6 month check-up

Yesterday, JB had his 6-month check-up with Dr. Richker. He is doing so great! He weighed in at 16lbs, 11oz (40th percentile), is 27.5in (75th percentile), and his head is 17.7in (85th percentile). So he is still a long and thin baby with a big noggin!

He did great with his shots, but has been extra fussy last night and this morning. He just needs a little extra lovin, which is perfect because his great-grandparents are here to visit and they (like most family) are obsessed with him.

Here he is this morning on our walk - it is about 50 degrees here and quite chilly since it rained all day yesterday.

Monkey Hat from Aergonia

This Little Piggy...

... will eat anything and everything he tries. He isn't a picky eater like Momma, but an all-accepting boy like Dad. He is eating about 4oz of food 3 times per day in addition to several bottles of formula. His favorites are currently sweet potatoes, peas, and bananas.

He also loves:

• Carrots
• Apples
• Blueberries
• Mangoes
• Pears
• Squash
• Prunes

I just made my first batch of baby food - bananas, carrots, and peas. We will see tomorrow if he enjoys them!

Lazy

That's me with blogging :) Honestly, I have been putting my energy to other things - mainly sleeping as much as possible because it's not happening at night. I don't know what I am doing wrong, but I can't get Jackson to sleep through the night. Or for more than 3 hours at a time. WTF??? He eats at 7 (rice cereal and formula) and then gets a bath and is tucked in by 8. Then he almost always wakes up at 11 and needs "reassurance" from Momma, which entails me patting his belly and giving him a kiss. This happens again at 1am, at 3am he's starving and he eats 4oz, and then he wakes up at 5:30, and then 7:30. I have been letting him cry it out, but he won't stop crying. At all. For very long periods of time.

Other than the sleeping thing, he is amazing. He started eating rice cereal and he is getting the hang of it. Now he also tries to grab my food when I'm eating :)

He is getting so big! No more 3 month clothes, all 6 months and 6-9 months for my little man.

Jackson is getting so close to sitting on his own. He can hold himself up with his hands, but he is working on the real deal. Right now he is sitting next to me, trying to type on my computer.

He'd like to say a few things: xa4wqfaxgbynnbn6rtjy hukuFTSDDFSE4E SZA

So that's where we are :)

Out and About

The past few weeks have been very exciting in Jackson's life. We started Gymboree classes last week and he is LOVING them! He enjoys watching the other babies and mommies more than he likes to play on his tummy, but that's okay with me.

We also went to the zoo for the first time. It was so fun to watch JB look at all of the animals. He especially liked the elephants and the monkeys. We could only stay for about an hour and a half because it was 95 degrees outside.




Jackson has also started rolling over from his back to his tummy. It's so fun to watch him roll around, but he isn't super into being on his tummy. He gets so upset after a few minutes and then I have to roll him back over. Sleeping has become a big issue because he keeps waking himself up and he just can't seem to fall back asleep. Any ideas other mommies??

4 Months

Jackson/JB/Jack -

You are getting SO big! Lots of fun stuff has been happening in your life this past month and I am so impressed with your development.

Eating - You eat 6oz every three hours or so. Sometimes you are starving and consume an entire 8oz bottle!! I am excited to start you on baby foods in a few months and can't wait to try out some recipes for you :) You are trying to feed yourself now and grab at your bottle. Mommy thinks this is cute and Daddy finds it irritating because you keep pushing your bottle out of your mouth and then get frustrated that it isn't there anymore :)

Sleeping - You are a decent night sleeper. You sleep from 7:30pm- 3am and then until 6-7am. Yesterday you let Mommy sleep in until 8:45am and it was amazing. Today - no such luck :) I love to carry you into our room and cuddle you for an extra few hours in the morning. We are still swaddling you, but last night was the last night because you rolled ALL the way over to your belly! I'm so proud of how strong your neck is, but you need arms to help get you back on your back.

