Jack - 10 months!

Well, after some crankiness, we're finally hitting some milestones I knew you were on the brink of. We started off the month with a stomach bug that you so kindly shared with Mommy and Daddy, and then went into a cranky phase, in which I lovingly referred to you as "Demon Child." A week later, you were crawling. Then pulling up, and suddenly cruising. What the heck dude?



You also have found a new game of biting me during feeding times. You will stop nursing, get this huge grin, clam down and pull away. It hurts like a bitch. And what's worse is you know exactly what you're  doing.



You survived another trip down to North Carolina, this time down to Charlotte. Your father won tickets to the NASCAR Hall of Fame that had to be used by the end of this month, so we took Spring Break as the perfect time to go down. We had a great time, and you really enjoyed all the cars.

Weight:

Length:

Hair: Brown, but lightening daily

Eyes: Brown





Clothing: Some 6-9 month clothes are starting to get a bit tight on you. And, in all honesty, I'm bored with this wardrobe and ready to move on to your 12 month stuff.
Sleep: Improving. It was rough over spring break, as we were traveling, but before (and now, after) you seem to be giving me a good 5 hour stretch from 11ish to 4ish. The only problem is my alarm goes off at 5, so it's rough for me to be up around 4, but we're working on stretching that out longer.

Nicknames: Stinker, Stinkpot, Stinkster...pretty much you're Stinky.

Milestones: In the course of one week, you became a crawler, sitting up on your own, started pulling up and cruising around furniture. It was like you finally decided you were going to  be mobile, and you were going to do everything you could all at once. You also have found that you're a bit of a carnivore. You loooooove meat. Maybe it's because you have a bajillion teeth, but you love to rip into a good piece of meat. Thus far, you seem to enjoy chicken, turkey sausage, hot dogs, roast beef, and bacon. You also are a huge fan of mashed potatoes. You're learning the word "No," which we have to say around you a lot now. You're very into cords, so you hear "no" a lot. Sometimes, if you're caught off guard by it, you make the saddest, most ridiculous face. Other times you just laugh at me, which is not cool, but most of the time you at least listen to what I'm telling you to do.

Jack - 9 Months

 Oh Jack, what a month. We've all been a little down around here, mentally, physically, and emotionally. We have had a bunch more snow days, and I think we're all just ready for spring.

Weight: 17.2 lbs, based on our bathroom scales

Length: An Unofficial 28 inches

Hair: Thick, wavy, and brown

Clothing:  6-9 Month

Eyes: Brown.

Sleep: After getting on some antibiotics for a sinus infection, I thought we were doing better. Then you got a stomach bug. Now that that is clearing up, let's hope that full nights are right around the corner.

Nicknames: Stink Pot is probably the biggest one right now.

\Milestones: You're pulling up! Well, not completely...you prefer to pull on really low objects, so you usually end up in some weird half bent over position. You do a pretty good job pulling up on my fingers, though. You're still not crawling, but you do a great job of pushing yourself around on your butt. We have to watch out for what's near you; you're already good at finding trouble.

You're also waving bye bye and hello, inconsistently. Sunday morning when i brought you in our bedroom, you frantically waved good morning to your daddy, even though his back was to you and he was still in bed. You also like to wave at yourself in the mirror, which cracks me up. But heaven forbid someone try to prompt you to do...you give them sweetest shit eating grin and act shy. I'm tempted to say you got that from me...I don't always like to perform when asked-it has to be on my terms!

And teeth...oh the teeth. You know have 3 of your molars poking through. That's a grand total of 11 teeth. Dude, calm down. I promise, you'll get steak for your first birthday.

Jack-8 Months!

I’m sorry, Jack. You’re eight and a half months old, and I’m just getting around to your eight month post. It’s not that I don’t love you, or that life has gotten busy-it has-but that’s not my excuse. I hate my excuse. Hopefully, you’ll understand when you get older.

I haven’t felt like writing. Thinking about the day you turned eight months is a bit painful for me.

Back in the summer-on your first Fourth of July-we had a bomb dropped on us. Your Grandma Kathy was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. It was a devastating shock to all of us-she was so healthy and took great care of herself. She spent about 6 weeks in the hospital last summer receiving treatment, and was very sick when she came home. She was allergic to the chemo, and there was no other treatment she could take. We were lucky, though, that the chemo helped the cancer subside for a while, and she had an awesome, healthy fall. She regained her strength, wore a fabulous wig, and took advantage of every opportunity she could.

