16 Month Updates

Having a relaxing weekend. Hanging out in our jammies all day!

Hangin with Dad

Just 'laxin'

Casual breakfast time...

Newest "things":

Well, now he officially says "hi" and not just something that sounds like hi. One of my favorite things ever is when we are walking in the neighborhood, or in the elevator, or at a store, and Jack will see someone and say "HI!" I just love seeing the other person's face light up and say "oh hi there!" It's like he is passing on a little smile to the world and making it a little brighter. (or at least that is how proud mommy sees it :)

He is obsessed with the "E-I-E-I-O"chorus of The Farmer In the Dell! The only animal name he repeats is "duck" :)

At school Sabina is floored with his sudden burst of developmental leaps and bounds. Apparently he is doing a lot things that are a big deal/advanced for his age. He has been voluntarily joining the "big kids" in their activities. Joining "the train" when they transition between activities. Painting-and doing it appropriately. (Dipping the brush, as opposed to eating it :) Counting activities. Circle time. Drumming and singing. Walking without a stroller. Coming when called. He is saying something that sounds like "doggie" when he sees a dog. She even has him napping in the room with the "older" kids now! Wow, is my "baby" really growing up?!!?

At home he puts away mom's shoes after work :) Today (1/28/12) John said, "Jack, go give mommy a hug." And he walked over to me and gave me a hug!

When he stacks blocks he tries to count like I do "One, two, three" blocks. It's more the sounds. But still!

He is curious about the snow, but doesn't necessarily love it yet :)

He seems to be picking up at things faster and faster. Just as I was getting very nervous about his "language" skills he all of a sudden showed me how wrong I was! He doesn't necessarily have a lot of "words" but he copies almost everything we say and do. So I know the language is there. You can tell he is trying to say the right words.

My goal is "please" and "thank you". I think he is starting to say "please" when he wants something (especially food :). I think I hear something that sounds like "ease". He is using it at the right times, which is what makes me believe that is what he is saying.

We just had our first big snow. It took us 2 1/2 hours to get home on Friday. Jack did SO well!! He NEVER cried or anything! In fact, he was super cute and funny! He is such a good boy! Of course, he slept in until 10:00 the next morning!

He is starting to get his body parts (we play a lot of Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes). He is into books and I love it! It's super cute when he mimics washing his hands when he sees us do it, or when he knows when it's time to wash them. He is a good boy about brushing his teeth. He makes me laugh on a daily basis! He uses the GPS as a phone when we get bored in the car and things its funny when it talks back to him. He is my dance partner in the car :) He can stack several blocks. His crib is at it's lowest. Hmmm when to do a toddler bed?

He is also following directions. He will go get his shoes, blanket, cup, ball....(even mom and dad's shoes :) He even put my shoes back in the closet for me after work! Sabina was impressed when he got his shoes when she asked and when she asked if he was ready for a diaper change and he went into the diaper room. I guess that was a pretty big deal to her. She said it made her day and showed the transition into being a toddler/"growing up"! She also said that he goes back and forth from activities depending on interest (appropriate for his age) but that when they were doing a counting activity with Cheerios he wouldn't budge from the table and was fully engaged! Ha, anything with food :)

He eats with a spoon and a fork for every meal at home!

He now has some molars, and 4 front upper teeth and 4 front lower teeth!

SNOW!!!!

We went exploring in Lincoln Park in the snow on our day off for Martin Luther King Jr. I wanted to see how he would do in the boots that Mimi (Kathi) gave him. Not bad! But he really doesn't like falling/getting wet :)

Playing at Grandpa and Grandma's House (Grandma's Birthday)

Winter Break...

Enjoyed beautiful weather! The other day it was 50 degrees! We met Maggie and Ethan and Ellie at Lincoln Park Zoo. It was SO cute to watch the boys run around! Last year when we went to the zoo Jack was just a tiny little baby in his infant carrier.... now he seems so "grown up". It was fun to see Ethan and Jack be little boys playing together. It's just amazing.

Jack and I have had fun playing together. Of course, I didn't get as much done as I wanted. But I think it is more important to use the the time for us to bond (or at least that is what I tell myself ;-) We did get to visit a lot of friends and family, which is also important. I always enjoy playing "pretend stay at home mom". We met Naomi and her mom Eleanor at Little Beans Cafe which is always a good time!