Playtime - You are loving Baby Einstein. Mommy plays it once a day for you (at dinnertime so we can eat like civilized people again) and you are so into it. Your favorite scene is with a toy that has little blue and purple balls floating around in liquid. Whatever floats your boat little man!
You also have some favorite toys - a set of teething keys and a Baby Einstein music player. You are still growing into your jumperoo but you love to hang in there for a few minutes while someone bounces you.

Size - I'm not sure how much you weigh at the moment, but clothes-wise you are wearing 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers. You are starting to get too long for some of your clothes, but I hate how you drown in the 6-9 month outfits.

14/15 Weeks

I am so incredibly late with this post. So late that JB is now halfway through the week and is closer to 16 weeks than 15. Life has just taken over everything and blogging is one of my last priorities after hanging with my family, running my teams, cleaning my house, running errands, and showering. It makes me tired just writing about it.

Jackson is turning a corner in his development. He is starting to form habits and learn how to get attention. He will now fuss when he wants me to drop whatever I'm doing and give him all my attention. We are attempting to get him to sleep at night without swaddling - tonight is night one so I'll let you all know how it goes. He likes to roll on his side and sleep and I am so over being paranoid about SIDS because I cannot let him sleep like that for very long without freaking out that he is going to perish. Thank you pediatrician for your endless 15-page memos on how I'm going to kill my child. I love being more anxious than normal.

He is also getting so big. He has almost complete control over holding his head up and he is now grabbing for specific things like toys and his bottle and my hair (what a grip!!).

Here are some photos of him that last few weeks - we took a mini vacation to Vail last weekend and he had his first pool experience. So adorable!!

13 Weeks Old

Jackson is now 13 weeks old and is officially 3 months. He is so darling and I am loving spending my days with him more and more. I have to admit that other tasks are almost impossible for me to accomplish and I wonder how so many moms work full time. Jack isn't a "bad" baby, but he does require a lot of my attention. I also don't believe in just letting him sit in his swing/bouncy seat for hours at a time. I would rather engage him throughout the day. Not saying he doesn't go in his swing (he loves to nap there), but I hear of some babies practically living in their swings and I know that won't work for us.

He's a little piggy these days and is eating about 6oz of formula (when he gets is instead of breastmilk) and I swear that he eyes my food whenever he see me eating. I think it will be fun in a few months to introduce foods to him and see his reaction. Not so fun is all the food he will fling around the house (though I imagine my dogs will be in heaven).

We are still attempting to get him to sleep flat on his back through the night. He is a little wiggleworm and will wake himself up several times by trying to get out of his swaddle, kicking around, rolling on his side, etc. It's no fun to get up at 1am, 3am, 5am, 7am when he was sleeping in his car seat from 9pm-7am. I'm not the only one complaining. Whenever he wakes up, he is a disaster. He can't seem to focus on eating, he screams at me, and he is too angry to fall asleep again. He takes after his momma with his sleep needs.

Here are some photos of him from this past week. He is laughing a lot these days and he is also learning how to cry for attention. *Joy*

Other milestones: JB started to grab his feet as well as at toys. He also covers himself up with blankets if given the opportunity.

Happy Baby

Skeptical Baby

Ready for the Road

Future Ducks Fan

12 Weeks Young

How has the time gone by so fast?? 12 weeks have passed since Jackson joined us and he is like a little grown-up. He's planning on moving out next week and is visiting colleges :)

Okay, maybe we aren't there yet, but he really is getting so big! He smiles and laughs at me constantly and he is so very vocal about what he would like. He is also super awake and alert now and follows voices/people around the room. It's so awesome to know that he recognizes Mommy and Daddy's voices and responds with smiles.

He has also connected with a toy! He has this little elephant made by Bright Starts that rattles and has teethers for feet. I call him Mr. Elephant and JB will laugh and smile when I put Mr. Elephant in his arms. Soo cute!!

Here he is this week - adorable as ever.

