Blur

I'm sitting here zoned out at 11:25pm on the couch, while Jamie holds a sleeping Macy and watches some countdown on ESPN...I'm guessing basketball highlights of some sort. He knows I don't care, yet appreciates that I give him time to watch this, rather than some late night reality junk I'd rather hear in the background ;)

Anway, I am sitting here trying to remember some of the highlights from the last few days, and mostly crazy things come to mind. Here is a glimpse of the my rambling thoughts on a Monday night as a 32-year-old mama of a 2 1/2 year old rambunctious boy and nearly walking 10 month-old baby girl:

Jadon is OFF THE CHAIN sometimes. Did I just type that slang? Oh, Lord, I did...and not proudly. I remember having a moment today, when I was so, so, so thankful that Jadon never acts the way he does at home, when we are in public. He's just wild sometimes! I assure you, I believe he is just being two. I also believe he is just being a boy. In the last two days alone, he threw a stuffed teddy bear in the toilet, pooped in his underwear so much we had to throw them away, has developed a love of dragging Macy around (in a sweet, let me hug you and carry you way...though he refers to it as, "do you want to drag sister?"), and the best part is he is getting another second molar. Cranky doesn't describe it at times!

Really random ramblings...keep up:

---Macy is WALKING!?! She takes about 7 steps at a time, but can quickly get back up from sitting/crawling to standing again, and off she goes! Wow! Already? :(
---Jadon and Macy are "best friends," as Jadon says
---Jadon finds great joy in feeding Macy bits of finger foods
---Macy loves to get ahold of Jadon's sippy cups of milk
---I'm ready to wean Macy already! Sheesh!
---Parenthood is EXHAUSTING!
---I miss my husband who I see every, single day :(
---I think we'll go on a weekend getaway, once Macy is weaned...maybe for our birthdays :)
---I'm ready to surrender SOME of my mommy mode (i.e. my kids will likely not die, if they stay with a family member for 24+ hours)
---I need to work on the above mentioned mommy mode
---My in-laws (including bro- and sis- are AWESOME and I love them soooo much!)
---My mom is the best too :)
---We have really sweet, caring and supportive extended family. They'd do anything for us. So grateful!
---I want my kids to be givers, not takers
---I want my kids to love Jesus above all else
---Jadon LOVES taking a bath with Macy
---Macy gets a little worried, when bathing with Jadon ;)
---I'm madly in love with my kids
---Jamie and I must say at least 20 Xs/day "Isn't he/she soooo cute?!?"
---It's so much fun to think about our kids getting older and to the next stage of life
---I'm scared to death of my kids growing up
---I wonder if we'll homeschool...maybe just sometimes? maybe never. Hmmmm.
---Other people's lack of parenting/moral values saddens and frightens me...like I'm ready to become a missionary and move to a village in a foreign country scares me!
---I feel strong in the Lord!
---I have so much to learn about God and what He wants for me, Jamie and our kids.
---Christmas is about Jesus. Period.
---Macy's hair is getting to a bad stage. Long scragglies everywhere, but cannot cut it yet, right?
---Randomly sending a gift to an unsuspecting person is my FAVORITE thing to do!
---I feel God teaching me to love and "consider others better than myself" A LOT lately, and I LOVE it!
---I can't wait for Janine's wedding in April!
---wonder if I'll be a counselor for the church or a photographer, once my kids are older...maybe a bit of both? maybe neither. Not worried about the future at all.
---So excited about the things God wants me to work on in 2010!
---Jamie and I miss the DC are tremendously.
---I think we've lost about $40,000 in our house so far. Can't think about that.
---C'mon Obama! Yes, I do expect more from our President. Blaming Bush is getting us nowhere. Where are the J-O-B-S???
---Living in the South is such a sweet, slow-living place to be.
---I miss living close to a Whole Foods Market!
---We miss going to Pittsburgh every weekend.
---We would NOT be traveling to Pittsburgh with two kids to shop at Robinson. Duh!
---We have still not adjusted to parenthood :)

Okay, okay...so here is what you all really care about...some pics of the last few days: Jadon feeding waffles to Macy, Macy covered in her din din last night, followed by two bathing babes. Chaos, 50% of the day, everyday. I miss these days already. (((sigh)))

Coming Together

One of the most challenging parts of having Macy, when Jadon was just 20 months old was the fact that we had to put much of his play time with us on hold. Macy required much more care obviously, so Jadon had to grow up a bit more than he would have sans Macy.

