16 Months

My little baby grew up way too much this month!  I mean he is now pointing at kids/babies smaller than him and calling them babies!!  Its crazy to think that he is now 16 months (I know, I say that every month), but at the same time I would not trade where we are for the world!  He is talking up a storm and becoming ALL BOY!!  He can't play outside enough ("side"), loves to dig in the dirt, and when he is inside all he does is practice throwing his balls.  We had to take away all of the hard balls because he is starting to throw pretty hard and far!  He seems to take after his daddy in that area!  With his developing personality also comes some BIG opinions!!  Luckily he is still pretty laid back and easily detoured, but if he gets his mind set on something, its pretty hard to turn him away!  He also gets frustrated when he wants us to do something and can't communicate it to us!  I have also noticed some impatience when he can't get something right or like he wants it as fast as he would like (that one might be from his mama!).  But other than those very small, and I assume pretty normal, "flaws", he is the sweetest, kindest, most fun little guy I know.  I just can't get enough of him!  I could kiss that face all day!  The best part about that is he is starting to show the same affections back - giving us kisses, singing his mama song, always asking for mama or dada when we are not around, and hugs all day long!  I pray this world never hardens his soft, loving heart.  Here are some pics of our month. 

Fun at the park! His favorite place to be!

Blowing dandy lions in the yard - he thinks blowing stuff is hilarious!

Playing at Klyde Warren Park with Aunt Stephanie

Showing off to the college girls at the park - his first time flirting!! (yikes!)

"Helping" daddy work

Park fun day after church

Ashley came to see us for a quick lunch!

Early morning shot - look at those luscious lips

Park day with friends ("Big" Jude, Ethan, "Little" Jude, Reese, Parker).  

We have been playing with this group from church since Jude was ~4 months; it is so fun to actually see them play together now!

How many boys can slide at once?  They can't seem to understand that you can't get back up the way they came down!

Shake it!

Daddy's childhood friends came to play! Matt & Jude playing with the wind chimes

Ryan teaching Jude some soccer skills

Opening Day - Go Rangers

Somebody was worn out by the end

Yard work day!! 

Bubbles - so fun to watch the little things that make his world!

Playing at the neighborhood park

Playing ball with PePaw

This is what Jude does about 90% of each day when he is not sleeping! 

Any ball, any size, any color!!

Yummy, these look good!!! 

 (Maybe in a few years!)

"Helping" mommy cook

Look at this little BOY - where is my baby??

Such a big boy with his fork!(oh that hair!)

My handsome boys!  

I pray this little boy grows up to be just like his daddy!

Stats:

-Jude is still a great eater, although he seemed to get a bit pickier this month. I blame it on all of his allergy issues and the fact that he couldn't taste anything! He is doing better and better with his spoon and fork and loves feeding himself.  Still nursing once a day.  

-We always know when Jude is up to something that he shouldn't be because he tells himself "no no"!  He might not always stop what he is doing, but he knows!!  Its cracks us up because it sounds like he is from Minnesota when he says "no no"; doesn't he know he's from Texas!

-He is so friendly and says Hi to everyone!  It gets slightly awkward in public when he won't stop saying hi to someone until they say it back!  Some people just aren't that friendly!! 

-Still loves reading books and has memorized several of his books! He doesn't have much patience for reading the whole thing and just wants to get to the good stuff he has memorized!

-Favorite toys: All balls and his baseball bat, also has a new found love with his outside yard tools.  

-Every circle or round object is a ball in Jude's world - light bulbs, eyeballs, screws, eggs, moon, & trailer hitchs on cars.  He also likes to tell you the things that are hot ("haa"), like a lamp, the stove, microwave, & food that is steaming. Last, he says clean "ean" while rubbing his hands together anytime he sees hand sanitizer or soap. 

-He just can't get enough of playing outside!  Its a whole new world he hasn't discovered yet!  He loves to just run in the yard, play in the gardens, collect leaves, run down the sidewalk, visit the ducks at the pond, and play on the playground.  Its never pretty when we have to come inside!

