Jack - 12 months

Oh Jack...you are turning one and it is really hard for me to put my head around. This year has flown by and yet we have been able to do so much as well. You have traveled to lots of states and even to Japan (10 flights!) You have grown and matured into a sweet little toddler. I love that you have started to share with your mama and your friends. I know you are going to be a very kind and sweet boy. 
You have definitely brought some of the sweetest and happiest moments to your dad and I. Just this week you started getting sad and crying when your dad leaves the house. Its sad and sweet all at the same time. You love your "da-da" so much and that makes this mommy's heart melt. 
I love when you light up when one of us enters the room. You sure do know how to make the long winter months more bearable. I have already gotten a glimpse of what life will be like come summer. I can't wait till you are walking and running and jumping at parks. Its bittersweet to say, I want you to always stay my little baby, but I know that you have to grow up and become a big boy too. So I guess I might as well embrace the toddler years and all the cuts, bruises, and injuries you will have. I love you so much and am one proud mama. Your cheeks are so pinch-able and your hair is killer. When you point with your little finger to something, I want to stop everything and just look at what has interested you. I will definitely cry when we have to cut your (I kind of am crying just thinking about it)!

My sleeping beauty

Hunk a burning love!

First trip to the puppet theater at the Downtown Library

Standing like a big boy!

First beautiful day of the year. Went to the dog park!

First time in the swing this year!

He is a pretty good eater!

One cool dude!

Vintage baby clothes (Christopher's old clothes)

Handsome dude!

Learning from one of Nashville's finest!

Awesome bed head!

First time at Gymboree with his friend Ambrose! He Loved it!

Gymboree class!

Musical genius in training!

Smiling is his favorite!

Samurai!? :)

Quote for the month:

"I want to be around people who do things, I dont want to be around people anymore that judge or talk about what people do. I want to be around people who dream and support, and do things"-Amy Poehler

Blog post of the month:

I love this blogger - her blog was called this past week "Ramblings of a new mom" and I loved it.

Ok so onto the details of #bigboyjack this month!

• Highlight of the month: Pulling up to stand on furniture!
• New things: Shaking his head "no", first cough :(
• Words: "HI BABY!!" - thats all still
• Moving: We are not rolling anymore. Just crawling or army crawling. Pulling up on furniture but still have lead in our feet. 
• Sleep: Still 2 naps a day (9-11, 1:30-3:30). He also started going to bed even earlier this month, 7:45-7:00.
• Schedule: Jack has moved down in nursings to just 4x's a day. 
• Clothes: He is still in 9-12 months and 12 months. He is wearing a size 3 and some 4 shoes.
• Diapers: Still size 3 still. 5-6 a day!
• Food:Now nursing 4xs a day (7, 11, 3:30, 9:30). He definitely has a strong opinion about nursing. He lets you know when he's done and thats it. No more.  He eats regular food 3x's a day pretty regularly.
  The food items he has tried so far are - sweet potatoes, butternut squash, acorn squash, carrots, green beans, green peas, avocados, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, black beans, lentils, apples, bananas, prunes, and oatmeal made from oats or millet.  He is now doing quite a few finger foods too: raisins, cheerios, small veggies cut up, and little baby crackers. 
• Drink: Loves his straw sippy cup. Doing pretty well with drinking and not spilling anymore.
• Bad "Not-so-Good" things: He has found the sound system and the steps. Oh Lord help us. They will both be the death of me I think. :)

Jack - 11 months

Its been a good month. First there was a busy and family filled time for Christmas in Phoenix. Then the New Year (2014) hit and it was a nice change of pace to be a little more laid back for the first couple of weeks. Jack has started standing and holding onto things this month. Its crazy because he is all over and into everything, EXCEPT when you stand him on something. He literally goes no where because he is afraid to move his feet. Speaking of "all over and into everything", this month I broke down. The pac n play is sitting in our living room as an eye soar. Jack cannot be left unattended for more than 5 seconds...so now we have a "safe place" downstairs for him to go. He is never in there for more than 10 minutes but its amazing how much you can get done in that short period of time. This month he has definitely begun to be more entertained by toys. He doesn't always just put stuff straight in his mouth...he actually bangs two things together or he pushes his cars or hugs his bears. Its really cute and I know its just the beginning

Jack with his cousins!

At the Polar Express in Tuscon!

Jack with his great-grandparents

Christmas Eve 2013

Christmas Day 2013!

Those cute feet!!

"Everything's Better at Grandma!"

Wonderful photo!

New bath robe with his name on it!! :)

Detox 2014!

Loves to play with toys this month!

Hilarious!

Jack with his friend Paxton! 

Looking Spiffy!

Jack with his friends!

Learning to stand this month!

Jack and the scrunched nose! :)

Baby and me! :)

Quote for the month:

"Aiming for beauty tempered by reality"- From my book I am reading "The Perfectly Imperfect Home"

Blog post of the month:

This has been all over social media. If you haven't read it yet, I recommend it. http://weseekjoy.blogspot.com/2013/12/babies-ruin-bodies.html?m=1

Ok so onto the details of #bigboyjack this month!

