Things Jed loves at 15 Months

Makes lots of noise, but still doesn't say many actual words. He says uh oh, hi and hi Boo. He says "Uh oh!" whenever he drops something or something falls. He'll wave good bye, sometimes on prompting, sometimes not, but he won't say bye bye. A couple of times I swear he says Daddy, but I can't get him to repeat it or say it in front of Dad. He says, "Hi Boo" sometimes in the morning when he sees Boo and will pat him gently on the head. He still loves to bug Boo and Boo is surprisingly gentle with him. Maybe because he recognizes and respects Jed as a food source? :)

Loves to play on the couches, jumping and climbing over the pillows, etc. He thinks its the funnest thing and always worries dad and mom that he'll fall. He throws a tantrum if he wants up and you don't help him. He can almost climb up himself, but not quite, unless he has a pillow to stand on or something to hold onto to help him up.

His has two favorite things to play with. First thing is a broken Swiffer Jet mop that our neighbors left outside. Every time we go out he makes a beeline for it. He carries it all around and "sweeps" the sidewalk with it with a big grin on his face. When its time to go inside and I have to take it away from him he screams. He loves the brooms inside the house too. The second thing he loves to play with is his little tool box. He's so smart with it and knows what to do with the hammer and screw driver. He'll bring the piece of wood to you with the nails and hammer so you can help him. Or he'll put the screw driver in the top hole of the nails or through the holes in the wood piece and turn it.

Jed still loves to unload things, but now he has discovered loading also. He is very methodical, putting things in whatever he can, one at a time and if there is a lid or door he will open and shut it in between each thing he puts inside. Whenever something is missing we will check trash cans, laundry baskets, toy boxes and anything else we can find that he could have put something in. Lately his favorite thing is to put his toys in Boo's crate. It's especially cute because he opens and shuts the door in between each toy. The other day he crawled inside with them and shut the door.

He's starting to throw little tantrums when he doesn't get what he wants. Mostly we just laugh and ignore him because its usually over silly little things.

Still sleeps through the night, usually from between 7-8pm to 8am. Sometimes we're lucky and he sleeps in until 9! He will sometimes take two 2 hour naps a day, but other days he'll take a 3 hour one in the middle of the day. He's easier to keep up if we have somewhere to go, unless its somewhere like church where he needs to be reverent, then that's impossible.

He is a very friendly little boy. He flirts with everyone when we're out, flashing them his charming gap-toothed grin. He'll go up to total strangers and hold out his arms for them to pick him up, as long as he can see that mom or dad is close by still.

At his 15 month check he measured 31 inches long and 25 lbs. He is still in the 5oth percentile for weight, but his height has slowed down from in the 90th to the 69th.

Happy Birthday Jed!

Jed is 1 year old today! I can't believe how fast the year has gone by or how much joy he brings into our lives.

Some of his favorite things are:

Unloading. Anything and everything. Cupboards, drawers, baskets, buckets, tabletops, trashcans, washing machine, dishwasher, his dump truck. Anything he can take out or off he LOVES. Hasn't quite figured out the loading concept, but he sure loves to unload. He especially loves the cupboards with things we don't want him to get into, like soap, pool supplies, cleaners, etc. Also loves to play in the toilet if we leave the bathroom doors open.



Flirting with anyone who will smile at him. He has the sweetest toothy grin.



Drinking out of Daddy's water bottle. It's so much better than his sippy cup.

Bothering Boo when he's sleeping on his bed. Jed likes to touch him and when Boo growls he laughs. Then he does it again. Boo is surprisingly patient with him. All bark and no bite.


















Walk. He started taking steps a couple of weeks ago, but he's gotten really good this last week. He can finally turn, and turn around without falling. The first few days that he was really walking he would get crooked so he was facing the wrong direction but didn't know how to straighten himself out so he would walk sideways to get where he was going. He still falls now when he gets excited. He'll be walking around and see us, get so excited that he speeds up and falls. It's the cutest thing to watch.



Talk and talk and talk. Sometimes he hums, sometimes he yells, sometimes he sings, sometimes he just talks. He is very vociferous. Especially when he's tired or when I'm talking. If I'm trying to say anything he talks with me and gets louder and louder until I have to stop. As soon as I stop, he stops. It's adorable, but kind of annoying since usually when I'm talking it's because I need to say something! If we go out we have to take lots of food with us because he gets so loud and the only way to keep him quiet is to keep something going in his mouth.

Eat. He loves most everything we give him, although not baby food so much anymore. He wants whatever we have. He especially loves bananas and toast. He likes to feed himself and wants to hold something in each hand. He will stuff so much in his mouth that he can't keep it closed. Then he'll grin at you with food coming through his teeth. He also likes to put his fingers in his mouth when it's full. Boo loves to stake out the highchair when Jed is being fed because he knows Jed will throw some down to him.



