Watersound Vacation

We had another wonderful vacation with my family at the beach in Watersound, Florida (just outside of Seaside, Florida) a few weeks ago.  We took a TON of pics that I want to post, but am still working to get through all of them.  We'll start with our little photo shoot we did one night as the sun was going down.  Let's just say its hard to get Jude to smile at the camera using a self-timer!!

17 months

We had a great month full of outside time (evident by most all of the pictures below), family time, celebrating Easter, and ended the month with a trip to the beach (post to follow)!!  This little guy became so big this month!  He's talking up a storm and learning to really communicate what he wants.  This can be good and bad, but we are trying to work through the bad times.  He just wants to fully communicate so bad!! The good that comes from this is knowing what he wants and his affection towards us.  All day he blows us kisses, gives kisses, and snuggles as he plays.  He also does what we call his "role-call" every time we go somewhere.  He calls out everyone's name to ensure we are all there and no one is left out! He has the sweetest, kindest heart just like his daddy!  He could spend all day everyday outside and is not afraid to try much.  Luckily he has a bit of a caution-adventurous side, so that helps with some of his craziness!!  He is also becoming quite the runner and can't seem to get enough of playing in the water!!  I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time exploring pools and splash pads this summer!  He also loves to help us in the yard, whether it be raking the flower beds, pushing his mower, or watering the flowers.  Anything to be like mommy & daddy.  He is so proud of himself when he waters the flowers; he'll give them a drink and then pat the soil in approval!  I know that the Lord has big plans for this little guy; we just pray that he would recognize that at a young age and that we will do all that we can to nurture the gifts the Lord has given him.  

Doing a little yard work (on the sidewalk)

Watering time!!

Fun at the splash pad

Playing Peek-a-boo at the park with Memaw

Memaw and Jude

Acting like a big boy with all of the 4 years olds at his friend Evan's party - he even got to try the zip line!

Sweet boy enjoying our new covered porch 

Looking at books at the library 

We had a wonderful weekend celebrating our risen Lord on Easter weekend.  We started by going to Eggsperience at our church full of egg hunts, petting zoos, games, bounce houses, etc.  He had so much fun and crashed as soon as we got home!!

Petting the bunnies

 Running with daddy

Found the good stash!!  I cracked up when I turned around and saw this!

Bubble room!!!

Opening his Easter basket on Easter morning 

My cute little man all dressed up

Running from light to light outside of church - the things that interest him!

Sweet times with is cousin Mia

It's quite the challenge to get a family pic these days; always on the move

Hunting for eggs - he would only pick up the ones that would make noise when he would shake it.  If not, he would throw it back down!

Checking out their loot! 

Stats:

-As of a few weeks ago he weighted 22.5 pounds

-His favorite foods right now are turkey, veggie patties (spinach, broccoli, and zucchini) , ALL fruit, applesauce, yogurt, black beans, quesadillas, and still his prunes.  He doing so well feeding himself using his utensils, and is not throwing his plate and bowl off his tray as much! He is also officially done nursing as of the last week of this month.  We had a good run, mommy is a bit sad though! 

-Favorite toys are still balls.  There is really nothing that will beat this out or keep his attention like balls do.  He does enjoy his blocks/legos, books, puzzles, vacuum, and cars but balls still rule the day! 

-He has started roaring like a lion all the time and thinks its hilarious (I think his constant allergies help him get a really good roar)!  Speaking of hilarious, he also thinks burping and tooting are hilarious (oh the joys of raising a boy!).  

-Loves to play peek-a-boo, hide-n-seek, play in tents, and go through tunnels we make with blankets.  Anything to play the "boo" game!

-This boy is chatty, chatty, chatty.  Although he says many words, neither of us can make out his chatty talk!  New words for this month: trash (ash), again (gin), cold (coo), up, baseball (ba-ball), Grancy (gancy), Pops (pop), Pepaw (pa-pa), Memaw (maw-maw), moon (oon, while pointing in the sky).
-When he is trying to tell us what he wants and we guess right he goes ah-ha!!!  He gets so excited knowing he is actually communicating! 

-He still loves to sing anytime that he can.  His favorite song is Jesus Loves Me.  We have sang this to him every single time we put him down to sleep since he was just a few weeks old.  He came home from church a few weeks ago though knowing the hand signs.  Its the cutest!!

-Likes to play the night night game.  Lays his head to the side and says ni-ni, then seconds later WAKE UP!!

-Has learned to twist things - bottle caps, screws, etc.  I love to watch him study as he does it to try to learn how it works.  Sometimes though he'll get frustrated with it and just try to force it on by pushing it. 

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

-Wears size 3 diapers

-Wears mostly 9-12 month pants and 12-18 month tops.  

-Still takes 2 naps most days, but can do fine with only one longer one.  

-His tongue is starting to be in more than it is out!!!  He all of a sudden made a lot of progress this month!

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.