In January, just after you turned 7 months, though, she started to get sicker and lost her strength. You and your father went up to see her several times while I took a class for recertification. She loved seeing you, and you loved being around her. You two went up to see her on Valentine’s Day-your official 8 month birthday-and she had gotten so sick, they had taken her to the hospital. Unfortunately, the cancer was too much for her body to take at that point, and she passed on early the next morning. My heart breaks every time I think of this. I loved her-she was a very special woman-and she loved you dearly. She loved being a grandmother to you. I think she was most upset about her prognosis because it meant having to leave you, knowing she wouldn’t see you grow into a young man.

http://www.bethmanningphotography.com/

So when I think of your 8 month birthday, I have trouble associating it with anything other than her passing. I didn’t even get a chance to take any pictures of you in your Valentine’s Day outfit. We took your 8 month pictures about a week late…and I’m writing this post 3 weeks late-getting it just in time to do your 9 month post. I’m sorry this account has been the most thorough, or enthusiastic, but I’m doing the best I can.

http://www.bethmanningphotography.com/

Weight: 16.5 lbs, based on our bathroom scales
Length: An Unofficial 26 inches
Hair: Lightening up, thick and wavy, now that you’ve had your first hair cut.

Clothing:  6-9 Month, all the way.
Eyes: Brown.
Sleep: Sucky. Between teething and a sinus infection, it’s been rough. I also think you have sensed that things have been difficult for your father and I.

Nicknames: Stinker is the biggest one, but you are frequently called Jackaroo, Jackie Doodle, and Jack Attack, to. 

Your first Super Bowl. Sorry, kid, your Steelers didn't make it.

Milestones: You saw your first snow! We bundled you up so much you could barely move...and sat you on a trash bag to keep you dry. Needless to say,  you weren't too impressed.

You're still doing well with food. You eat just about everything we put in front of you-and get angry if we don't offer you what we're eating.

You got your first hair cut at one day at 8 months, 1 day! You are a pro at spinning around on your bottom, and you love food. You have a fit if we are eating something and you don’t have some as well.

You love to get up on your hands and knees and rock, but you’re not crawling yet. Sometimes, I think you’re so interested in walking, you’re going to skip crawling completely!

I have been thankful that we had a ridiculous amount of snow days, so we've spent a lot of time together. You're new favorite game has been pulling things out of baskets and boxes-it's cute when it's your toys, but frustrating when it's laundry.

Jack-7 months

Happy 7 months, sweet boy! As I type this, you sweetly sleep on my shoulder...hopefully, you'll continue this through the night. Your 7th month with us has been nothing short of amazing. We started off this month with your well baby check turning into a sick visit-you were diagnosed with a sinus infection.

 

Thankfully, after a round of amoxicillin, you seemed to be doing much better...just in time for Christmas!

  

You really got into the whole opening presents thing, so much so it made it difficult to wrap presents for others with you around. 

We spent Christmas Eve with my family, which included a surprise visit from Santa. 

Christmas morning you were excited to find Santa left you something you want (an airplane and shape sorter), something you need (a convertible car seat already installed in Daddy's car), something to wear (an "I'd Rather Be Naked" longall) and something to read (Curious George Goes to the Zoo).

We then had breakfast with the rest of my family and then headed up to be with Daddy's family for a few days. Aunt Ellen thought she was clever by giving you a blanket with a picture of her on it, but you weren't quite sure what to make of it. 

 Your Grandma Kathy stole the show, however, by giving you your first Cozy Coupe, just like what your father had (and loved) as a kid.

 We attempted to ice skating up in Georgetown (only Dad was able to go-he had his own skates), and in general had lots of fun during our *almost* two weeks off together.

 

You helped us celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary on 12/31/13 in Colonial Williamsburg, but you slept nicely through the fireworks and other shenanigans that rung in the new year. 

Sadly, our winter holiday came to a close when Dad and I had to go back to school on Jan. 2. Things have been busy, but we were able to slip in a trip to see Daddy play hockey for the first time. In some ways, you weren't too impressed with the game, only the people talking behind us.

Weight: 15 lbs 13 oz (per my bathroom scales)
Height: 26ish inches
Hair: Long, Brown, and out of Control!

Clothing:  This weekend I moved most of your 3-6 month clothes out and 6-9 month into your closet. Some are a bit long, but you look more comfortable. 

Eyes: Brown. And, your blocked tear duct/nasty sinus ickiness seems to have cleared up.

Sleep: We've made progress. We did some gentle sleep training and it seemed to work until we went back to work. You like to wake up at 4AM, regardless of when you last ate, to eat and pass back out. That sucks since I have to get up about 5AM to get ready to go to work, but we're dealing. Hopefully, soon you'll be sleeping more consistently through the night.

Nicknames: Most often we call you Stinker, because, well, you are one. You are ornery and silly and know what you want...and you're always going to it.

Milestones: In the course of 2 weeks, you cut 5 teeth for a grand total of 7. It's out of control. You do an awesome job with tummy time and baby plank, but you haven't quite mastered getting the weight on your knees to crawl. You looooooove food. Right now you typically get pureed food with the baby sitter for lunch and a sample of whatever we are having for dinner. You've had broccoli, cauliflower, mango, apple, carrots, sweet potato, (baby) oatmeal, french fries, bread....Christmas Eve you grabbed my roll and went to town on it, and at another family dinner you stuck your hand in my broccoli casserole, helping yourself. I can only hope you stay such a good eater.