He always wants what we have. He's got his own sippy cup or bottle, but he wants to drink out of Dave's. He has his own phone - an old one of mine that broke, but wants our phones. We gave him an old remote control, identical to the one we use, but he wants the one we have. Everything still goes straight into his mouth. Slobber, slobber, slobber.

Baths. He especially likes to stand up in the bath tub.



Play with the velcro on his shoes when he's in the car. Usually he ends up taking them off.

Music. If you sing to him, then stop, he will bounce to tell you he wants more. Sometimes I will catch him dancing to music. He'll bounce his upper body if he's sitting or with his legs if he's standing.

Some things he doesn't like:

Having his diaper changed. He almost always cries when we lay him down and he tries to get up the whole time.

Getting his face washed after he eats. We get the towel super wet, that seems to help, but then he likes to lick it to get the water off.

Doesn't like to cuddle or be kissed. He doesn't have time for it, too much else to do. He is one busy boy. He never holds still, except when he's strapped in his car seat or he's asleep.

That's pretty much it. He is a very happy boy. When he starts to get loud and cranky, we lay him in his crib with his tag blanket and binky and he goes right to sleep, usually without any crying at all.

Fun facts:
Sleeps for 12-13 hours at night.
Still usually takes two 2 hour naps during the day.
Has 10 teeth - 4 front on both top and bottom, then a molar on the top and bottom.
Had his first haircut 2 weeks ago.
Does this adorable thing with his eyebrows. He raises them, or just one, when you talk to him or he sees something interesting.
He has the best bedhead.

Jed, we love you so much!! Happy Birthday!

Walking!

Jed walked all on his own today, without any prompting from us. He let go of the edge of the couch and took 5 steps over to the coffee table. He has taken 2 or 3 steps a few times over the last week, but always we've let go of him, with Dave on one side and me on the other, trying to get him to come to us. Today he let go all on his own! He did it a few more times, but of course as soon as we got out the video camera he wanted nothing to do with it. Dropped to the floor every time we tried to get him to show off. Funny that he's such a ham for pictures, but for video he never cooperates.

11 months old and eating with a spoon. Well, trying.

It's official. We're terrible parents. We got out our 1st year week by week book and we should be doing all sorts of things we're not. Sigh. Okay, so really we're not doing so bad, but who knew all these games and activities and foods and the list goes on and on. Apparently he's supposed to be eating with a spoon by now, or at least attempting, if not doing it neatly. We haven't even tried that, just let him at it with his hands.

So, in an attempt to repent and become the good parents he deserves, tonight we handed over the bowl of mashed potatoes and peas along with the spoon. He threw the spoon down and dug in with his hands. Big surprise. :) I put the spoon back in his hand hand and showed him how to scoop the potatoes up. He didn't like that part, but he got the part about putting the spoon in his mouth. He's not dumb, it had food on it after all. So went the rest of dinner. Me helping him scoop potatoes up, him putting the spoon in his mouth. Along with his other hand, full of potatoes. Messy work, maybe more than jam sandwiches. But it's a work in progress right? Not bad for the first try. We'll give it another shot tomorrow and keep taking lots of baths.

Have I mentioned that Boo is in heaven? No mopping needed.

9 Months

Wow, it's gone by fast! Jed is 9 months old already! He had has 9 month check with the pediatrician yesterday and he's doing great. Everything is normal and healthy.

His measurements were:
Weight: 20 lbs 8 ozs 49% centile
Length: 29.8 inches 91% centile
Head: 17.6 inches 37% centile

The milestone chart they sent home with us says, " ...will begin to get opinionated about such things as what foods to eat and when to go to sleep. Occasionally, these opinions turn into protests..." and we thought no, no problem with that yet. Funny because that very night when we put him to bed he cried and cried. He never does that! He always takes his pacifier and little tag blanket, rolls over and goes to sleep when we lay him in his crib. Not last night! He cried until MIDNIGHT!! :) What a trooper. Stubborn like his mom and not giving in for anything! Gave him a bottle when he woke up around 6:30 and he went back to sleep until 11:30 this morning. Now he's back to crying in his bed over nap time. Guess we're in for it.

Splish, Splash I Was Taking a Bath....well, actually just washing my hands in the toilet, but whatever.

While I was uploading pictures of Jed's favorite places to play for that last post we heard splashing coming from the bathroom. Yes, he's discovered a new toy and yes, we will be closing the toilet seat lids from here on out.

And the Childproofing Continues...

Jed's favorite places to play:

• In the pantry with the dog food. He makes a beeline for it every time we set him down anywhere in the kitchen or family room.
• In the bottom shelves of the entertainment center. Pulling out all the dvd's and wii games provide minutes of fun.
  
• In dad's office drawers

And #1....

• Under the desk with the electrical cords and trashcans.
  

Well, who can blame him. Playing on an empty floor is no fun. And toys....well, they just don't seem to hold as much interest. We'll be changing the frequency with which we empty the trash.

Notice his cute bedhead in the middle picture!