by me) at about 34" tall and weighed (as of this morning on my home scale) 29 pounds.
While we were outside playing...a thunderstorm was brewing. The dark clouds started to cover the sky and you could hear the rumble of thunder in the distance. The wind started to get stronger...and Jack pointed to the sky and made his standard exaggerated "surprised gasping sound" (I do this when I am startled or to point things out and he has been doing it since he was 12 months old to indicate something that he has just noticed or is excited about....it is one of the cutest things in the world...everyone thinks it is darling when they hear him do it and see him pointing at something like a flower that he just noticed, etc.) Anyway, he made this sound and pointed up to the sky and then put his little hands up on his cheeks at the same time (like a person in the silent movies would do to indicate surprise). It was so cute. He just kept doing that and doing that. I love my baby so much and cannot wait to get home from work each night just to spend time with him.
He is still nursing and has gotten into the habit of wanting me to read him a story while he is nursing. So...what was once a nice relaxing time for me to doze off or watch television, as now turned into story time...but that is okay...I would do just about anything for him. He is still showing no signs of giving up or slowing down on nursing. He just loves it...so not sure when he will be weaning...but that is a whole different post. I just wanted to update on our baby and what he has been doing lately. (Oh, and he loves crayons and coloring....and our walls, windows, toilet, toy chests, etc. have all seen his artistic work...and he is only 16 months old!!!)
Tuesday, June 1, 2004
Baby Jack at 16 Months....
Baby Jack is now 16 months old. I cannot believe that the tiny little squirming thing that I held in my arms just over a year ago is now this intelligent, feeling, thinking little person. That is what he has become in just 16 short months!
He is so smart! Jack will point to the bed and say "Mamma" when he wants to nurse. He calls "Dad"!!! when he wants Daddy to take him out of his crib or out of the high chair. It is so cute. He understands so much that I don't expect him to understand. For example, if we ask him if he wanst to go outside, he waives bye bye and then runs to get his shoes and bring them to me. Once when he was looking for a toy, I told himit was behind him (not expecting him to know what "behind" meant) and he turned right around to look behind him for the toy. It is amazing what this child knows.
He has grown very attached to his blue blankets with satin around the edge. He calls them his "Blues". In fact he calls all blankets "Blues." He wants to have one with him when he nurses or when he sleeps or is in unfamiliar situations.
Since I talk to my sister on the phone quite a bit (we are diligently planning the big Disney family vacation) he sees the cell phone and says Aana (his version of "Jana") and then he makes his own signs for Jana (flicking his middle finger on his thumb), Uncle Chris (making a "kissing" sound) and Olivia (shaking his head back and forth).
His Aunt Jana, Uncle Chris and Olivia came down to visit on Saturday. We had to leave for a baby shower and they were gone when we got home. Jack got out of the car and looked at his Nanna and said "Aana" and held his little hands out to the side to ask "where is she?"
He knows about half of the alphabet now (can recognize and say theletters A,B,D,E,L,M,O,Q,R,S,& U and can point out most of the other letters.) He also knows most of his colors (purple, yelllow, blue, green, orange....he can't say red yet...but can pick it out when asked.)
He LOVES to play at the park accross the street and loves the slides. He can run in a cute little toddler sort of way and giggles and tries to run when he sees other children running. He was at the park one day last week and was so interested watching some little girls (about 6-7 years old) doing cartwheels. Afterwards, he kept holding his arms straight up and turning and moving...imitating them.
He can say a number of words...
Bye, Bye
Butt (nice, I know)
Mama
Dadda
Nanna
Jana ("Aaana")
cat ("at")
Yellow ("wewwow")
Purple ("virble")
Green ("Eeen")
Blue ("Eewe")
Orange ("ooran")
On ("ahh")
Off ("aww")
Up
Numbers ("rummmos")
Oval ("vrova")
Within the last couple of days, he has learned how to climb up on things. Nanna found him standing in the middle of our glass coffee table on Sunday...and he loves to crawl up on to the couch and on to his toybox now.
He has a great sense of humor and thinks it is funny when Mam says "Whoa" or when I run after him saying "I'm gonna get you."
He still has a beautiful head of brown curls and I can't bbring myself to have his hari cut yet. (Despite the fact that everyone thinks he is a girl...even though we dress him in very boyish cloths).
Jack still loves to nurse. Ands will ask to "num num" a lot. I am torn as I realize if we do want to have another baby I have to wean him but I just can't give up this special time with my most sweetest angel. I love lying on the bed in the morning with him and just being together. He is my sweetest baby and I just am in no rush to end this bond that we share. I do want to have another baby, though...as I want Jack to have a sibling...he deserves to have a sister or brother to go through life with....I just don't know when or how to wean him. I am just not sure that I am ready to go through that.
I will continue to worry and ponder that...in the meantime...my baby continues to amaze me. I love you so much my sweet baby.
He is so smart! Jack will point to the bed and say "Mamma" when he wants to nurse. He calls "Dad"!!! when he wants Daddy to take him out of his crib or out of the high chair. It is so cute. He understands so much that I don't expect him to understand. For example, if we ask him if he wanst to go outside, he waives bye bye and then runs to get his shoes and bring them to me. Once when he was looking for a toy, I told himit was behind him (not expecting him to know what "behind" meant) and he turned right around to look behind him for the toy. It is amazing what this child knows.
He has grown very attached to his blue blankets with satin around the edge. He calls them his "Blues". In fact he calls all blankets "Blues." He wants to have one with him when he nurses or when he sleeps or is in unfamiliar situations.
Since I talk to my sister on the phone quite a bit (we are diligently planning the big Disney family vacation) he sees the cell phone and says Aana (his version of "Jana") and then he makes his own signs for Jana (flicking his middle finger on his thumb), Uncle Chris (making a "kissing" sound) and Olivia (shaking his head back and forth).
His Aunt Jana, Uncle Chris and Olivia came down to visit on Saturday. We had to leave for a baby shower and they were gone when we got home. Jack got out of the car and looked at his Nanna and said "Aana" and held his little hands out to the side to ask "where is she?"
He knows about half of the alphabet now (can recognize and say theletters A,B,D,E,L,M,O,Q,R,S,& U and can point out most of the other letters.) He also knows most of his colors (purple, yelllow, blue, green, orange....he can't say red yet...but can pick it out when asked.)