Before Macy ate solid foods, she fussed too much to sit on our laps at the table, so one of us usually ate before the other. Then, when we started eating solid food, it was such a mess! It usually took both of us to feed her, and poor Jadon ended up eating by himself.

Lately, we've FINALLY been able to relax a bit more with mealtimes and playtime. Macy is eating more and more adult foods that we also like. What a reward it is to sit as a family and all eat the very same thing! The best part is that she can feed herself nearly 100% of the time (except yogurt or a smoothie). Today for lunch, we had baked Wild Alaskan salmon with mashed cauliflower and sweet potatoes. Macy even fed herself the cauliflower with a spoon :) Can you believe how much she has grown so quickly?!?






For the last 10 months, playtime has been equally challenging. Macy never really was able to enjoy tummy time or time in the Jumpin' Johnny...or the swing, or the exersaucer. Jadon has always been more interested in Macy's toys and activities than his own. Jamie and I have struggled with patience so much with Jadon, since Macy was born. Goodness, do we love him, but goodness, can he be obnoxious and annoying with her! Alas, things are slowly getting easier :)

I don't have pics of a lot of their playtime together, but there is more than just Macy playing with cars. Jadon is starting to mature and is learning not just to annoy Macy, but to entertain her. It seems he enjoys playing WITH her more and more each day, which is so nice. FINALLY! Today, he was reading her a book and trying to teach her the names of things. He got a little frustrated that she wouldn't sit still beside him and pay attention, but his motives were good :)

He has also been known to play peek-a-boo the proper way, by putting the blanket over his own head, instead of torturing poor Macy by nearly smothering her a million times with the blanket. Ahhh, boys...wild little creatures! He also likes to "watch a video with Macy," dance with her (when we're willing to supervise), and give her all of his toys, naming each one-by-one. His favorite thing to do with Macy, by far, is to take a bath. LOVES it, and will cry, if we dare suggust we're going to give Macy a bath by herself.

Despite the fact that Jadon didn't get as much attention from us as he would have, if Macy weren't here, I can't help but be thankful for the blessing of a sibling God has given him. Watching their relationship grow leaves our hearts full everyday. What could be cuter? Oh, yes, another one ;)

Here they are the other night, listening to Daddy read, "If you take a mouse to the movies," before bedtime. Gotta admit, Macy's attention for this lasted about 90 seconds, but it's nice to dream of things to come!

Starvin'

Macy wants very little to do with pureed baby food. Most feedings consist of no more than three spoonfuls. Ever since we started feeding her real solid foods, she stares at everything we eat and waits in anticipation of a tiny nibble, much like a puppy at your feet :) If we don't feed her, we get growling and/or tears. Here's a clip of her yesterday, begging for a taste of Daddy's refried beans:

So far, she loves Kashi crackers (broken into small pieces), peas, broccoli, blackberries & raspberries, bananas, cheese, and refried beans. She seems to be losing interest in nursing, which I am utterly shocked about, so we've been trying to get her to drink a bit of formula at least once/day, and have been adding a little cereal to that, in order to ensure she's getting enough iron. We're obviously gonna have to get a little creative with this one, especially since it doesn't look like she'll have any teeth in the immediate future.

Corn Cob

She also likes to eat bananas like this too. Such a big girl now!

Oh my!
She doesn't know it, but even though she doesn't have any teeth yet, we're preparing her for the inevitable big wean in a little over four months. FOUR MORE months??? I mean, already? ;)

Only One Baby

It has been months, since I've given a detailed update on Jadon. There's good reason, I assure you. You see with Macy, it's so much easier. Although she is changing very much in her own right, things are slower. You know, one milestone at a time, like pulling up (which she is doing!?!). I digress.

Jadon. Something happened within the last 60 days or so. When Macy was born, clearly I still thought of him as a baby. He used the syllable "duh duh" to refer to so many things (though Momma could always understand what he meant). He sometimes signed "potty" with his hand, as he raced to the bathroom saying, "dotty." He really wasn't too picky about anything...no REAL opinions.

He USED to call Grandpa "Tuhtah." Macy used to be his "sisser," Grandma was "Gee," and Auntie Em was "Eddadee." But things have changed and are changing so much everyday now, that I long to relive the days when "Nacy Doo" was in the womb and my BABY boy was patting away at his Momma's tummy, when we asked him, "Where's the baby?"

