Jack - month 7

Jack is 7 months old! 

Jack is one awesome kid. I don't know how many crazy parents are out there that decide to fly overseas for fun...but we definitely joined the crazy train (plane?) of international travel with children this month. Million dollar question...how did Jack do? He did great. He was so sweet and so smiley the whole time. He hardly made a sad fuss the whole trip. He did not sleep well at night was the huge flaw. So how did mommy do? Lets just say I thought I was done with the infant stage of not sleeping through the night and I was not glad to see it back. Probably the worst part of international travel is the jet lag when you get home. You can grin and bare it (mostly) while you are in the foreign land but you want things back to normal when they get home and that is not what happens. We are still working through the jet lag. Ok other things about Jack this month. He is growing up so much. I call him rolly-polly for two reasons: 1) his obvious chunky rolls that are dreamy and 2) his rolling-all-over the place skills. We have not seen many signs of crawling and I am completely ok with that. :)  Everything goes straight into the mouth still. He loves to play with his toys. He is getting great at grasping things and not just "shooting in the dark" for a toy. His favorite toy is this silly fence post that my sister gave me as a hand-me down toy that goes to a little farm set. He likes the animals with the farm set but he LOVES the fence post to chew on. He's a southern boy already I guess. :)

Love those feet!

He loves his toys and his toy box!

Look at me mom! (seriously he was asleep like this!) :(

On 1 of the 6 flights he took to and from Japan. I think he was about at his limit here.

1st time in a cart!

1st time with baby food!

1st time with a sippy cup!

Jack and all of his Japanese friends!

Uplifting story:

Just like last month...I came across a blog this month that I wanted to share. Click here: Great Marriage Blog. Its a great blog about marriage and kids and not believing the negative self-talk you play over and over in your head. It was very timely for me. :)

**Story of the month**

So Japan. I guess the best story is the "6 flight story". Definitely the highs and lows of my life. It took 3 planes to get to Japan (Nashville to St. Paul, St. Paul to Seattle, and Seattle to Osaka). We were afraid, going into this, that Jack was going to have a blowout 20 minutes into the first flight and it would all go down hill from there. Good news: that didn't happen. He did poop 3x's on one plane ride though. :) For the long flight to Japan, we were under the impression that we would have a seat between Christopher and me to put Jack's car seat. Unfortunately the plane was sold out and we traded seats with the middle seat person to one of our aisle seats. So yes, Jack sat in our laps for 12.5 hours. Poor little guy! On the way back to the US, our 3 flights had us go from Osaka to Seattle, Seattle to Salt Lake City, Salt Lake City to Nashville. Each way its about 21 hours of traveling in air/airports. On the way back, we upgraded our tickets to Economy Comfort so that we could get the lovely contraption seen in the picture below. That bassinet saved all 3 of us. Jack slept for 6.5 hours on the flight to the US. This picture cracks me up because he barely fit into the bassinet and his face is like, "Mom...really? I am supposed to sleep in this thing?" He did great. Once we got to Salt Lake we had a "1 hour layover" which turned into almost 5 hours of a layover. It was our 6th flight, we were all tired and loopy, and all we wanted was to get home. Again, Jack the trooper...he took it like a champ. We arrived to our house at 2:30 in the morning and were glad to be home! It was a great trip that we made many memories. My only international travel tip is: anything goes! :)

Ok so onto the details of #babyjack this month!

• Highlight of the month - more teeth! Two top teeth. Funny story - the Japan team all laughed when I said getting off the plane in Japan "That flight was so long...teeth grew...literally!"
• Sleep: It has been going great. He still sleeps from 8:30pm-7:00am like a trooper! Except for the past 18 days since being in Japan and coming back. We have not found our groove yet...say a prayer for us!
• Schedule: The new schedule from last month is going great. He is doing great with his two big naps and his cat nap before dinner. 
• Clothes: He is in 6-9 months mostly now. We still have some 3-6 months stuff that is working...but it screams. New to this month since getting out of the swaddle is footed pjs. He is so cute in his PJs!
• Diapers: Size 3 staying strong! 5-6 a day!
• Food: milk for 30 days of this past month and then on his 7-month birthday we introduced his first solid food, homemade sweet potato and apple baby food. He has had it once a day for 4 days now. We are gradually moving into the food world. We also introduced a sippy cup of water yesterday...he has no idea what to do with that. :)
• New things: Peekaboo is new this month. He pulls the cloth down off his face and laughs. That's a lot of fun. He has started taking his socks off his feet...its new but not so fun for mama. 
• Bad things: Now that he has those top two teeth...he has learned to grind his 4 teeth together. I am not a fan of that at all. 
• At his 6 month check up he was in the 90% for height and 50% for weight. I think it was 17.5 lbs and 27.5 inches. 
  
  

Until next month...