He LOVES to play at the park accross the street and loves the slides. He can run in a cute little toddler sort of way and giggles and tries to run when he sees other children running. He was at the park one day last week and was so interested watching some little girls (about 6-7 years old) doing cartwheels. Afterwards, he kept holding his arms straight up and turning and moving...imitating them.
He can say a number of words...
Bye, Bye
Butt (nice, I know)
Mama
Dadda
Nanna
Jana ("Aaana")
cat ("at")
Yellow ("wewwow")
Purple ("virble")
Green ("Eeen")
Blue ("Eewe")
Orange ("ooran")
On ("ahh")
Off ("aww")
Up
Numbers ("rummmos")
Oval ("vrova")
Within the last couple of days, he has learned how to climb up on things. Nanna found him standing in the middle of our glass coffee table on Sunday...and he loves to crawl up on to the couch and on to his toybox now.
He has a great sense of humor and thinks it is funny when Mam says "Whoa" or when I run after him saying "I'm gonna get you."
He still has a beautiful head of brown curls and I can't bbring myself to have his hari cut yet. (Despite the fact that everyone thinks he is a girl...even though we dress him in very boyish cloths).
Jack still loves to nurse. Ands will ask to "num num" a lot. I am torn as I realize if we do want to have another baby I have to wean him but I just can't give up this special time with my most sweetest angel. I love lying on the bed in the morning with him and just being together. He is my sweetest baby and I just am in no rush to end this bond that we share. I do want to have another baby, though...as I want Jack to have a sibling...he deserves to have a sister or brother to go through life with....I just don't know when or how to wean him. I am just not sure that I am ready to go through that.
I will continue to worry and ponder that...in the meantime...my baby continues to amaze me. I love you so much my sweet baby.
Monday, May 17, 2004
Jack's First Trip--Dallas
Jack experienced his very first plane ride last week. I had to travel to Dallas for three days on business and I have never ever left Jack even for one night. (He is not weaned and still nurses at night.)
so we decided to buy an extra plane ticket for Paul and have Jack sit on our laps for the trip. Our only cost would be the plane ticket and food for the "boys."
Anyway, it was GREAT!!! We bought new toys for Jack to play with and he did really well on the plane rides (we had one connection so one leg was 3 hours and the other was just under an hour). He screamed a little here and there, but he nursed and feel asleep at some point on each leg of the trip. We were lucky.
He was wonderful at the hotel and was thrilled to be somewhere new with new toys and new sites and new things to explore. Paul and he explored the city of Dallas while I worked during the day and we all reconnected at night. It was so fun to be together away from home...and Jack really seemed to love it.
He was waving at everyone, and even taking strangers' hands to hold. He is not the least bit shy. But because we still have not cut his hair...he has long curls in the back and everyone thinks he is a girl. (His big blue eyes and long eyelashes are also part of the reason). I know that we will have to get his hair cut soon...I just dread doing it. He is so cute....I hate to change him in any way.
Anyway, to day is my first day back at work after the big trip....and it is sad...we had such a fun time....I hate for things to go back to normal.
We are planning a trip to Disney with my sister and her family for this September, so that should be fun!!! It is nice to have had this "dry run" before the big vacation!
so we decided to buy an extra plane ticket for Paul and have Jack sit on our laps for the trip. Our only cost would be the plane ticket and food for the "boys."
Anyway, it was GREAT!!! We bought new toys for Jack to play with and he did really well on the plane rides (we had one connection so one leg was 3 hours and the other was just under an hour). He screamed a little here and there, but he nursed and feel asleep at some point on each leg of the trip. We were lucky.
He was wonderful at the hotel and was thrilled to be somewhere new with new toys and new sites and new things to explore. Paul and he explored the city of Dallas while I worked during the day and we all reconnected at night. It was so fun to be together away from home...and Jack really seemed to love it.
He was waving at everyone, and even taking strangers' hands to hold. He is not the least bit shy. But because we still have not cut his hair...he has long curls in the back and everyone thinks he is a girl. (His big blue eyes and long eyelashes are also part of the reason). I know that we will have to get his hair cut soon...I just dread doing it. He is so cute....I hate to change him in any way.
Anyway, to day is my first day back at work after the big trip....and it is sad...we had such a fun time....I hate for things to go back to normal.
We are planning a trip to Disney with my sister and her family for this September, so that should be fun!!! It is nice to have had this "dry run" before the big vacation!
Friday, April 30, 2004
Fifteen Months Old
I took the day off work today to spend with the "boys." Daddy, Jack & I went to Jack's swimming class this morning and it was fun. Jack is doing so well. He now will lie on his stomach and use his arms and legs in a swimming motion while you hold him in the water. He also stands on the side of the pool and will jump in to you if you hold his hand and catch him. He goes underwater...and can usually get himself back up. He LOVES the water slide...and goes underwater and struggles before I can get him back up every time he slides down...and he doesn't seem to mind at all. He wants to keep going back down again.
After swimming classes, we headed to the pediatrician for his 15 month appointment. Jack went crazy! Granted...he was overtired ..as he should have been napping at that time...but he literally was screaming and crying and yelling "Mama" the whole time we were in the examination room. He kept pointing to the door asking to leave....he was so upset. Dr. Littleton felt this was normal for his age. She also assured us that his not wanting us to touch his face, hair, ears, etc. was something that he would outgrow. (She said if he is still resisting that sort of contact at 18 months we would talk about it then.) She was impressed that he can recognize colors and recognize and say certain letters (A, E, D, O, U, I, S).
Jack weighed in at 27lbs 4oz (85% going down!) and was 33 1/2" tall (off the charts) with ahead circumference of 50 cm (97% going up) So we have a tall slim boy!
His hair is so pretty and curly. Everyone assumes he is a little girl as we have not had the heart to have his hair cut yet. He is starting to run (it is so cute to watch him try to run). He likes to dance and LOVES music. He sucks in his breath (Mommy does that) every time he sees something pretty (flowers, Easter eggs, candy, etc.) It is darling!
He is till nursing...and loves to nurse all night long. I am not sure how I am ever going to wean him. I love him more than anything.
He is taking a late nap right now (on our bed). When he wakes up we will have a snack and then head off to the mall to do some shopping for some summer baby cloths...and just to have fun! Happy 15 months sweet baby of mine!