-Loves to knock on and open/close all doors and cabinets.  

-He likes to mimic noises, like "ding", "dong", and "honk".   Noises that we don't even pay attention to, he hears and loves! 

-He loves to destroy the kitchen by getting everything out of the cabinets (that aren't baby proofed) and stirring the bowls while mommy is cooking! Its his way of helping! He also loves to empty drawers.  

-He enjoys looking out windows especially to look for doggies, kitties, birds, and daddy.  If there are blinds on the window, he'll just pick them up and get under them.  

-We are still having a hard time going to the church nursery, but although he cries for us when he goes in, he is now playing when we come pick him up!

-When he wants our attention or wants to take us somewhere, he'll come grab our hand and drag us there.  

-Loves to point out people in the pics - grandparents, mommy, and daddy. 

-This boy loves music.  We have music playing most days, and if its not on he asks for it ("muh" = music). He sings his little tune, or like I like to call it, his "mommy song". He will just randomly start singing "maaaaahhhhh" all the time and that's it!  Its so cute though and I just think of it as him singing to me.  He will also start dancing any time he hears music.  His favorite part about church is the music!  Last Sunday when we picked him up, he started running all the way to the sanctuary where the music is to dance (and that's a long ways!!!)    

-He pretty much has a party in his crib every time he goes to sleep or when he wakes up.  He rolls around, plays with is sleep sack, talks, stands up and sits down, but never cries; just hangs out!

-The new words for the month are fish ("ish"), huggie, hot ("haa"), dirty, stinky, music ("muh"), bubbles ("bu bu"), button ("bu bun"), shoes ("oes), clean ("ean"), outside ("side).  

-He even says a few two-word phrases: hi kitty, hi daddy, hi doggy, no-no daddy.  

-Still has 4 front teeth on top, 2 top molars, 4 front bottom teeth, & 2 bottom molars.

-Wears size 3 diapers

-Wears 12 month and some 18 month clothes

-Most days takes 2 naps.

-Tongue continues to not be out as much, although we still have a ways to go.  

15 months

We had such a great month with lots of time spent with friends, family, and just playing at home.  With the weather beginning to change, Jude has discovered that he LOVES to be outside.  His favorite thing is to run back and forth in between two of our trees to play with the wind chimes. If he is not doing this, he is busy chasing and kicking the ball. It seems he has also found a new love of gardening like his daddy.  He likes to play with the tools and "water" the plants.  We also spent a lot of time driving his car, taking walks, playing at the park, and swinging in the front yard!  His world pretty much revolves around balls these days.  He still plays with his vacuum, blocks, and cars but the majority of every day he spends throwing and chasing balls. At any given time, there is easily 15-20 different types of ball strewn about the downstairs area.  Watch your step when you walk!!  We are fixing to have to take some balls away due to the fact that he is learning to throw them pretty hard.  He is also getting good at catching balls.  They usually have to be bigger balls, but he'll get a smaller one every now and then.  He gets so excited when he catches one and yells daaaayy (yay)!  He is so proud! Jude's sweet personality just keeps growing and growing.  He is 100% boy and 100% active, but he has the sweetest demeanor.  He is so polite too.  People are always amazed when he tells them "thank you" or "please".  I pray he always has this sweetness within.  Getting this little guy to snuggle though is almost impossible.  Thankfully we still get some good cuddle time in the mornings, but after that its constant movement.  He loves to play by himself and then every few minutes will come climb in our laps to give us some lov'n, and then its off again! It is so fun to watch this little guy live life with such joy.  Seeing the world through a child's eyes brings a whole new perspective.

Daddy daycare day!  

Playing with ZaZa at Uncle Rico & Aunt Jen's

He loves playing in daddy's closet - shoes, socks, and belts are is favorite!

