Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Dear Jack: Nine Months

Dear Jack,

At nine months, you are starting to seem like such a big boy.  You want to do all things big, just like your brother, and you are continually meeting new milestones.

I worried about your brother not sharing with you, but I never worried about you taking his things.  I should have!  You are fascinated by everything Eliot has and want it.  Now!  If he is drinking in the car, you fight to take his straw.  You beg for his food like a puppy.


You are crawling great, pulling up on everything, cruising everywhere, and occasionally stand for a moment by yourself without holding onto anything.  I can't imagine you walking any time soon because your brother waited until right after a year, but I suppose you could....  Either way, you're well on your way.


As you become better at eating finger foods, your pallet is expanding.  You fought off pureed food for the most part, but now you like feeding yourself blackbeans, some rices, diced up bananas, and other similar foods.  You also love smoothies, so we get extra greens in you that way.  You are absolutely crazy for icecream.  If you see us giving your brother food, you look at him and then glare at us like you can't believe that we aren't being fair.


You continue to be passionate about water.  As I draw your bath water, you pull up on the side of the tub and scream like a middle school girl at a Justin Beiber concert.  If someone takes a shower, you try to break in on them in the bathroom and scoot your way in.  You are going to have so much fun this summer in the pool.

It is crazy to think that you have been with us on the outside as long as you were growing inside of me.  It seems so long ago that I was pregnant with you--and it felt like it lasted forever.  It seems like you have always been with us.  I'm so thankful for you, Jack-Jack.
 

Sunday, March 23, 2014

Back to Blogging...

I haven't written in almost a month.  A lot has been going on, and I intended to write more, but I kept waiting.  I waited to finish uploading more photos or for more to happen or... something.  Plus, it is hard to write with the kids around.  So, I figure I should just go ahead and write something before life gets away from me.  It doesn't have to be perfect--it's just my blog.

We went to Florida.  It was great.  We came back.  It was cold and wet and... snowy?  I will write a separate post just about our trip.  It was a nice break and got us even more excited about summer.  I started a list and decided to get going on some house and yard projects.  I had been quite busy with work, but we're still getting there.

Looking for lizards

I packed up a lot of the boys' old clothes to give away along with some gear to tidy up Jack's room.  His room has been a cluttered mess. I completely cleaned out and organized the upstairs playroom/guest bedroom.  I'm working on moving more of Eliot's less-used toys up there.


We're doing yard projects too--getting ready to open the pool, clearing out our old shed, and planning out new gardens.  This is probably what I am most excited about these days because it keeps me going through the cold.  This summer is going to be the best ever.



Did I mention that we finally successfully potty trained Eliot?  We had tried three different times, and though he was doing fine, he had to be there all the way for preschool in the fall.  I knew he'd get there, but I was so nervous since we had an actual deadline.  Now he goes to the big potty completely on his own, can pull up his pants and flush the toilet, and rarely has an accident (maybe one a week).  We still put him in pull-ups when we go out because he hasn't used a public restroom yet and also put him in pull-ups at night, but he is consistently dry.  So, I'd say we're there all the way.  It is nice only having one set of diapers to change and buy now for the first time in eight months.  I'm not sure what we did to finally make it work (just consistency, I guess), but it's like it just clicked one day and he has been good to go ever since.

Other than that, we've been trying to enjoy the sun when it is out and getting work and dissertation writing done.



Saturday, March 8, 2014

Dear Jack: Eight Months

Dear Jack,

This letter comes a little late....  I am so sorry!  I have a good reason, though:  we were in Florida the day that you turned eight months.


You are our sunshine boy.  You are always so happy and smile at everyone.  If you don't know the person, you often turn and hide your face in my shoulder to then smile at them again and again.  Playing peek-a-boo almost, but I like to think that you find comfort and protection in me when you hide in me.  I love how friendly you are--and it is so easy to get you to smile for cameras.

You've been crawling great for a while and have really picked up some speed.  You can pull up on things, sometimes even with one hand.  You also can climb up the stairs little unassisted.  Ah!  Nothing is safe.  You love being able to get around everywhere and make a mad dash for the dog's water bowl.


It took us a while to get you excited about food, but now you love putting everything in your mouth.  If someone is drinking something with a straw, you will surely snatch it.  If your brother has a popsicle, you don't hesitate to tug and pull at him until he shares.

As for your appearance, you are our fuzzy-headed, blond, blue-eyed baby.  Your hair keeps growing longer and sticks up in the front.  It is getting a little long in the back, so I might cut it soon to avoid a mullet....  You have four teeth total--two up top and two below.  You and I are still nursing, which I really didn't expect.  I hoped to make it to six months, and here we are:  still going strong.  I managed to get you to stop biting most of the time, so there is no reason to quit, really.

I love watching you with your brother.  You want everything he has.  His toys are so much more interesting.  And while he's bigger, you rise to the challenge whenever he acts a bit too big for his britches.  It is funny to watch.  He loves you more than anyone, I think.  Every day, he says how cute you are and how you are "such a niceeee baby".  He wants to hug and cuddle you all the time, and you are so fascinated by him.

Jack, you are so special to me.  I love your laugh.  I love your smile.  I love the ocean in your blue, blue eyes.  I love watching you chase and pet the dogs, and I love how you laugh at everything they do.  We got lucky with you, little buddy.