After swimming classes, we headed to the pediatrician for his 15 month appointment. Jack went crazy! Granted...he was overtired ..as he should have been napping at that time...but he literally was screaming and crying and yelling "Mama" the whole time we were in the examination room. He kept pointing to the door asking to leave....he was so upset. Dr. Littleton felt this was normal for his age. She also assured us that his not wanting us to touch his face, hair, ears, etc. was something that he would outgrow. (She said if he is still resisting that sort of contact at 18 months we would talk about it then.) She was impressed that he can recognize colors and recognize and say certain letters (A, E, D, O, U, I, S).
Jack weighed in at 27lbs 4oz (85% going down!) and was 33 1/2" tall (off the charts) with ahead circumference of 50 cm (97% going up) So we have a tall slim boy!
His hair is so pretty and curly. Everyone assumes he is a little girl as we have not had the heart to have his hair cut yet. He is starting to run (it is so cute to watch him try to run). He likes to dance and LOVES music. He sucks in his breath (Mommy does that) every time he sees something pretty (flowers, Easter eggs, candy, etc.) It is darling!
He is till nursing...and loves to nurse all night long. I am not sure how I am ever going to wean him. I love him more than anything.
He is taking a late nap right now (on our bed). When he wakes up we will have a snack and then head off to the mall to do some shopping for some summer baby cloths...and just to have fun! Happy 15 months sweet baby of mine!
Thursday, April 15, 2004
Darby Is Gone.
Sweet Darby died this morning. He died alone...on his bed in the kitchen. I wish we would have been with him. I pray he did not suffer. I cannot even begin to express the grief we are feeling. He has been with us for 8 years and our hearts are breaking. Darby is an angel now. I will never forget him...or the first day I saw him jumping up on that fence wagging his little tail at me and barking. Darby I love you.....
Things I don't want to forget about Darby:
*How he wiggled all over when he saw children.
*That his name was Alex when we rescued him...but we changed it to Darby because I always wanted to name a daughter Alexandra and call her Alex.
*How he used his paw to scrape at the door when he had to go out.
*How he barked nd barked and barked...all of the time...just for the fun of it.
*How he loved his dog chews.
*How he wouldn't eat much for days after his best friend Damien died.
*How he would bark as we got close to our new home when we went to visit it during its construction.
*How smart he was and how proud he was when he was competing in obedience at a dog show.
*His big beautiful brown eyes looking up at me.
*How he would let Jack take food right out of his mouth.
*The way that he would hump up his back when you scratched him near his tail.
*How he loved to sleep on the bed with us until he got too bad to go upstairs.
*How he LOVED to go "bye bye"...anywhere in the car...and how he would bark and squeal with excitement whenever we took him somewhere.
*How he would race around the park in Hilliard with his choppy little gait (before we knew he had wobblers) running after his best friend Damien.
*How he would start barking as soon as he heard the toaster click down or smelled my toast cooking. (I always shared my toast with him in the mornings after he became paralyzed.)
*How he LOVED his Dad.
*How much he hated the "white dog" and Alaskan Malamutes.
*How he screamed in pain during his first episode of wobblers.
*How he loved everyone...and was always happy no matter what people did to him or regardless of what life dealt him...he was always happy with life.
*How very much I loved him.
Oh....I don't know what we are going to do without him.
Things I don't want to forget about Darby:
*How he wiggled all over when he saw children.
*That his name was Alex when we rescued him...but we changed it to Darby because I always wanted to name a daughter Alexandra and call her Alex.
*How he used his paw to scrape at the door when he had to go out.
*How he barked nd barked and barked...all of the time...just for the fun of it.
*How he loved his dog chews.
*How he wouldn't eat much for days after his best friend Damien died.
*How he would bark as we got close to our new home when we went to visit it during its construction.
*How smart he was and how proud he was when he was competing in obedience at a dog show.
*His big beautiful brown eyes looking up at me.
*How he would let Jack take food right out of his mouth.
*The way that he would hump up his back when you scratched him near his tail.
*How he loved to sleep on the bed with us until he got too bad to go upstairs.
*How he LOVED to go "bye bye"...anywhere in the car...and how he would bark and squeal with excitement whenever we took him somewhere.
*How he would race around the park in Hilliard with his choppy little gait (before we knew he had wobblers) running after his best friend Damien.
*How he would start barking as soon as he heard the toaster click down or smelled my toast cooking. (I always shared my toast with him in the mornings after he became paralyzed.)
*How he LOVED his Dad.
*How much he hated the "white dog" and Alaskan Malamutes.
*How he screamed in pain during his first episode of wobblers.
*How he loved everyone...and was always happy no matter what people did to him or regardless of what life dealt him...he was always happy with life.
*How very much I loved him.
Oh....I don't know what we are going to do without him.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
OPur Sweet Baby Dog Darby is Not Doing Well.
Our sweet Dalmatian Darby may be dying and it is breaking our hearts. Darby was rescued by me when Paul and I were first married when an idiot called my law firm to ask whether it was legal to shoot a dog in the city. I, of course, went and picked up the little 6 month old pup...and he has been with us for the last 8 years.
He is the sweetest little guy....just wiggles with love for everyone (especially children) and he has always had a lot of energy...and he does love to bark. However, he has also been cursed with horrible medical problems. He has had two knee surgeries, and had to have his crumpled broken tail removed soon after we adopted him. As if that weren't enough....the little guy was diagnosed with wobbler's disease (a slow narrowing of the spinal column which eventually pinches off the spinal cord causing paralysis and death) at just three years old.
For the last 5 years we have been fighting this disease. Darby has seen many doctors and we have consulted with specialists all over the country. He has been on prednisone for 5 years (to keep the cord swelling down) and had 6 hour major spinal cord surgery in Michigan about 3 years ago. The surgery has allowed him to have some years of good quality life. Last January 27, though....we took him in to the Ohio State University Vet Hospital to see the specialist there as he was getting weaker and wobblier...and after another myelogram...they told us what we didn't want to hear...that Darby's spinal cord was being pinched very severely and that there was nothing more we could do.