Jack - month 6

Jack is 6 months. Wow! He is amazing. Jack has completely blown my mind and my world. This past month I have learned a lot about myself. I have a whole lot more to learn thats for sure. I will blame these life lessons on the joys and woes of parenthood.

I have felt some high highs and some low lows for sure since being a parent. Since having Jack, I have learned (am learning) to love in a different way. Love is more than feelings... at least I am starting/trying to love this way. Love is what keeps things together when the feelings aren't there and its just plain work. I was reading in an awesome book this month (if you are married...you should be reading this book) about covenant love. In marriage you have to work for covenant love. In parenting, covenant love is instinctual. You give sacrificially 24/7 for a little person that doesn't give back to you. However, there is still so much joy and love that comes. That is what our relationship with Christ is like sometimes. How many times have I heard how having children makes you more aware of your relationship with God. I am getting it now!! How many times do I not give to God my best and he loves me unconditionally 24/7. 

This month I read two blog posts about being a parent that are very thought provoking. 

• http://www.regiehamm.com/blog/hows-your-daughter/
• http://lovingmylot.com/2013/08/23/mom-vs-mom-the-war-i-didnt-see-coming/

Ok no more serious stuff...onto the sweet boy who has taken his parent's heart. Jack has grown sooo much. We have a #bigboyjack on our hands more now than a #babyjack. :)

This month we vacationed with Christopher's parents in Charleston, SC. It was our first time to Charleston and it was just beautiful (Pics below). A friend that I use to work with came to visit for a few days. And our big news is we are getting ready for our first international trip (Japan) with little Jack. 

Jack at the beach at 5 months old

Jack on his first horse and carriage ride!

Jack... our love!

College of Charleston campus...so beautiful!

Jack the "fish"

Ch-all-ston - :) ...."Dahling everything is wandaful in ch-all-ston" (I definitely haven't perfected the Charleston accent...but it is awesome!)

Jack with his nonna and papa!

I am blessed with an amazing family!

I love this boy so much!! 

Our one all-family photo we got! 

Two of the most amazing people on the planet to me! And they are both adorable!

Kiawah Island. We loved this place!

I mean really...what do you with someone so cute, chunky, and handsome!!?? (This is my Iphone screen saver...definitely my favorite).

Jack got a new toy this month and he is pretty proud of it! :)

Jack went to his first every birthday party. His friend Nelson turned 1.

Jack learned to sit up this month. He has perfected it for sure towards the end of the month.

My little mickey mouse! :)

We now have an official weekly play date with Jack's birthday buddy - Paxton.

**Story of the month**

Mr. Jack officially has teeth. When we were with family in Charleston this month...Jack had Christopher's finger in his mouth and basically bit him. We knew he had been teething, but we had no idea he had two pearly whites that had hit the bottom of his gums. Well, now we know. 

Ok so onto the details of #babyjack this month!

• Highlight of the month -sitting up and his two bottom teeth....you know what he wants for Christmas? :) 
• We are swaddle free as of this month. Lets just say I found him on his tummy, face planted into the crib and realized its time to give up the swaddle.
• He still sleeps from 8:30pm-7:00am like a trooper! 
• We have as of last week changed his schedule to only 5 feedings a day and two long naps and a cat nap. So far so good.
• Clothes - Jack is in 3-6 months clothes mostly. Some of his stuff is 6-9 months. We are holding on to 3-6 for as long as possible...6-9 just seems so big! :(
• Diapers - Switched to size 3 diapers this month. We love pampers! He is using about 5-6 diapers a day.
• Food - still breast milk only! :) Until next month...
• We are holding off on solids till we get back from Japan at the end of September. It just seems easier to start that transition after we get back.
• New things: He loves his exersaucer that his buddy Nelson is letting him borrow. He is really getting into his taggie blanket that is orange on one side and giraffe print on the other (Thanks Mom!) He has started to watch us when we eat. When we eat...he is very quiet and serious and he opens his mouth when we take a bit...poor little guy. Hang in there...solids are coming soon!
• Bad things: He loves to pull hair now and eat peoples jewelry. Two things that I am not a fan of at all when I see other babies do...and definitely not what I want Jack to do. We are working on it!
• His 6 month check-up is next week and we will see how much he has grown. 

Until next month...

Jack - month 5

The obsession of loving 16lbs of goodness continues. We have had a great month loving this little guy. One thing is for sure...when he is asleep, I miss him so much. When I get to go in and wake him up from a nap or night sleep...I am so excited to see him (vice versa). I have said this before to quite a few friends...but I love him so much that it hurts sometimes. I could have never imagined these feelings before being a mom to Jack.                                 I want to constantly share new things with him. I want him to make his sweet little noises forever. Time stands still when he puts his messy, slobbery hands on my face and just smiles and coos. Its not always fun and games...but his time that he is awake...I strive to make the most of those moments and not miss one little thing. Being a mom is so much more than I could have ever asked for.