Mr. Elephant :)

11 Weeks Old

**I started this post last week, but then Blogger went all haywire for a bit, so it's crazy late.

So this baby is growing up so fast! This week Jackson has been smiling and laughing more, is incredibly AWAKE during the day, and sleeps for 8-10 hours at night. The newborn days are leaving us fast!! I'm kind of sad that his newborn and most of his 0-3 month clothing is no longer fitting him, but excited to put him in one of the 80 million new outfits Great-Grandma and Pa have sent him!

He is becoming less reliant on the fourth trimester tools (swaddling, white noise, side lying) to fall asleep, but we still need to transition him into sleeping flat on his back all night. We have been working with him this weekend, but he is now back to waking up at 3:30am and then again around 7:15am. Just as I was getting used to a full night's sleep....

He's getting really good about holding his head up, and he likes to put weight on his legs as well. He still hates tummy time, but he is cool with it if he's on the Boppy. I hope that means he won't crawl or roll over for a while - I'm not ready yet!

He is no longer a great napper, which is extremely irritating when I want to accomplish anything. He honestly naps about two hours the entire day - all broken up into 20-30 minute segments. I would love to break him of this habit, but I have no control over this child (which also drives me crazy).

We had our first set of shots on Wednesday as well as his two-month check-up. Dr. says he looks great! He weighs 12 pounds and is 23 inches long now (50th percentile for weight, 75% percentile for length and head circumference). I swore he was at least 14 or 15 pounds by now, but I guess not.

He was so angry when he got his shots, but forgot about it immediately after when I gave him sugar water and then a bottle. He promptly fell asleep for five hours, and then woke up screaming just as Daddy was set to watch him for a bit. Poor little guy was pretty fussy, but he got over it quickly. I am definitely NOT looking forward to the next set of shots at his four month check-up.


Here he is last week - getting bigger by the day!!

10 Weeks Old

Jackson is now 10 weeks old and he is changing dramatically, especially in the sleep department. For the past three nights he has slept for 6 or more hours at a time. Last night he slept from 10pm-7am!! I think we are definitely reaching a turning point.

He's getting huge and some of his 0-3 month clothing is a bit snug. I can't wait to go to the dr. to see just how much he weighs.

He's also getting quite demanding, and will let you know when he is displeased. We went to see Trevor for lunch this week and he was not about that. He was fussy the whole time and we had to leave early because he was making a bit of a ruckus. Two days later I hung out with another friend and he was a little angel baby. He's getting moods, just like his momma!!

He's also eating a lot more during the day - usually four to five ounces at a time! He gets hungry every few hours and he goes from calm to crazy as soon as he realizes he wants food. Just like another person in our family...

He smiles a lot more as well, and has become obsessed with looking at himself in the mirror of his playgym. It cracks me up when he smiles or laughs at himself and I too am entertained as long as he is!

We are so lucky to have such a cutie :)

8 Weeks/2 Months Old

This little man is now 2 months old. Time has flown by! He is so sweet and fun to be with (almost all of the time). He is now starting to require entertainment between feedings and nap time. He likes his play gym, bouncy seat, swing, and looking at bright colors. I love to watch him explore things.

In the two months since I've been a mommy, I have learned so many things. Here are a few of them:

• Never put on your "nice clothes" until you are moments from leaving the house. Doing so before is only asking for baby spit-up to cover your clothing and leave you furious and force you to change again.
  

• Always assume that gas is actually baby poo. Don't make the mistake of thinking he wouldn't poop twice in ten minutes or it could land all over you.
  

• JB loves to cuddle. He will sleep twice as long cuddled up next to someone as he will when he's alone. I love this, but I can only do it in the mornings or I would get crap sleep.
  

• My favorite time is hanging out with Trevor and Jackson on the couch. We don't have to be doing anything and I am incredibly content. Throw the doggies in and it's heaven.
  

• I will kill (or try my best to) anyone who would try to hurt my baby. Not joking. I think I would go bananas on someone if I thought they were trying to mess with Jack. Like a mama bear.
  

• I think everything my child does is adorable and needs to be photographed/recorded. It's getting to be an obsession and I'm running out of camera memory.