Since that time, we have loved him as he got weaker and weaker....until he was unable to walk at all last November. He has been a quadriplegic since that time...and Paul has been carrying him in and out of the house to do his business, feeding him, propping him up, moving him to the window, taking him outside for walks in a cart, etc. Throughout it all....Darby has remained so happy. He wags his little stub tail when we come him, he barks for treats and at people and dogs passing our windows. He eats like a mad-man....and has kisses to give anyone who will lean down to get them. Animals are amazing beings in that they sure make the best of whatever life gives them...Darby is true proof of that. I love him so much.
Anyway, we have been weaning him off the prednisone (as it was causing him to bloat up and to lose hair). Darby's doctor said to watch for pain...as the pred also prevents the pain from nerves being pinched. A few days ago, Darby started yelping softly when Paul picked him up to take him outside...and this morning he was breathing in a strange sort of gulping way. He wasn't in distress....but we knew something was really wrong.
I guess the fear is that the spinal cord is being traumatized to the point that it no longer is sending proper signals to his body to breath. We moved him around a bit after a call to a vet friend....and he was breathing better before I left for work. But Paul said he isn't drinking or eating...and was not responsive to people who came over to pet him while they were out walking in his cart today.
I don't know what to do. I love him so much....and my heart is breaking. This poor little dog is so young (he is only 8 years old!) and has been through so much. Please God....help us do what is right for Darby....please take care of him....we love him so
He is the sweetest little guy....just wiggles with love for everyone (especially children) and he has always had a lot of energy...and he does love to bark. However, he has also been cursed with horrible medical problems. He has had two knee surgeries, and had to have his crumpled broken tail removed soon after we adopted him. As if that weren't enough....the little guy was diagnosed with wobbler's disease (a slow narrowing of the spinal column which eventually pinches off the spinal cord causing paralysis and death) at just three years old.
For the last 5 years we have been fighting this disease. Darby has seen many doctors and we have consulted with specialists all over the country. He has been on prednisone for 5 years (to keep the cord swelling down) and had 6 hour major spinal cord surgery in Michigan about 3 years ago. The surgery has allowed him to have some years of good quality life. Last January 27, though....we took him in to the Ohio State University Vet Hospital to see the specialist there as he was getting weaker and wobblier...and after another myelogram...they told us what we didn't want to hear...that Darby's spinal cord was being pinched very severely and that there was nothing more we could do.
Since that time, we have loved him as he got weaker and weaker....until he was unable to walk at all last November. He has been a quadriplegic since that time...and Paul has been carrying him in and out of the house to do his business, feeding him, propping him up, moving him to the window, taking him outside for walks in a cart, etc. Throughout it all....Darby has remained so happy. He wags his little stub tail when we come him, he barks for treats and at people and dogs passing our windows. He eats like a mad-man....and has kisses to give anyone who will lean down to get them. Animals are amazing beings in that they sure make the best of whatever life gives them...Darby is true proof of that. I love him so much.
Anyway, we have been weaning him off the prednisone (as it was causing him to bloat up and to lose hair). Darby's doctor said to watch for pain...as the pred also prevents the pain from nerves being pinched. A few days ago, Darby started yelping softly when Paul picked him up to take him outside...and this morning he was breathing in a strange sort of gulping way. He wasn't in distress....but we knew something was really wrong.
I guess the fear is that the spinal cord is being traumatized to the point that it no longer is sending proper signals to his body to breath. We moved him around a bit after a call to a vet friend....and he was breathing better before I left for work. But Paul said he isn't drinking or eating...and was not responsive to people who came over to pet him while they were out walking in his cart today.
I don't know what to do. I love him so much....and my heart is breaking. This poor little dog is so young (he is only 8 years old!) and has been through so much. Please God....help us do what is right for Darby....please take care of him....we love him so
Wednesday, April 7, 2004
More Words....
Jack is starting to say more words and understand so much!
Yesterday when playing with his little Matchbox cars Nana got him he held up the blue one and said ooooh (for blue) and then picked up the green one and said eeeen (for green).
No matter where we are...he manages to find letters that he recognizes. (Like "O" or "A" or "E"....he mistakes several letters for "E"s...those are his favorite letters...but he can always find the "O"s) He sees letters on the television, on the bottles in the refrigerator, on an envelope, on the walls of buildings, on trucks, etc. He LOVES letters!
He also is saying "buh" whenever someone says "Bye".
Another thing he is doing is that when he nurses to sleep at night...he now wants to look at the Goodnight Moon book while he is nursing. He wants me to read it to him...but will hold it and look at it out of the corner of his eye while he nurses if I won't read it to him. He is very particular about this and goes crazy looking for the book and will not rest until he finds it. Last night, I was trying to get him to nurse without it...so I started reciting it by heart:
"In the great green room there was a telephone and a red balloon ...
and a picture of a cow jumping over the moon.....
and three little bears sitting on chairs...."
I stopped there because that is all that I remembered. The funny thing is, he stopped nursing and said "chee chee chee" which he says to indicate the "two little kittens" (becasue I say it in a little high pitched mouse-like voice when I read that part). I looked at the book...and that was the next line of the book! My baby!
I just LOVE my baby so much. I wish he could stay this cute and sweet forever!!!
Yesterday when playing with his little Matchbox cars Nana got him he held up the blue one and said ooooh (for blue) and then picked up the green one and said eeeen (for green).
No matter where we are...he manages to find letters that he recognizes. (Like "O" or "A" or "E"....he mistakes several letters for "E"s...those are his favorite letters...but he can always find the "O"s) He sees letters on the television, on the bottles in the refrigerator, on an envelope, on the walls of buildings, on trucks, etc. He LOVES letters!
He also is saying "buh" whenever someone says "Bye".
Another thing he is doing is that when he nurses to sleep at night...he now wants to look at the Goodnight Moon book while he is nursing. He wants me to read it to him...but will hold it and look at it out of the corner of his eye while he nurses if I won't read it to him. He is very particular about this and goes crazy looking for the book and will not rest until he finds it. Last night, I was trying to get him to nurse without it...so I started reciting it by heart:
"In the great green room there was a telephone and a red balloon ...
and a picture of a cow jumping over the moon.....
and three little bears sitting on chairs...."
I stopped there because that is all that I remembered. The funny thing is, he stopped nursing and said "chee chee chee" which he says to indicate the "two little kittens" (becasue I say it in a little high pitched mouse-like voice when I read that part). I looked at the book...and that was the next line of the book! My baby!