And so is the journey of parenthood, the never-ending process of letting go. Thankfully the other side of that is watching your tiny little baby start to walk and talk and toddle his way into BOYHOOD??? Oh my! It's true. He's no longer a baby, and here are a few of the many signs that Jadon is becoming a...ahem...(clearing throat)...(wiping tears)...(sniffle)...a real little boy.

Word transformations:

Grandma is no longer "Gee" or "Lassa," now she is 90% of the time "Weesa" and 10% "Grannah"

Grandpa is no longer "Tuhtah," he is 100% "Gwandtaw." G'head say it with a southern drawwwl. Where in the world??? Gwandtaw staged this here photo:




Macy is his "sisTer," not his "sisser"

Tatay will be sad to learn that a "hettotter" is now a "helicopter" :(

Things he says:

"Daddy, let's a play cars!"

"Good morning, Momma. Good morning, Masay Balooo."

"Where's the tracker? Oh, there he is! There's the tracker!" (referring to the tractor in the "Cars" movie)

"Wanna eat (running to the kitchen). Wanna eat (Crispix, Special K, raisins, cheese, etc.)"

"Play Plah-doh (running to the kitchen)" Me: What color? Jadon: Ummmm...how 'bout...ummm.... Me: Jadon, just pick a color. Jadon: Ummm...how 'bout purple Play-doh?

(While playing Play-doh...) Jadon: Daddy, make a purple trackor! Pleeeease, Daddy? Make a purple trackor! Jamie: I just made you a purple tractor. Jadon: Momma, let's a make a purple air-puh-lane! Me: How about a ball? Jadon: Momma, make a big, purple ball! Me: Okay here. Here's a big, purple ball. Jadon: (squishes up the ball) Daddy, let's a make a big ball. Daddy, let's a make a purple trackor! LOL It never ends! LOL

(After Jadon has done something he shouldn't 3 or so times) Me/Jamie: Jadon, do you want to go to time out? Jadon: No, now (insert appropriate activity...play cars, drink your milk, be nice to Macy)! Then he'll elaborate and tell himself to "straighten up" or he'll "go time out!"

"No, Nacy! Can't play coohrs (cars)!"

"Good night, Momma. Love you noon an back (to the moon and back). Sweet dreams!" Then he proceeds to say a whole lotta other stuff in one, big run-on sentence..."Momma be back an Momma clean kitchen an wake up an play coohrs an drive race coohrs an play Play-doh and Momma be back..." Me: Okay, buddy. I love you. Good night. Sweet dreams. Love you to the moon and back. Jadon: ...an take a nap an Momma clean kitchen an Momma be back an..."

Yeah, and he ALWAYS sleeps with this many stuffed animals. That's okay because it works, and we get 3 hours of quiet in the day and 10-12 at night. Nice :)

***Oh and he's now SINGING! :) :) :) A LOT! And it is soooo much fun to see his face and hear the lyrics he thinks he knows. It is one of my favorite things he does. So adorable! So much that I will have to save it for a separate post. We need video for this one :)

Things he likes to watch:

The Cars Movie, Veggie Tales, Wimmicks (Max Lucado), Brainy Baby (especially Art), sometimes Bob the Builder (though we had a phase when that was ALL we could watch!), and The Pond (Christian DVD set). He has recently been re-acquainted with the Praise Baby and Baby Einstein DVDs because Macy watches them, and he is very much interested in watching all of the babies play with their toys. He tells us he wants to "hold daydee (baby)" and every toy they play with during the entire video. Sometimes he'll try to reach into the TV to touch their toys. He's fascinated by babies and all the strange things they do! Again, another post ;)

Things that impress us:

Jadon has been counting to 20 for a while, but now he is able to use one-to-one correspondence, while counting, pointing to each item. Seriously surprised by this!

He can "read" at least five books all the way through, all by himself...pretty hard books, like "If you give a mouse a cookie," and "The foot book." Gotta get video. Amazes me!

Foods he likes:

For the most part, Jadon really is a vegetarian. He's never had red meat, any processed meat or meat with nitrates, and he's had very limited pork (like I can count how many times he's tasted it). He does eat chicken and tuna, but honestly he can go a week without either of those too. He does like eggs and toast at least once/week. Mostly, he gets his protein from milk, yogurt, cheese, and oats. He does love tofu, but I confess to not making very many dishes that include it (maybe twice/month). Other favorites include ANY fruit, canned green beans, organic/soy/spinach pizza pockets, Earth's Best/Elmo mac n' cheese with broccoli & carrots, grilled cheese, and PB&J. By far his favorite treat is a small square of dark chocolate, for which he will do the "chocolate dance." :)