On to the not so sappy side of being a mom...this month has been full of more poop then I know what to deal with. This kid has got to have a limit on this stuff...I mean really! How is something so cute...able to make this amount of poop? We could tell you stories for hours but I will spare you. 

Do you know how hard it is to pull all of the padding out of a carseat to clean it and make sure it doesn't have a stain left on it? :) 

Seriously though...if I had to do 10 loads of laundry a day instead of 1...it would be worth it. This little boy has just melted me in his tiny lint-filled fingers (where does this lint come from? I have no idea).

Look mom...I am a big boy! :)

Mama and her boy!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!

Uh-oh trouble!

Cutie - pie!

Our "headshots" we got for our missions trip to Japan we are about to take. 

-Story of the month- 

Mr. Jack has started to become very "aware" (nosy) about things going on around him. Definitely when it comes to Lucy (our dog). This month he actually pulled Lucy's hair for the first time. I got a photo of it and everything. Lucy is in for even more of a rude awakening when Jack starts chasing her around. :)

Ok so onto the details of #babyjack this month!

• Highlight of the month - definitely his expressions and his "talking". It makes me so happy to see his personality starting to come out.
• He is still in swaddles - they are tight and snug...but we are not giving up his good sleeping patterns for nothing
• He still sleeps from 8:30-7:00 like a trooper!
• Clothes - 0-3 is gone. We are officially into 3-6 month clothes. Shoe size...unknown still! No need for shoes. :)
• Diapers - Still in size 2 diapers! 
• Food - still breastmilk only! :)
• He is still going through about 6-8 diapers a day! ($$$)
• His bumbo is his favorite seat in the house. However, his little thighs are so big that they get stuck in the seat when trying to get them out. Bless his heart.
• New things: He tried out his highchair, big boy stroller seat, and johnny jumper this month...however he is still a little to small for all of them. :) Until next month on those... 
• He is a rolling machine (he also is a rolly polly...but i digress) 

• A new skill that he is picked up this past month is reaching for his toes and sucking on his toes. 
• His schedule has stayed the same since last month. Since 10 weeks old we have been on the same schedule...going strong! #Babywisemom
• His 4 month check up was this past month...and he weighed in at 16lbs and 25 inches long. He is in the 75% percentile for height, weight, and head :)

Ok that is all...Until next month!

Jack - month 4

4 months ago we were kid-less. 4 months ago I thought that I knew what love was. 4 months ago I thought I was handling a lot (boy you can handle a whole lot more than you think). 4 months ago I felt that I was in touch with what "being a mom" was (yeah...I was totally wrong on that one)!

The experience of motherhood and being a parent has been great! Its also constant. Its like you are at a theme park on a really fun ride...however the ride never stops. Its a fun and joyful ride but it is constant. Jack is such a great kid to be on a constant moving ride with. Yes, he has his moments of less than angelic...but I wouldn't trade this little life for anything. 

He is getting into the stage just at the end of last week where he really smiles back at you and really is engaging. I wouldn't trade the first 3 months of low-response infancy for anything...but its great when your kids respond to you. He loves to "talk" and have conversations. He is already quite the poser for the camera :). So yeah...we are having fun with him. 

Picnic at the park with our little guy!

That grin...I melt!

Started using our bumbo this month! 

Jack has two new friends this month - Josiah Simms 

and Jude Scrimpshire. I hope these "J" guys are all going to be best buds like their moms! :)

Family vacation to Ocean City, NJ and Jack's first time at the beach!

Jack with his cousins, Katelyn (3) and Daniel (5)!

I love this boy so much!

-Funniest story of the month - 

We are at the beach in NJ. Just packing up for the day and getting everything back to the boardwalk. Christopher is pulling the stroller through the sand with Jack and all of our stuff in it. When we get to the boardwalk I notice something on his diaper bag in the basket of the stroller. It looks like seagull poop (they were out like crazy that day). However, this poop looked very similar to ... JACKS! I finally put it all together that Jack and the rumblings of the stroller through the sand caused him to poop through his diaper, swim shorts, two paddings in the carseat, and through the holes where the seat belt for the carseat go, onto the diaper bag. When I say it was the biggest mess to clean up...its an understatement. We had to strip him down, strip the carseat, wash everything, and get it ready for flying the next day. Thank God it happened near my sister's house so we could clean and wash all the stuff. 

Ok so onto the details of #babyjack this month!