I just LOVE my baby so much. I wish he could stay this cute and sweet forever!!!
Tuesday, March 30, 2004
Words, Words, Words!
Yesterday (Jack's 14 month old birthday) he said three new words. I was reading his shape book with him yesterday morning and he pointed to the oval and said as clear as day "oval". (He has been saying this with prompting ever since.) He also said "butt" after I said something about his butt and then said "boat" wen I was playing with him and his plastic boat. Amazing.
He is also pointing out the letters that he knows ("A", "E", "O" and sometimes "D") whenever and where ever he sees them. Last night he saw the ring from the cap of the milk...and pointed to it and said "O". Then, he pointed at Daddy's AEP logo on his shirt and said "A". I know that everyone thinks that their baby is a genius....but I think Jack is a genius!
He is also pointing out the letters that he knows ("A", "E", "O" and sometimes "D") whenever and where ever he sees them. Last night he saw the ring from the cap of the milk...and pointed to it and said "O". Then, he pointed at Daddy's AEP logo on his shirt and said "A". I know that everyone thinks that their baby is a genius....but I think Jack is a genius!
Wednesday, March 24, 2004
Time for an Update...Mostg Beautiful Baby in the World!
I guess Jack really isn't a baby anymore. He will be 14 months next week. He is still the most wonderful and beautiful thing that ever came into his Mommy & Daddy's lives. I am so in love with this baby and felt it was time to update what he has been doing lately for posterity's sake.
*Jack is still nursing. Working all day away from him, I love this special bonding time with him and he loves to cuddle and be with Mommy during this special time too. I plan to continue at least for a while longer.
*He is walking like a pro. He can take small steps up onto and off things. (He never really walked bow-legged like so many toddlers do). And he can move pretty quickly when he wants to.
*Jack can go up (and as of last weekend) down the stairs (with supervision, of course). (He crawls up and down the stairs using his hands and knees.)
*He can now get down off our bed (he is still sleeping with us) by turning on to his tummy and sliding off the side.
*His current favorite book (unseating "Go Dog Go") is "Goodnight Moon". He asks for this book all of the time with sign language and he can sign almost every object in the book, including "hush" for the quiet old lady whispering "hush." Mommy and Daddy and Jack all sit together on the bed each night and read this book before bed.
*Jack can say: "Mama" (which he says all of the time), "Dada", "Nana", "On" and "Off" (which sound similar: "ahhhhh" but definitely mean on and off), and "Bye" ("Buh").
*He can say and distinguish the following letters: "E" "J" "O" and "D". He loves to play with his plastic letters and have Nana or Daddy say the letter when he holds it up.
*He loves every food offered to him. (He even eats spinach and brussel sprouts.) He especially loves corn, carrots, yogurt, cheese, soy burgers, soy hotdogs, and soy chicken patties, cheese crackers, and any kind of desert.
*He still does not like cow's milk. We can only get him to take a sip or two at a time. But he loves water and drinks quite a bit of it.
*He loves animals. (He giggles at "his" kitties and gives Darby kisses and often lays down with him.)
*He loves to kiss everything that he likes. (We took him to a play area at a mall with large wild animal sculptures for the kids to crawl on and climb...and Jack walked around kissing all of the animals.)
*After he gets a kiss from someone, he signs "thank you" by tapping his chin with his open hand...it is sooo cute.
*When asked "where is Jack" he points to himself...and when asked "Where is John Paul" he also points to himself.
*He is sooo smart. He learns a sign now with only being shown once. I showed him the sign for down by pointing my finger down...and now he does that all of the time. (It is one of his favorite signs.)
*When he is sick or tired, he wants Mama and only Mama. (He is sick right now....and Daddy says he has been crying all day and asking for Mama and it is breaking my heart.)
*We still haven't had his hair cut so it is all curly in the back and on the sides....and sooo very cute. (Although many people do assume he is a girl because of his hair and his pretty blue eyes and long eye lashes.)
*He can be demanding at times and knows how to cry and scream to get his point across. (This usually involves him wanting to hold something that we won't let him have...or him wanting to be picked up and us not picking him up immediately....something we will have to work on...as we do not want a spoiled little boy!)
*He LOVES to take baths (I still take him into the tub with me when I have time...and we have fun splashing and playing with his toys together).
*He loves swimming. (He is in his 6th or 7th session of swimming classes that he attends with Daddy during the week...and he just loves them).
*He loves to go places and has begun asking to go bye bye by waving at the front door and then opening the closet door and trying to reach his coat. (We have been taking him out into the world since he was just 4 days old so it is no wonder he likes to be on the go.)
*He loves to run around naked.
I just love this stage of Jack. I love each stage more and more. Every time that he moves into a new stage, I think, "Now this is my favorite age" and then I end up loving the next stage even more. I just love this baby of ours...and can't wait to get home to see him and hug him and love him each night. As much as I would love to have another baby so that Jack will have a sibling to grow up with....I can't help but want to wait so that I can cherish this special time with my baby boy and my baby boy alone.
Baby Jack 01.29.03!!!
Before you were conceived I wanted you.
Before you were born I loved you.
Before you were an hour I would die for you.
*Jack is still nursing. Working all day away from him, I love this special bonding time with him and he loves to cuddle and be with Mommy during this special time too. I plan to continue at least for a while longer.
*He is walking like a pro. He can take small steps up onto and off things. (He never really walked bow-legged like so many toddlers do). And he can move pretty quickly when he wants to.
*Jack can go up (and as of last weekend) down the stairs (with supervision, of course). (He crawls up and down the stairs using his hands and knees.)
*He can now get down off our bed (he is still sleeping with us) by turning on to his tummy and sliding off the side.
*His current favorite book (unseating "Go Dog Go") is "Goodnight Moon". He asks for this book all of the time with sign language and he can sign almost every object in the book, including "hush" for the quiet old lady whispering "hush." Mommy and Daddy and Jack all sit together on the bed each night and read this book before bed.
*Jack can say: "Mama" (which he says all of the time), "Dada", "Nana", "On" and "Off" (which sound similar: "ahhhhh" but definitely mean on and off), and "Bye" ("Buh").