Can't wait til:
So we aren't happy that Jadon is losing his chubby cheeks, that he has a neck now, or that he sometimes responds with, "No, itssa said no," when we try to get him to eat green peppers, BUT we are ready to get passed a few things. (1) Whining/fits! Oh, Lord, the whining. Sometimes it is a majority of the day over everything, other times only a fit a day. Nevertheless, we're over it! It'll end soon, right? ;) (2) The attempts to play rough with Macy. Sheesh! This one is BY FAR the most annoying. Jadon thinks he's a comedian, loves getting under our skin with this one, but we have no clue how to not give him any reaction because he does sometimes hit her...to be FUNNY??!!?? So. Over. It.

With that said, we can celebrate that we're passed the holy moly! fits of teeth brushing, and since acquiring a spin brush, things are much better...almost enjoyable to know we're preventing cavities. He's gonna need a pretty smile with all of the ornery that comes with him ;)

You Know You Love Your Kid...

when you fight over who gets to get them out of bed, when they wake up from naptime! Yesterday Jamie and I literally ran...we RACED each other, when we heard Jadon waking up from his nap. You know neither of us really spend much time with him ::rolling eyes::! I beat Jamie into the room, probably because he had Macy, but he decided he'd slip a little piece of dark chocolate into Jadon's mouth to lure him over to his team. Brother! Not to be outdone, Mommy decided we'd start lunch off with a whole piece of "chockwit."

Sidenote: I think it might be worse that we allow our kid's hair to look like this (on video!) than it is that we gave him chocolate for lunch. Both are a mess! Oh, and I'm wondering if Jadon hasn't been sneaking in some time watching BBC on the boob tube, considering he has a bit of a British accent???

Nom nom nom...kind of

On Father's Day, we decided to go ahead and give Macy a little bit of rice cereal. We started Jadon just before he turned 5 months old, and he did GREAT, as you may remember (see video below).

The experts recommend you breastfeed exclusively for six months (if you want), but since we are taking a trip to the mountains of NC, when Jamie's family comes in July, I wanted to be out of the practice mode with Macy eating before then. Needless to say, things didn't go near as well with her as they did with Jadon. Despite two attempts at feedings everyday since then, things have not improved AT ALL. Her tongue is just too stiff. She spits EVERYTHING that goes in right back out :/

Here she is just before getting her first taste. She looks sooo tiny in that seat, compared to Jadon!


Here's just a short clip of her eating, right before the battery to our camera died :/


Jadon lapping it up back in October 2007:


So the doctor tells us today that a baby who is exclusively breastfed (never had even one bottle) up to the age of six months will NOT take a bottle until after a year old (even if it is pumped breastmilk in the bottle). WHAT??? He may just be right because Macy is CLUELESS how to suck on a bottle. She HATES it! This is a bummer because it means that I am forced to nurse her like FOREVER (i.e. at the beach, while on a road trip, if I ever want a date night with my husband(!!!)).

I had no idea this was the case. I never thought about it. I had given Jadon a small bottle here and there, when he was just a few months old (mainly for things like going to Target or on a short trip, if I didn't want to whip out my boob...which I NEVER do, duh!). So Jadon learned fairly early on how to suck a bottle, even though he really was breastfed 99% of the time.

I think we're going to try to get Macy to take a 2-4oz. bottle everyday for a while...or at least try because I'm thinking this could be a really tough issue to deal with when it comes time to wean her. Can you imagine weaning a baby who has ONLY had the breast for at least 12 months directly to a bottle of cow's milk? :/ I'm thinking that could be difficult. Like I said, with Jadon, he really did like the taste of formula and knew how to hold a bottle by himself way before he was weaned at 11 1/2 months. The learning process of parenting is endless, no?

"I Did It!"

He's 90% independent, when it comes to eating. Don't mess with his Cheerios and banana at breakfast or his mandarin oranges and string cheese for snack! He'll quickly let you know, he can do it all by himself!

He's 50% independent, when it comes to the potty. He loves to exclaim, "I did it," and claps, after he uses it. When he's finished, he quickly stands up and turns around to see the prize he has created...then a big grin and clapping. "I did it!" It's funny to see :)

Other signs of independence: Last night, when I asked Jadon if he wanted to watch his potty train video, he climbed into his walker seat (backwards, but he did it), while I was putting the DVD in. While Jamie was on his laptop, sitting on the couch, Jadon attempted to put the power cord into the correct hole on the thing...smarty pants! He can put on hats and shoes (only larger ones) and LOVES helping with the laundry and groceries. He assists us in putting all of the clothes away in Daddy's room and helps put all of the canned goods away in the pantry. He also likes doing this at Gramma's. He's a regular helper to Auntie Em in the laundry room, taking clothes from the washer and putting them into the dryer.