• Highlight of the month: Pointing! We say he is just getting ready to show everyone he is almost one! :) 
• New things: I turned on Justin Bieber's song "Baby" because that is his favorite word right now and to me...I think he sang along and he definitely danced along...
• Words: "HI BABY!!" 
• Moving: I think we have moved on from rolling to only army crawling. Jack is standing now, but he has lead in his feet and he doesn't want to move his feet
• Sleep: Still 2 naps a day (9-11, 1:30-3:30). He also started going to bed earlier this month, 8:00-7:00.
• Schedule: Same schedule since 6 month old. Going great.
• Clothes: He is in 9-12 months and 12 months. He is wearing a size 3 and some 4 shoes.
• Diapers: Size 3 still. 5-6 a day!
• Food: Still nursing 5xs a day (7, 11, 3:30, 6:30, 9:30). Nursing has gone much better this month than last month. However I think the weaning process has begun
  The food items he has tried so far are - sweet potatoes, butternut squash, acorn squash, carrots, green beans, green peas, avocados, broccoli, kale, brussel sprouts, black beans, apples, bananas, prunes, and oatmeal made from oats or millet.  He is now doing quite a few finger foods too: raisins, cheerios, small veggies cut up, and little baby crackers. He tried chicken for the first time this month.
• Drink: using the straw sippy cup best this month! He likes throw away water bottles as well.
• Bad "Not-so-Good" things: Jack has definitely started becoming a child and not a baby. He is starting to find his own independent spirit. With that comes good and not so good things. Another thing is Christopher had to replace all the baseboard doorstops on our doors because he kept pulling them (hello choking hazard) with upper hinge door stoppers. He also thinks that our remotes and Lucy's toys and all electrical cords are way more exciting than his many toys he has. :)

Jack - month 10

Merry Christmas from the Phillips!

My little 10 month old.

We have experienced a lot of changes this month. Jack has definitely moved from a baby to a more vocal, mobile, and expressive BOY! He has always been a grunter but now its on a whole new level. He is into everything. He loves his mom and dad very much. We are moving into a little clingy phase right now that I hope comes and goes very fast! His hair is awesome! He is going to have really thick hair just like his mom and dad. Christopher has been working with Jack on matching pitches...he seems to be doing well with it. We have another musical genius coming down the pike! :) Jack did a wonderful job on the road trip to and from Georgia. He loved visiting with his aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents.

First time in the Publix cart...getting food for our road trip to GA!

Georgia, where else do you just gnaw on a piece of corn (thats a toy)

He opened at least one Christmas present every day while visiting Nonna and Papa!

Presents!

The Thanksgiving public service announcement - "Gobble til you wobble"

Great-grandaddy getting on the floor with Jack and the grands! 

Jack Loved spending time with his grandparents and great-grandparents in GA

Friends....Jack, Jude, and Josiah!

It gets harder and harder to take pictures with Jack's friends...they are busy, busy.

I thought it would be fun each year for Jack to have his own tree.

Nonna and Papa came to visit Jack and us for the Christmas concerts

Dinner at Saffire in Franklin.

What you do when you are waiting in line to see Santa...

Cheekwood

Jack met Danny Murray who directs the Voices of Lee (the group his dad use to be in)

Loving the ornaments on the tree...

how is it possible we have had him this long? Crazy!

The coolest house decorated for Christmas.

Quote for the month:

"Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting" -Joyce Meyer

Blog post of the month:
My friend Jessica sent this my way. Its hilarious "A ten month olds letter to Santa"(how appropriate)!! 

Ok so onto the details of #bigboyjack this month!

• Highlight of the month: He is dancing, waving, and clapping hands! Yeah all new and very exciting
• New things: He has started calling me "mum" which is just amazing. 
• Moving: His main method of moving is still rolling, however we have moved into quite a bit of army crawling which still isn't real crawling. He does get up on his hands and knees and rock...any day now...he will be full on crawling!
• Sleep: Same for this month 8:30pm-7:00am! 2 naps a day (9-11, 1:30-3:30) and most days he has decided not to to take the catnap.
• Schedule: Same schedule since 6 month old. Going great.
• Clothes: He is in 6-12 months and 12 months. He is wearing a size 3 and some 4 shoes.
• Diapers: Size 3 still. 5-6 a day! Hashtag Pampers for Life!
• Food: Still nursing 5xs a day (7, 11, 3:30, 6:30, 9:30). This has been the hardest thing about this month for sure. He has stressed mama out on this front many times. Which I guess I have heard happens in the 9 to 10 month transition but that doesn't make it easier. He started biting a lot at the beginning of the month and then he would just stop nursing after 3 or 4 minutes which was stressful because he would not latch back on which would then make me have to pump after nursing and it caused a few mama meltdowns. I think we are on the other side of that issue.
  The food items he has tried so far are - sweet potatoes, butternut squash, acorn squash, carrots, green beans, green peas, avocados, broccoli, black beans, apples, bananas, prunes, and mama's oatmeal.  He is now doing quite a few finger foods too: raisins, cheerios, small veggies cut up, and little baby crackers. 
• Drink: Still not into sippy cups of water. We use a straw and bird-feed him water. Unbelievable what a parent does to get liquid into this kid
• Bad "Not-so-Good" things: I alluded to the biting earlier. Enough said about that. That might be the worst thing in the books . As well, he got shots and the flu vaccine last week and for the 5-7 days after that vaccine/flu shots he threw up almost every day one huge meal. It was bad. REAL bad! Details would be to much for the internet, but know it was awful. We are two days - sans throw-up! So thats good. 
• Well Visit 9 month stats - 20.7 lbs (50%) and  29 inches long (75%)