*He can say and distinguish the following letters: "E" "J" "O" and "D". He loves to play with his plastic letters and have Nana or Daddy say the letter when he holds it up.
*He loves every food offered to him. (He even eats spinach and brussel sprouts.) He especially loves corn, carrots, yogurt, cheese, soy burgers, soy hotdogs, and soy chicken patties, cheese crackers, and any kind of desert.
*He still does not like cow's milk. We can only get him to take a sip or two at a time. But he loves water and drinks quite a bit of it.
*He loves animals. (He giggles at "his" kitties and gives Darby kisses and often lays down with him.)
*He loves to kiss everything that he likes. (We took him to a play area at a mall with large wild animal sculptures for the kids to crawl on and climb...and Jack walked around kissing all of the animals.)
*After he gets a kiss from someone, he signs "thank you" by tapping his chin with his open hand...it is sooo cute.
*When asked "where is Jack" he points to himself...and when asked "Where is John Paul" he also points to himself.
*He is sooo smart. He learns a sign now with only being shown once. I showed him the sign for down by pointing my finger down...and now he does that all of the time. (It is one of his favorite signs.)
*When he is sick or tired, he wants Mama and only Mama. (He is sick right now....and Daddy says he has been crying all day and asking for Mama and it is breaking my heart.)
*We still haven't had his hair cut so it is all curly in the back and on the sides....and sooo very cute. (Although many people do assume he is a girl because of his hair and his pretty blue eyes and long eye lashes.)
*He can be demanding at times and knows how to cry and scream to get his point across. (This usually involves him wanting to hold something that we won't let him have...or him wanting to be picked up and us not picking him up immediately....something we will have to work on...as we do not want a spoiled little boy!)
*He LOVES to take baths (I still take him into the tub with me when I have time...and we have fun splashing and playing with his toys together).
*He loves swimming. (He is in his 6th or 7th session of swimming classes that he attends with Daddy during the week...and he just loves them).
*He loves to go places and has begun asking to go bye bye by waving at the front door and then opening the closet door and trying to reach his coat. (We have been taking him out into the world since he was just 4 days old so it is no wonder he likes to be on the go.)
*He loves to run around naked.
I just love this stage of Jack. I love each stage more and more. Every time that he moves into a new stage, I think, "Now this is my favorite age" and then I end up loving the next stage even more. I just love this baby of ours...and can't wait to get home to see him and hug him and love him each night. As much as I would love to have another baby so that Jack will have a sibling to grow up with....I can't help but want to wait so that I can cherish this special time with my baby boy and my baby boy alone.
Baby Jack 01.29.03!!!
Before you were conceived I wanted you.
Before you were born I loved you.
Before you were an hour I would die for you.
Wednesday, March 10, 2004
Happy Birthday to Me!
Today is my 40th Birthday! I can't believe that I am 40! It's funny, when you are young....you just never really think that someday you will be 40!
I have so much to be thankful for. I really am so lucky. I have the most wonderful husband in the world. We have the sweetest most beautiful baby boy (who is 13 months old).
I have my dream job (I am an M&A lawyer for a large utility) and it allows us the opportunity to have Paul stay home with Jack. I have lost all of my pregnancy weight (I am 5'8" and 137lbs). I am 40 years old today and so very very lucky!
I have so much to be thankful for. I really am so lucky. I have the most wonderful husband in the world. We have the sweetest most beautiful baby boy (who is 13 months old).
I have my dream job (I am an M&A lawyer for a large utility) and it allows us the opportunity to have Paul stay home with Jack. I have lost all of my pregnancy weight (I am 5'8" and 137lbs). I am 40 years old today and so very very lucky!
Friday, March 5, 2004
First Flu...Home with Mommy.
Mommy and Jack had the flu together this week. On Monday night it became apparent that little Jack was really sick with a fever and a runny nose and cough. I was feeling bad too...and since I heard I may be working through the weekend, I decided to call in sick. I ended up staying home through Thursday with my baby and we stayed home sick in bed together. It was true bliss-just being together even though we were sick. For 3 days we played quietly, watched Nemo and the singing babies videos, and cuddled.
Saturday, February 21, 2004
Growing Up.
Time just keeps moving along...and Jack just keeps growing and learning new things every day. He continues to use his sign language to "talk" to us (ex: the other day he dirtied his diaper and then signed "change" to Daddy...letting him know that he had a dirty diaper...amazing). He and Daddy wait for me to drive home at night and they stand by the window together and watch me pull in. (Prompting him to say "MoMom" and then sign "car"). Each morning when we wake up as Nana is leaving for work, we waive goodbye to her as she leaves for work. I love these little rituals we are building together.
Just as I felt it was getting to be time to start weaning him from nursing (I have begun pumping once less during the day at work and am reducing my Reglan pills to 1/2 a day instead of a whole pill) he has begun to nurse more! He wants "num nums" all of the time...and he wakes up throughout the night to nurse (and he really nurses). I am not sure if he is just going through a growth spurt or if this is part of the separation anxiety that he is going through. (He wants Mommy all of the time.) He prefers the breast milk in a bottle to the regular milk he has started drinking. (He will drink regular milk but isn't too thrilled with it.)
He is eating everything very well. I don't think there is anything that we have given him that he hasn't liked. He eats a lot too. This morning, for instance, he had a small bowl of Cheerios and milk, one scrambled egg with cheese and a small tub of applesauce...and 10 minutes after he ate he was asking Nana for some of the toast she was eating. I think it is unusual for a 1 year old to eat so much and to like everything offered to him...but I am not complaining.
He loves his Nemo and Lion King DVDs...but his Baby Einsteins are still his favorites. He watches Dora and Blues Clues on Saturday mornings now...and LOVES the books "Go Dog Go", "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," "Where's Spot", and his "Mother Goose" books. He wakes up first thing in the morning and signs "book" so that I will read to him.
He now says a modified "on" and "off" when the tv or lights are turned on and off and he loves to turn them on and off if we hold him up to a light switch or he finds a remote control (which he can use very well.) He also says "Mama" when someone is on the phone...as I talk to him on the phone while I am at work. He is growing up so fast!
This morning I discovered his first molar is coming through! I can't believe it....where has our Baby Jack gone? I am not sure...but I am loving every new stage we go through!