• The biggest thing I have learned as a parent is that it is possible to break the cycle of poor parenting. I can honestly promise my child that I will never abandon him, I will always encourage him, and he will never feel like I don't care enough (he will probably tell me that I am smothering him with too much love). I know that I will make mistakes (as I have already), but the difference between me and my parents is that I will take time to fix them and make sure that I learn something positive from them. I was really worried when I first realized that I was going to be a mom that I would turn out like mine and I wouldn't have any control because I rationalized that you parent as you were parented. But I have realized since JB was born that Trevor and I are making our own path as parents and we are able to control the way we raise our child. Thank goodness.
  

5 weeks Old (three days late)

So Jackson is actually now 5 1/2 weeks old, but better late than never, right? I have been spending my free time sewing and cooking and sleeping instead of blogging. Sorry!

Jackson is getting so big! I watch this little man grow every day. This week has flown by, just like the other four, and I have a feeling that will continue.

JB is getting better at taking baths and eating from bottles. He is also able to focus on objects for a short amount of time. He enjoys looking at himself in the mirror, and he's cool to hang out on his playmat for about 20 minutes at a time.

He LOVES music and dancing (wonder where he got that from). I use this to my advantage when he's fussy - we have JB and Mommy dance parties. Works every time.

Here he is in his play gym:

Precious!!

4 Weeks/1 Month

Jackson is one month old! Boy has he come a long way s
ince we met him on Feb. 24th. He is SO big these days! He is also developing and changing so much every day, and I love to spend time just watching his faces, or watching him sleep. Creepy mom alert....

Milestones:

JB has slept for 5+ hours twice this week. Hoping that this continues, but I don't want to get my hopes up. I'm still not used to this at all, so I wake up often just to check on him. I will calm down eventually and then I will get 5+ hours of sleep too!

Jackson has lots of new faces that mimic mommy's faces. My favorites are his crazy eyes look and his kissy-face/zoolander face.

He is more and more alert every day. Lately he has been staying awake in the mornings from 7:30-10ish. Then he gets an hour nap and is up again until 1.

I am still attempting to transition him out of sleeping in his car seat. Slowly but surely it will happen. I hope.

He is very demanding these days. He wants to be held or sleep in my lap all morning long, which means I don't get to eat breakfast unless I shovel it in my mouth while holding him. Today he has only allowed me to have some coffee and an oatmeal cookie. Okay, I chose the cookie. But it was staring me down and I was hungry :)

Jack is growing like crazy and has the cutest pudgy belly and double chin. Why is fat and chub so cute on babies and so not cute on me?? I attribute this growth to his voracious appetite. He is eating about 4-5oz every two-three hours. Yum yum yum!

Here is the little chunky butt at 1 month old:

I always catch him mid-yawn. Adorable!

23 Weeks

I can't believe I am at 23 weeks! It seems like yesterday that we found out about our little nugget - who is getting so big!! Jackson is now estimated at 8.5 inches and 1.5lbs. WOW!!! My belly is starting to get bigger and bigger as well, and I am slathering on the awesome belly creme Carol (fab MIL) gave me in hopes of avoiding stretch marks.

We have set dates to clear out Trevor's office and paint - Nov. 26th-28th, right after Thanksgiving. I cannot even wait for that time. I am such a planner and decorator and I have been having nightmares about having Jack before the room is finished. Yikes!!!

Back to my stats:

How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: Back to 8lbs thanks to my meds and Whole Foods' delicious ice cream.
Stretch marks? stay away, please!!
Food cravings: ice cream - chocolate and french vanilla. Delish :)
Feeling Baby? For sure - he is getting predictable with timing and movements. I can also see my tummy move when he kicks. Too cute.
Wearing maternity clothes? Ahh, I love the elastic waistband on my jeans. So amazing!
What I love: When Trevor talks to Jackson and touches my belly.
What I hate: When people I am not comfortable with touch my belly. Awkward and extremely annoying. I want to punch them. In the face.

What I am can't wait for: My Shower!!

Moment of the Week: Going to book club and having such wonderful friends. They are extremely supportive and sweet :)