• Highlight of the month - Jack took his first plane ride, boat ride, and subway ride this month!
• Jack visited New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania for the first time!
• He is still in swaddles...we tried the whole one-hand-out-of-the-swaddle-trick for a while and he was not sleeping good at all. After two weeks of putting up with a cranky/crying baby I experimented and put both hands back in the swaddle...haven't turned back...this kid loves his swaddle
• He still sleeps from 8:30-7:00ish. He sometimes wakes up anywhere from 5:30-6:30 but he is just chilling in his crib. We never go and get him till 7:00. :)
• He is moving out of 0-3 months clothes this week and on into 3-6 months. His shoe size is still 1. However, its the summer and we never put shoes on this kid.
• Still in size 2 diapers! We love pampers wipes and diapers the best!
• He is still going through about 8 diapers a day! ($$$)
• He is holding his head up like a big boy for sure. 
• This month he started using his bumbo!
• This past week he has found his feet and loves holding his feet in mid-air! :) 
• He rolled over for Christopher about 3 weeks ago...last week in NJ he rolled over for everyone and we caught it on video! :)
• Tummy time is going great now! He likes it a whole lot more than he did last month!
• A new skill that he is picked up this past month is blow outs (aka poop all up his back). Lets just say this kid could win a prize for how much he poops a day. 
• His schedule has stayed the same since last month. Since 10 weeks old we have been on the same schedule...going strong! #Babywisemom
• We will go to the doctor next week to get his measurements (and more shots) :(

Ok that is all...Until next month!

Jack - month 3

Our little Jack. Wow this is an exciting journey. 

He makes motherhood such a pleasant and fun experience. I told someone this month that being a mom is like a huge shot of adrenalin. I never knew that the feeling of being a mom to a little guy could bring such wonderful emotions, feelings, and joyful moments. No, its not bliss every moment of every day...but I miss him so much when I don't see him for more than a few hours. Having a child makes love seem so much richer and deeper. I want to love him so much. I want to love my husband so much. I want to love my family so much. I want to love my friends so much. Children really do bring joy! It's also crazy how excited I am for people who are pregnant or planning to have kids... they are in for the best days of their life. :) You really do think that you have a pretty great life, but then kids come along. I think one of the best things about being a parent I have learned is how petty and stupid all of the "BIG" things I use to worry about were.  I don't want to even think about those stressers/drama anymore...all I want is health, strength, and wisdom for my family. Gosh - this half empty girl has turned into a sap! :)

Christopher and I have tried really hard to make the most of every day with him. I have probably over did it with posting pictures almost every day to social media...but I cant help it. There are so many friends and family who I want to share him with every day and I am not able to except through photos. Its the fastest and simplest way to share him with others...without taking mommy and Jack time away from him. :)

So enough sop about me and motherhood... onto the news about Jack!

He went to the zoo for the 1st time

• Highlight of the month - on his 10th week birthday - he started sleeping 9 or more hours through the night. We haven't looked back people. Its a beautiful thing!
• He is in his own bed in his own room.
• He is still in swaddles...I don't think we are ever going to give those sleep sacks up. AMAZING!
• He is still in 0-3 month clothes and size 1 shoes.
• We have moved up to size 2 diapers on his 11th week of life! :)
• His smile is AWESOME! "Smiling is his favorite..." (ELF quote!) :)
• He loves to talk to people. His cooing and ahhhing just make me melt.
• He is getting to be quite the porker...I love the rolls, dimples, and creases on his elbows, wrists, thighs, and ankles. So sweet!
• His favorite hobby is peeing in the tub water. Good news is...we are done with peeing on people while changing his diaper...thank the Lord.
• He is still able to fit in the bassinet part of the stroller. Not to much longer and we are going to have to pull out the big boy attachment to the stroller!
• In his 12th week we have seen some major head holding skills. 
• The only thing he really doesn't like I have picked up on...is tummy time. He is even happy on his tummy but you can tell he is frustrated with it. 
• Crying - the kid hardly ever cries. Its awesome. If he is crying...mommy is a wreck (ask Christopher) because something is seriously the matter. He cried during a nap the other afternoon and it just tore me up because he is such a good sleeper and I had no idea why he was crying. 5 minutes into his crying he was back to sleep. I am thankful for a husband who normalizes the few moments where Jack cries (Babies cry...what a concept)! :)
• He goes through about 8 diapers a day as opposed to 10-12 the first 2 months.
• His schedule right now 
• 7:00 wake up and eat and play for 1.5 hours
• 8:30 nap
• 10:00 wake up and eat and play for 1.5 hours
• 11:30 nap
• 1:00 wake up and eat and play for 1.5 hours
• 2:30 nap
• 4:00 wake up and eat and play for 1.5 hours
• 5:30 nap (this nap we are about to lose because he is just restless and awake in his crib for most of this nap :)
• 7:00 wake up and eat and play for 1.5 hours
• 8:30 down for the night
• 9:45 - mommy goes in and wakes him and gives him a "dream feed" so he sleeps till 7am. Its working wonders!

Until next month!