Helping pick weeds

Playing with Grancy 

 Day at the Dallas Zoo 

(Grancy, Pops, Uncle Rico, Mia, and Tripp)

Playing in daddy's shoes again

He could do this ALL day!!

Trip to Lubbock to visit the Ingram's and Cherry's

Jude and Hollis sharing blueberries 

Ice cream and junk box dancing 

Playing with Olivia 

This lasted about .2 seconds!

Walking the TTU campus

This is the best we could get of the 3 babies 

Daddy & Jude on the TTU football field 

 All the kiddos - Emery, Olivia, Kayt, Jude, Owen, Hollis, & Noah

(we sure wish we could play with them all the time)

Stats:

- Weight: 21 lb 5.5oz (20%)
-Height: 31.6" (50%)
-Head: 45.8 cm (20%)

-Still hates cows milk/almond milk and wants absolutely nothing to do with it.  Also will pretty much not eat any pureed foods, which worries mommy since we get a lot of veggies in this way!!  Still nursing once a day.  

- Doing great using his spoon and fork, and even leaving the plate/bowl on the table!

-Found a new love for books this month.  He has always enjoyed reading, but mainly just at bedtime.  He has always had a hard time sitting still long enough.  Now he loves to read and asks often - "buh" (book).  He loves to point things out, especially daddy's, balls, and doggies.   

-Favorite toys: Balls are still in first place, but close behind is his vacuum, blocks, and cars.  He has also started making his planes fly with cute little noises.  

-Each morning or after every nap when we go to his room to get him,without fail, he either says ball, dada, or uh-oh.  

-We had his first dentist appointment and he did great.  They gave him a cow toothbrush and he loves to brush his teeth.  

-We finally took the plunge and put him in the church nursery.  We have been staying in the cry room or taking turns going to church this whole time! He has gone 3 times now and done pretty well.  Each time we pick him up though, someone is holding him!!

-Loves his shoes and putting them on.  Also trying to put on mommy and daddy's shoes!

-Getting some pretty funny dance moves! Anytime he hears music he'll start sing and/or dancing. Its more like bounce-squats, but he thinks he's dancing!

-Loves to turn the lights on and off with the light switches.  Its fun to see him learn about cause and effect.

-The new words for the month are teeth (toothbrush or wants to brush his teeth), cookie (we give him what he thinks is a "cookie" after dinner and he thinks its the best thing ever), ni ni (night night), petty (pretty), & hat.

- He is still obsessed with dogs.  Pretty much every animal (besides a kitty cat) is a dog and barks in Jude's world!

-Still has 4 front teeth on top, 1 top molar, and 4 front bottom teeth.

-Wears size 3 diapers

-Wears 9-12 month clothes

-Most days takes 2 naps.

-Tongue continues to not be out as much, although we still have a ways to go.  

Month 14

Life got back to "normal" after the holidays, and with many cold/snowy days we spent most of the month taking it easy and enjoying each other.  I would have to say the theme for this month was independence for Jude.  He slowly emerged out of the attachment stage and has really been enjoying playing and discovering on his own.  After a few minutes, he'll come back to see what you are doing and play and bit, and then he's off to explore again.  He has also become obsessed with playing outside.  After we come in, he'll just stand at the door grabbing for the doorknob.  We found some great parks in the area that have toddler play areas, so he has really enjoyed going to play there with his friends.  I have a feeling we'll be outside a lot as soon as winter is over! I also started many learning activities with Jude.  This is easier said than done since sitting still and focusing on one thing is not his thing, but he is really starting to absorb a lot.  We practice counting to three all the time and he loves to throw his ball and say "Three".  We have also been working on the ABCs and he is really starting to catch on.  Being new parents we never realized all that they can learn and absorb at such a young age.  He is watching our every move whether we realize it or not!!  I feel like he has grown up and changed so much in just one short month.  My little baby is becoming in big boy!