Although Jadon used to eat this organic spinach ravioli a long time ago, he really hasn't had it, since I became pregnant. I couldn't stomach the sight or smell of the stuff...yuck! Finally I am able to tolerate seeing it again, and Jadon is very happy about that. After taking his first bite at lunch yesterday, he looked at me like, "Where in the world have you been hiding this stuff? I love it!"



In other news, we battled a low grade fever this week (high temp. of 101.5), due to some stubborn top molars that are likely causing an ear ache or possible infection. We decided the "watch and wait" route might be best for a few days, and thankfully we did. We gave Jadon lots of orange, apple and pear juice and alternated Motrin and Tylenol for his fever. After two days, he was all better :) Still no new teeth yet, and I'm sure they're still coming soon, since he's drooling a little more here and there, and likes to randomly take a bite at the couch??? What in the world??? Mommy and Daddy will be soooo happy, when teething is OVER for good. Waking up to a fussy toddler every few hours is not so much fun, especially when you're pregnant :/ I think we're both looking forward to the day, when he's independent enough to put himself to bed and get up in the middle of the night to get himself some juice...okay, not really, but uninterrupted sleep sounds soooo dreamy...ahhhh.

Anyone have a cage we can borrow?

Pretty amazing/funny/slightly annoying things that Jadon has learned to do in the last month:

1. Jadon knows exactly how to use a debit/credit card machine at check out lines. A few weeks ago, while we were in line at Target, I gave him an old gift card that didn't have any credit left on it. As we were loading the bags into the cart, I looked over and he had put the gift card correctly into the machine and was trying to then push the buttons in an attempt to make a full transaction??? Since then, he's done this at Kroger and Piggly Wiggly as well. He throws a mini tantrum, when we try to keep him from pushing the buttons...cause he's big and knows what he's doing, you know?

2. For about a month now, Jadon has been showing off his grooming abilities. Everytime he sees a bottle with a pump (i.e. soap, body wash), he pretends to pump some into his hand (though he never really does), and he rubs the fake stuff onto his belly :) This is SO FREAKING CUTE! He learned this from taking showers with Daddy. His baby wash is in a huge pump bottle, so he knows that's what Daddy does to him in the shower. Adorable! I do have a video clip of this, but it can't be censored to keep the icky predators from seeing his pee pee, so you're gonna have to trust me, until I can get a clip that is censored.

3. Imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery. Jadon has been found doing the funniest things this past month. We don't have to ask, "Where does he get this stuff," because we already know. Any kind of tube or bottle is "lotion" to him. The last time he stayed with Gramma, he took the tube of Vaseline out of his diaper bag and pretended to rub it on his legs. Hehe :) So adorable! For the record, he learned this from his Daddy who rubs lotion on his legs and elbows after every shower.

4. Jadon also likes to brush his own hair and teeth, even pretending to put his toothpaste on his toothbrush. He honestly takes the brush and rubs it on the top of the toothpaste tube!

5. He has also learned to put his own shoes on...well, he can't really get them on, but he loves to experiment with mine and Jamie's much larger flip flops. One day at the beach, he actually almost got his feet into Jamie's flip flops! These are not amazing feats, but when you see how small he is, it is pretty amazing to know that he has learned this stuff just from watching us, rather than having to be taught. And although I have known this stuff about kids/babies for years (I do have a degree in Child Development here), it is nothing short of amazing, when it is your own baby :) *Oh yeah, and he LOVES to watch Jamie blow his nose, and now pretends to blow his nose into paper towels and wash cloths. And to top it all off and make it really authentic, he loves to fake sneeze...especially loving to imitate his Gramma who has a super-human sneeze. When Jadon imitates her, it sounds like he's yelling/coughing and makes a face like he is using all of his might to get it out...just like Gramma :) Hilarious!

Language Development: Jadon is getting better at saying things. Most people wouldn't understand him, but Mommy does. He now says the following (some in sign language): all done, cheese, thank you, more, drink, milk, doggie, kitty, pizza, chicken, potty, daddy, mommy, Gee (Gramma), Ziggy (Gramma's dog), banana, peaches, too many to list...but those are the most frequent ones he uses.

