A Review of New Jude Accomplishments and Other Things

1. Started walking this past weekend - August 18 to be exact. Still crawls mostly, but can definitely walk.
2. Still just has 6 teeth - 4 upper and 2 lower. I think he is cutting more, but I can't tell which ones. It's like he's had a teeth slow down or something.
3. Is eating everything in sight. Loves pasta and fruit. Does not like potatoes.
4. Drinks whole milk out of a sippy cup now. No bottles. Still nurses 1-3 times a day. We are trying to make it just once a day - in the morning - but it doesn't always work out that way, either for him (he feels needier sometimes) , or me (I get uncomfortably full and need relief). But, we're working on the weaning process. I'm not pushing or pressuring in any way. Yet.
5. His major "word" right now is "BA!" - which he uses interchangeably for several things: Backpack (BA BA!), Map (these 1st 2 are from Dora the Explorer), cat, and dog. I feel just a little concerned that he isn't saying more, but I'm trying not to get too worked up about it. He definitely knows what things are, and understands simple phrases.
6. He can point to his feet, belly button, and sometimes his nose. Knows who Daddy, Mommy, the cat, the dog, Nana, and Grandpa are. He tries to use the TV remote control, ha ha.
7. May be starting to know colors and shapes, but we're not sure on that one.
8. Usually sleeps all night, from 8 pm to 7 am. Once or twice a week, will awaken between 1 & 5, and we gladly bring him to bed with us, where he finishes out his sleep peacefully.
9. Likes: Dora the Explorer, Blue's Clues, Teletubbies, Noggin characters, Maisy, Elmo, the Spongebob theme song (heck..we're watching too much TV). These little plastic animal characters he got for his b'day, toy drum, keyboard toy w/microphone, shapes toys, knocking over blocks, patty cake, giving kisses and hugs, trucks and cars, the dog and cat, his pacifier (we're working on it), taking baths, turning off lights, opening and closing doors and drawers, putting things in containers and taking them out, wagon rides, riding on his rocking lion, the baby in the the sun on Telebubbies, the itsy bitsy spider, being sung to, having books read to him, particularly: I Love You Forever, Clifford Book, Go, Dog, Go!, the pop up baby books (How Big is Baby? Good Night Baby!)
10. Dislikes: Being washed once in the bath, having his diaper changed, being interrupted if he is in the middle of something, having things he wants taken away from him (but who would like that?), the dog barking too much, new people if it's a one on one situation (like the photographer).

Overall, I'd describe Jude as a lovable little baby. He has his moments, but I think that adds to his personality. He has these mini-tantrums. Amazingly, they don't bother me or make me mad. I find them rather amusing, actually, that he has a mind of his own like that. I still love him to death and think he's a cutie, even when he's being bad.

I only find myself feeling a tad frustrating at the diaper changing process, when he fights me on it. I don't really react very much to my frustration though. Sometimes I tell gently to be good or to stop that. Other times I try hard to distract him. Sometimes I just ask "what's wrong?". In any case, I believe he is too young to really be a brat on purpose. I think he is old enough to dislike being strapped to the changing table, and that the process of changing a diaper itself is boring and something he doesn't want to do. Like a turtle, he is not happy on his back for so long when he wants to play. But I have to strap him or else he'll roll over and crawl away, mid diaper change, even if it's a poopy one!

Speaking of that, he doesn't seem to mind at all when his diaper is soiled. Not yet anyway. He doesn't let me know. I either smell it or I just keep checking, or I just sort of know when to change it (after naps, etc.)

But as I said, overall, he is a good baby. I couldn't have hoped for a better baby.

Jude's 1st Birthday - come and gone

I can't believe how fast that year went. Man, have a baby and WHOOSH!!! You're in a time warp!

On August 12, Jude's birthday, we had a Baby Elmo/Seseme Street themed birthday party. It was a smashing hit.

I bought an Elmo cake from Marsh - Marble cake with white whipped icing. I also bought a white smash cake for Jude, and small pink Strawberry Shortcake cake for Matt's sister (8/13), and a football/beer themed cake for Matt's dad (8/16).

We decoreated the house in Elmo stuff galore, and rented tables and chairs and a tent for outside. It was so very hot and humid that day though, that we spent a lot of time indoors.

Lots of great people came to eat lots of good food, and they brought lots of nice gifts. I'll document all of it in Jude's baby book.