Loves taking things out and putting them back in

Playing at the park

First Dallas Stars game

Taking a ride in his car.  We'll say, "do you want to go ride your car", and he'll run to the front door

Inside fun at the pet store on a snowy day

How do I look mommy?

Pure joy with daddy at the park

Vacuuming all those hard places to get!

Check out this stick I found!

Playing catch with Sam's cousin Austin.  He could do this for hours!

Looking for the birds with his PePaw

Slam dunk! 

More hats!

Where's Jude???

Helping mommy clean!  Least favorite job, so I will gladly allow him to do this!

Playing outside (he used to HATE the grass and now wants to be outside all day)

Making a business deal with Jacob

"Playing" pricesses with Landry (aka: taking the princesses away)

Hammering away with daddy

Not only did he get the sock off, but now he's eating it!

I won't tell daddy that you carried this purse around!!!

Using a spoon all by himself!

Taking a walk with daddy

Playing in the snow in his carhart pants!

Sliding with Jacob 

(please ignore the extremely short pants - tiny waist and long legs)

Riding the horsey

Jumping on the bridge

Stats:

- He did not get weighed this month, but I am hoping we have finally hit 20 pounds!!

-He had some pretty big changes in his eating this month.  We have started decreasing the pureed food, introduced cows milk (not going well), and he is almost fully weaned (his choice, not mine).  

- He has also started learning to use a spoon and fork.  He does really good, but then realizes that things are going too slow and just reverts back to using his fingers!

-Thanks to his Pops, he has started to say "ah" after each drink.  

-He has always fed himself primarily with his left hand, and has continued this with the spoon and fork.  He though primarily uses his right hand for most other things, including throwing the ball.  I guess we'll see where this leads us!

-Loves to take off his socks and thinks it is a pretty fun game.  The not so fun part is the amount of socks we have lost due to this!

-Favorite toys: Balls are still in first place, but close behind is his vacuum, blocks (he can stack up to 5 blocks on his own), hammering toy, and cars.  

- Can tell you where his tummy, eyes, ears, nose, and head are.  He also loves to find other people's belly buttons (awkward!) 

-Started blowing kisses.  This was the first "trick" I tried to teach him months and months ago.  I always knew he knew how, but randomly one day he just started doing it!

-Likes to help pick up trash and put it in the trash can.  He also likes to try to take things out of the trash can, which makes this a little less cute!

-He is OBSESSED with toothbrushes.  Although he has his own, more often than not he wants our toothbrushes.  We literally have to hide are toothbrushes!!

-He has also found a new love with our phones and gets mad when it turns itself off.  Sam found his original iphone, so we let him play with that.  Doesn't keep his interest too long though since it doesn't work!  I think we might have to break down soon and introduce the iphone and ipad.  

-We have said this since day one, but this kid is so observant.  When he wakes up from a nap and comes downstairs, in seconds he can find all the new things or anything that is out of place.  

-He likes to put his hats and suspenders on and go look at himself in the mirror (aka: the glass door).  Funny thing is, we never taught him to do this!  Cracks us up!

-It has been very interesting watching Jude play with friends these past few weeks.  He learns a lot from them, but also struggles with not understanding when someone wants to play with his toys.  A very hard lesson to teach a baby that doesn't understand!  It is sweet though to see him interacting with other babies his age.  He walked up to a friend at church the other day grabbed his hand and they went and climbed the stairs together!  

-The only new words for the month are cheese and boo (when playing peek-a-boo).  He though has started to say thank you with out any prompting.  Its so sweet!

- Still loves animals and gets so excited any time he sees a cat or dog either in person, on the tv, in a book, etc.  

-Still has 4 teeth on the top and 4 on the bottom.

-Wears size 3 diapers

-Wears 9-12 month clothes

-Most days takes 2 naps.

-I can honestly say that the tongue is in a bit more.  I think we might be turning the corner!

-We are back to needing another haircut. We are not ready to take on that experience again though, so we are just waiting at this point.