Mom (grandma :) came down and babysat while I went to the Dr. and then we got to hang out. Which was long over due.

We went to the park a lot. I LOVE where we live! We are in walking distance of the park, zoo, and beach. And pretty much any errand we need (groceries, drug stores...) It's easy to "stay at home" here and not feel claustrophobic. We get stuff done AND get fresh air!

Jack gives great hugs! I melt when he stops what he is doing, comes over to me, says "ya-ya" and gives me an amazing hug! (I remember when I would see Sean do it to Margaret and get jealous and hope that Jack would do it too.... now he does! yeay!)

15 Months

Jack is amazing! He is such an "easy" baby (or is he a kid now? when does he stop being my baby? Never!) He is very well adjusted. He doesn't have separation anxiety. I am assuming that's a good thing and not that he doesn't care ;) But whenever we drop him off somewhere over night he always does a great job. Jack always gets compliments. Everyone who meets him says "he is such a happy boy" "he is always so good" "he is so calm" ....honestly. I am not just being a proud mommy :) In fact, Sabina (his daycare teacher) said, "he has such a nice spirit". Perfectly said. And so nice of her to say. He is always smiling and he is always good! The only time he whines is when he needs something. (i.e. he needs to eat, sleep, or he isn't feeling well -sick, teeth....) If he begins to whine about something else, we ignore it and within seconds he stops. He's awesome!

I am on break and I feel so blessed to be able to have this time with him to "get to know him" better. John and I call it being "best friends" again. We enjoying just watching him just be him. Watching him eat his waffles in the morning. Looking "super serious" as he figures out his toys. Walking around the condo talking about who knows what. Dancing his sweet little dances when a commercial comes on with catchy music (or the weather channel!) Watching his eyes light up when "Chica" comes on the Sprout Channel. I love playing ball with him now that he is starting to understand how to play catch. He can throw the ball-sometimes to you, sometimes where ever he feels like it. He isn't good at catching yet, he just giggles as the ball hits him when I throw it at him :)

I get so excited about things like ....

-now he can eat with a spoon and fork all by himself!! He is still pretty messy with a spoon. But he finally started getting accurate with the fork! On 12/30/11 he ate ravioli all by himself with the fork!

-figuring out how to stack blocks, or put his cups together correctly, putting puzzle pieces in the right place, figuring out how to twist, turn, pull, etc.....certain toys to get them to work. Just watching his little brain and hands work together to try and figure things out. Like a tiny scientist!

-he mimics so much now.

Like when my parents were over and we were eating hummus with pita and Jack copied us and dipped his pita in the hummus! He thought he was so cool he kept doing it. He was so serious about it. He was cracking us up!

How he tickles us and the way he gurgles when he is trying to say "tickle tickle"

How he loves Ring Around the Rosie...and will copy me when we "All Fall Down". Then he takes my hands and makes me do it again. Warms my heart...

-when he grabs a book, hands it to me, and then crawls into my lap. I could cry just thinking about it....tugs at my heart strings every time. Our favorite is Snuggle Puppy.

-I love that he is starting to have opinions about things. Like which book he wants to read before bed. "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" or "B is for Bear" are the top 2 right now.

At his 15 month appointment...

The Dr said he is almost 25lbs which is still in the 50%ile and 34 inches which is "off the charts" (above the 95%ile) and his head is still in the 10%ile :)

He is perfect developmentally. If not a little ahead with Fine/Gross motor skills. I wish he had more words, but she said he is fine. I wish he said mama or mommy, but she said that it's ok that he doesn't. Easy for her to say :) I think he calls me "Ya-Ya". Maybe it's like ma-ma but without the "m"sound? He says "uh-oh" "hi" "bye-bye" "daddy" and he points to things and says "dis?". He can blow kisses, wave, and clap.

We feel so blessed and lucky to have such a wonderful little boy. He is such a good boy and has added SO much joy into our lives! He's cute, he's sweet, he's funny, he's "easy", he's happy.... we literally could not ask for more!