As mentioned last post, we cannot keep Jadon off of the couch, chairs, well...anything that is higher than the floor that he can climb onto and off of. Here he is climbing into our rocker in the living room the other night. He's SO WILD!(Notice the band-aids on the backs of his arms from his shots.)

Favorites:

Breakfast --- baby cereal with egg yolk (still), oatmeal (especially apple flavored), cheerios in milk with a banana on the side

Lunch/Dinner --- Pizza, bread with melted cheese, PEAS!, and yogurt

Snacks --- mandarin oranges, CRACKERS!, bananas, nectarines, and BLUEBERRIES! He cannot get enough of any of these, but he especially loves blueberries and fresh nectarines/peaches. He can eat an entire large (softball size) nectarine!!! What???

Books --- Although Jadon still loves his lift-and-flap books, in the last few months, he has developed a preference for touch-and-feel books. He is a pro at finding the textured piece on the page and running his index finger over it.

***OTHER RANDOM THINGS: Jadon also has a love for all things upside down and spinning (he now likes to put his Elmo sunglasses on and spin in circles, yelling until he is so dizzy he falls over) ;) His favorite thing to do at Gramma and Grandpa's is to chase Ziggy around and attempt to get him to fetch by throwing every toy he has at him...poor Ziggy :/ And when he's not driving Ziggy crazy, you can find him spinning (imagine that) in the computer desk chair. He will literally cry, when you stop spinning the chair. He climbs up in the chair all by himself, holds onto the arm rests, and leans against the chair with a huge grin on his face, like this is the ride of his life. Oh my!

He still isn't fond of the carseat, crying at least once during any trip that is longer than 10 minutes. And for goodness sakes(!), sometimes the only thing that will quiet him is for Mommy to reach back and hold his hand?!? He's not even that interested in me any other time...he apparently likes to make my arm go to sleep :/ I suppose that goes along with the mini tantrums he's started throwing lately. They are few and far between, and they are mini, but they exist. The other day, when I picked him up in a store, he hit me in the face, and when I grabbed his arms, he took his hand and squeezed me neck, making a very mad face at me...LOVELY :) I remember the look on an elderly man's face, when he saw him throwing that fit. He didn't look like he remembered his kids being 15-months old. He also looked like he believed in spanking. Whatever!

All I have time for now...many more updates (hopefully with pics) to come...

Moving, Self-Feeding, and Teething

We FINALLY got the keys to our new house yesterday! Yay! :) We started cleaning last night. My mom watched Jadon, while Jamie cleaned the bathrooms and I vacuumed the entire house (including the garage). Since we didn't get the keys until the afternoon, daylight slipped away soon after, and we decided to call it a night by around 6:45pm.

Jamie went to the house to steam clean the entire place today, while I stayed here and watched Jadon. We have to allow time for the carpets to dry, before we start moving things in. It will be nice if Grandpa Wally gets back into the country, so we'll have extra help with the heavy stuff...still no word if he was able to get a flight out of Afghanistan today. Once he leaves there, he'll have to stay in Kuwait City for 24 hours, before heading back to the US. We thought he'd surely be home by his birthday today, since he left last Sunday night, but it looks like Thursday at the earliest now. Maybe he'll get a camel ride for his birthday :)

In other news, Jadon's top teeth are still fighting his gums to make their first appearance. The natural teething gel helps some, but frozen peaches in a feeder help even more.

And this is how a teething baby likes his pacifier ;)

I can't believe my itty, bitty baby boy is growing and changing so much lately. In just a week's time, he has learned to pull himself up onto anything and everything. Last week he would stand in his playpin and cry because he was afraid to let go of the edge. Now he is pretty fearless, letting go and falling down onto his butt anytime he wants. He has even mastered picking up a toy with one hand, while standing, and bringing it up to his mouth. He works so hard at such little tasks. It's so fun to watch :)

"Rawr!"

The last few days, I've been letting Jadon practice self-feeding. Tiger Woods, I mean Jamie, bought him some organic Sesame Street crackers the other day to start with. It's so funny to watch! He focuses so hard, placing the cracker in his little fist, bringing it to his mouth, then sticks his thumb or finger in and looks curiously, wondering why the cracker isn't in his mouth...hehe. So funny! He's also started drinking water from a sippy cup and/or a water bottle. He's become a pro at it, in just a few weeks time. Here are a few clips from today. Yes, that is him growling like a little bear :) Enjoy!

New pics of our house to come soon!