Just as I felt it was getting to be time to start weaning him from nursing (I have begun pumping once less during the day at work and am reducing my Reglan pills to 1/2 a day instead of a whole pill) he has begun to nurse more! He wants "num nums" all of the time...and he wakes up throughout the night to nurse (and he really nurses). I am not sure if he is just going through a growth spurt or if this is part of the separation anxiety that he is going through. (He wants Mommy all of the time.) He prefers the breast milk in a bottle to the regular milk he has started drinking. (He will drink regular milk but isn't too thrilled with it.)
He is eating everything very well. I don't think there is anything that we have given him that he hasn't liked. He eats a lot too. This morning, for instance, he had a small bowl of Cheerios and milk, one scrambled egg with cheese and a small tub of applesauce...and 10 minutes after he ate he was asking Nana for some of the toast she was eating. I think it is unusual for a 1 year old to eat so much and to like everything offered to him...but I am not complaining.
He loves his Nemo and Lion King DVDs...but his Baby Einsteins are still his favorites. He watches Dora and Blues Clues on Saturday mornings now...and LOVES the books "Go Dog Go", "Brown Bear, Brown Bear," "Where's Spot", and his "Mother Goose" books. He wakes up first thing in the morning and signs "book" so that I will read to him.
He now says a modified "on" and "off" when the tv or lights are turned on and off and he loves to turn them on and off if we hold him up to a light switch or he finds a remote control (which he can use very well.) He also says "Mama" when someone is on the phone...as I talk to him on the phone while I am at work. He is growing up so fast!
This morning I discovered his first molar is coming through! I can't believe it....where has our Baby Jack gone? I am not sure...but I am loving every new stage we go through!
Tuesday, February 10, 2004
We Thought He Broke His Little Nose!
On Sunday, Nana wanted to help me give Baby Jack a bath. (He just loves baths) So we gave him a bath in the tub (without using the little blow up bathtub). I usually take a bath with him and he has been standing up a lot when we are in there together. So....he stood up while Mom & I were bathing him and I held him and then had him sit back down. He did this several times. Then he started to stand up again...and slipped...and came down on the side of the tub with the underside of his little nose.
It was horrible. He was screaming....blood was gushing out everywhere. I was terrified...and acting crazy...asking Paul to get a towel...but it had to be a specific one...Mom was running around...it was crazy. We got the bleeding to stop after a lot of blood went everywhere and the sweet little thing finally stopped crying, nursed a little bit and fell asleep.
We called the pediatrician who said to wait a few days for the swelling to go down (she assumed that there would be swelling) and see if it looked "deformed". If it looked funny, only then were we to bring him in.
His little nose did swell up a bit and it was bruised up at the top of the bridge...but with a little Tylenol...he was fine. The next day, the swelling had gone down some and the bruise was lighter. Today you can't even tell that anything happened to him. It was so horrible, though. What would I ever do if anything terrible ever happened to him?
It was horrible. He was screaming....blood was gushing out everywhere. I was terrified...and acting crazy...asking Paul to get a towel...but it had to be a specific one...Mom was running around...it was crazy. We got the bleeding to stop after a lot of blood went everywhere and the sweet little thing finally stopped crying, nursed a little bit and fell asleep.
We called the pediatrician who said to wait a few days for the swelling to go down (she assumed that there would be swelling) and see if it looked "deformed". If it looked funny, only then were we to bring him in.
His little nose did swell up a bit and it was bruised up at the top of the bridge...but with a little Tylenol...he was fine. The next day, the swelling had gone down some and the bruise was lighter. Today you can't even tell that anything happened to him. It was so horrible, though. What would I ever do if anything terrible ever happened to him?
Monday, February 2, 2004
First Birthday Party & Walking, Walking, Walking!
On the day of Jack's First Birthday party (Saturday, January 31, 2004) Baby Jack (now 1 year old and 2 days) began walking like a pro. He had taken a few steps here and there randomly throughout the previous two weeks...but they were just a step or two here and there between objects. On Saturday, he walked back and fourth (5+ steps at a time) between Mommy & Daddy. He then continued to take these steps throughout the day. By Sunday, he was turning around and actually choosing to walk instead of crawl to get where he was going. It is amazing how quickly he made this progress! My baby is walking!!!!
Jack's first birthday party on Saturday was perfect! The house was beautiful and we had about 33 guests including 10 small children. Jack received more toys than he can possibly play with and was having a ball with all of the people focused on him. (Although when all of the children joined in to "help" him open his presents, he was a bit overwhelmed and tried to crawl out of the "crowd" several times.)
He made a complete mess with the chocolate cake that I made for him. He was so neat for the first few minutes....just poking one index finger into the icing and wondering why the whole room full of people where crowded around staring at him. Then out of the blue, he just leaned over and stuck is mouth directly on the cake itself. Everyone laughed and that was the end of the neat baby. Paul carried him upstairs and we gave him a quick bath during the party in an attempt to minimize the chocolate coating on the rest of the house.
The following day we took him to have his one year old portraits taken, and I must say that they are beyond beautiful! He really is a strikingly beautiful baby if I do say so myself. His blue eyes and expression in these pictures were pretty amazing. I need to update his website and will add those pictures as soon as I get them back next week.
Jack also had his One-Year Old pediatrician appointment. He weighs 26lbs 12oz. (95%) and is 32 3/4" tall (off the charts). They could not measure his head as he would not tolerate the tape measurer around his head (he hates anyone to touch his face/head). He is going to be a big boy.
I am still having a tough time dealing with Jack growing up. Every milestone is both a happy and sad occasion for me. How can some things be so happy and so sad at the same time? Weaning him (if I ever start that process) is going to be tough! Last night he started something that is absolutely adorable...instead of crying when he wakes so that I will nurse him, last night he just said, "Mamma" in a soft little voice. It was soooo sweet.
Happy Birthday sweet baby boy.
Jack's first birthday party on Saturday was perfect! The house was beautiful and we had about 33 guests including 10 small children. Jack received more toys than he can possibly play with and was having a ball with all of the people focused on him. (Although when all of the children joined in to "help" him open his presents, he was a bit overwhelmed and tried to crawl out of the "crowd" several times.)
He made a complete mess with the chocolate cake that I made for him. He was so neat for the first few minutes....just poking one index finger into the icing and wondering why the whole room full of people where crowded around staring at him. Then out of the blue, he just leaned over and stuck is mouth directly on the cake itself. Everyone laughed and that was the end of the neat baby. Paul carried him upstairs and we gave him a quick bath during the party in an attempt to minimize the chocolate coating on the rest of the house.
The following day we took him to have his one year old portraits taken, and I must say that they are beyond beautiful! He really is a strikingly beautiful baby if I do say so myself. His blue eyes and expression in these pictures were pretty amazing. I need to update his website and will add those pictures as soon as I get them back next week.
Jack also had his One-Year Old pediatrician appointment. He weighs 26lbs 12oz. (95%) and is 32 3/4" tall (off the charts). They could not measure his head as he would not tolerate the tape measurer around his head (he hates anyone to touch his face/head). He is going to be a big boy.
I am still having a tough time dealing with Jack growing up. Every milestone is both a happy and sad occasion for me. How can some things be so happy and so sad at the same time? Weaning him (if I ever start that process) is going to be tough! Last night he started something that is absolutely adorable...instead of crying when he wakes so that I will nurse him, last night he just said, "Mamma" in a soft little voice. It was soooo sweet.
Happy Birthday sweet baby boy.
Thursday, January 29, 2004
My Baby Is One....
It is 12:30 am and my sweet baby isn't a baby any longer. Yesterday, my baby turned one year old and as I sit here in the dark thinking about how my life has been blessed since he came into one year ago today, I find the tears pouring down as I cannot believe that my baby is growing away from me. I just want to stop time and wrap his warm little body, sweet blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and tousled head of hair in my arms and keep him like this forever.
As I write, he is sleeping in our bed next to me. He is the most beautiful sight that I have ever seen and I am so thankful that God chose to share such blessing with us.
I took the day off work to spend Jack's first Birthday with him and his Daddy. We didn't do anything horribly exciting (opened presents, had a big chocolate cupcake, went to visit the doctors that helped bring Jack into this world, and cuddled a lot) but it was a wonderful day together. I just cannot believe that it was one year ago that this little being was lying in our hospital room learning how to breastfeed.
My heart is so full now that Jack is here...and I am so proud of how fast and strong he has grown. He is such a smart baby. He is almost walking on his own now. He signs and communicates so well now (everyone that sees him do so is amazed.) He LOVES to "read" books and asked for a book first thing each morning. He is still breastfeeding like a champ although I am not sure how I am ever going to wean him. He eats everything offered to him (when he is hungry) and had his first sips of milk today which he drank without any reaction at all.
He has begun kissing people and stuffed animals and things that he likes on his own now...it is the sweetest thing. He will just lean over and give you a kiss on the mouth.
I am so proud of my baby....yet I can't help but mourn the slow loss of the tiny infant/baby that arrived just one year ago.
I know that it is natural to feel this way, but I just wish I could package this little thing up and keep him like this forever...and all to myself.
Happy Birthday sweet angel...Mommy loves you so much more than you will ever know.
As I write, he is sleeping in our bed next to me. He is the most beautiful sight that I have ever seen and I am so thankful that God chose to share such blessing with us.
I took the day off work to spend Jack's first Birthday with him and his Daddy. We didn't do anything horribly exciting (opened presents, had a big chocolate cupcake, went to visit the doctors that helped bring Jack into this world, and cuddled a lot) but it was a wonderful day together. I just cannot believe that it was one year ago that this little being was lying in our hospital room learning how to breastfeed.
My heart is so full now that Jack is here...and I am so proud of how fast and strong he has grown. He is such a smart baby. He is almost walking on his own now. He signs and communicates so well now (everyone that sees him do so is amazed.) He LOVES to "read" books and asked for a book first thing each morning. He is still breastfeeding like a champ although I am not sure how I am ever going to wean him. He eats everything offered to him (when he is hungry) and had his first sips of milk today which he drank without any reaction at all.
He has begun kissing people and stuffed animals and things that he likes on his own now...it is the sweetest thing. He will just lean over and give you a kiss on the mouth.
I am so proud of my baby....yet I can't help but mourn the slow loss of the tiny infant/baby that arrived just one year ago.
I know that it is natural to feel this way, but I just wish I could package this little thing up and keep him like this forever...and all to myself.
Happy Birthday sweet angel...Mommy loves you so much more than you will ever know.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
One Year Ago Today...Being Induced.
I can't believe it....exactly one year ago today I had my last prenatal appointment. I was one day past my due date and Dr. Samuels told me to pack my bag and to check in to the hospital that night.
It was so exciting....we stopped at the jewelry store on the way to the hospital to pick up the beautiful diamond necklace that Paul got for my "birth" present.
We were so full of anticipation....we were going to meet our son the next day...and that night we would start the process that would bring him into the world! I remember how happy and excited I was...I was not scared at all.
We waited almost two hours for a room (the hospital was busy) and then when we finally got a room, Paul stayed for several hours just to be sure nothing would happen that night and then went home to take care of all of the pets. (He was going to head back first thing in the morning when things were expected to happen).
I can't believe that one year ago today, our beautiful baby boy was just hours away from entering our lives. I would do it all over again 100 times. He is the best thing that has ever happened in our lives. Thank you dear Lord for the most precious gift!
It was so exciting....we stopped at the jewelry store on the way to the hospital to pick up the beautiful diamond necklace that Paul got for my "birth" present.
We were so full of anticipation....we were going to meet our son the next day...and that night we would start the process that would bring him into the world! I remember how happy and excited I was...I was not scared at all.
We waited almost two hours for a room (the hospital was busy) and then when we finally got a room, Paul stayed for several hours just to be sure nothing would happen that night and then went home to take care of all of the pets. (He was going to head back first thing in the morning when things were expected to happen).
I can't believe that one year ago today, our beautiful baby boy was just hours away from entering our lives. I would do it all over again 100 times. He is the best thing that has ever happened in our lives. Thank you dear Lord for the most precious gift!
Monday, January 19, 2004
First Steps
Little pee pot took three little wobbly steps from the computer to the bed yesterday (January 18th). He stands on his own a lot now. It is bittersweet seeing my baby growing up like this. He still nurses 3-4 times during the night and in the mornings before I leave for work and in the evenings when I home. I'm not sure he is ready to give that up any time soon!
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