It was nice to have a big party for his 1st birthday, but we plan on making it more low key next year.

First Trip Away From Baby

July 12-15, 2007

Matt & I drove to South Haven, MI for a little getaway. We left Jude with Matt's mom.

It was pretty tough for me at first, but it got better. Still, I couldn't wait to get back.

He seemed to do pretty well with Matt's mom. However, he was completely off schedule for about 3 weeks.

Wedding Bells

Jude went to his first wedding on Saturday, June 16, 2007. It was the wedding of cousin Holly to Daniel.

He did a really good job. He sat through the wedding and reception without getting fussy. A little squirmy at the wedding, but he still did an excellent job. He was oblivious to the day's events...we could have been anywhere. And it was getting late so we did not have a chance to dance or do the Hokey Pokey with him. Maybe next time.

He knows how to clap now, but when everyone clapped at the same time, it really threw him off. He just stopped and froze and looked around at everyone. Come to think of it, a crowd of 300 clapping sounds way different than just one person clapping. It's like a single raindrop compared to a torrential thunderstorm.

I Would Not Could Not Wear a Life Jacket...

I Would Not Could Not Wear a Life Jacket;
I Will Not Wear it In a Boat;
I Will Not Wear It With a Goat;
I Do Not LIKE Life Jackets!
I do not like them, Mommy Dearest, I am.


I had yet another brilliant, but evil, weekend with Mommy and Daddy.

Mommy had the day off on Friday, and took me to Nana’s house, which is always a treat. Mommy had work at home to do, and I would have been very bored in my play pen all day.

Later in the afternoon, she did pick me up to do a little shopping at the mall. Lots of people stared at me and I had conversations with random strangers that passed us by.

Saturday, it was the long drive to Grandma Chris’ in the blasted car seat. I slept all the way there.

I sort of remembered who Grandma Chris was. I did not feel nearly as scared this time, and warmed up to her pretty quickly actually.

We drove up to Great Aunt Vicky & Great Uncle Walt’s cottage on the lake. Yep, another car seat adventure and yep, I slept again.

The lake was fun. Mommy held me in the water. I took to it really well. It was fun to splash around in the water with Cousin Hanna (she is almost 2). Cousin Hanna can float all by herself. She wears “wings” on her arms. I have to hold on to Mommy though.

One time, Mommy put me in a floatation device made especially for babies, but I didn’t care for that so much. The water was to my chest, and I did not feel safe. When some got in my face and I swallowed a little, Mommy decided it was time to take me out. All the bacteria. Ewww.

Daddy also got in the water and held me for a little while.

They tried to take me on the boat, but I screamed and cried like a newborn. The problem was with the constrictive and claustrophobic life jacket. It made me stiff as a board, and even when the boat moved, I hated it and cried for my very life. Mommy had them turn the boat around, and Grandma Chris took me inside for some comfort food. I was all better after that.

I was very, very tired that evening and slept all the way back to Grandma Chris’ house. I always wake up when Mommy takes me out of the car seat though, which messes up my sleep cycle. I would not go back to sleep for another hour, even though I felt tired and kept rubbing my eyes. Mommy finally put me in the crib and lay down beside me on the floor, and that always seems to work. I slept all night without waking.

Sunday, we came back home. Daddy took me to Nana’s house for a little while b/c they wanted to see me, and Mommy was getting a pedicure & manicure. Later, Mommy & Daddy & I went to Coldstone Creamery for some ice cream. I thought it was yum yum yum yum delicioso, but Mommy & Daddy weren’t so impressed. Not bad, but not worth the trouble or expense. By the time we got home again, I was so over being in that stupid car seat.

I went to bed pretty easily that night. However, I woke up at 3 a.m. this morning, and Daddy could not get me back to sleep. So he brought me to bed with Mommy & I slept soundly until 6:30.

Mommy doesn’t mind me coming to bed with her like that, but is concerned that when I come to bed, I always want to eat. She thinks I shouldn’t eat in the middle of the night like that, but I like my Mommy’s Milk! It’s so soothing to be right next to her while nursing, especially after having nightmares about life jackets!

May 31, 2007

Today began like every other day, I picked Jude up from the babysitters at 11:30 am. I typically find Jude being held by Alice in her recliner with two to three toddlers surrounding them. Childish squeals of "Jude's dad is here" chime throughout the home based nursery as I let myself in. A couple of three to five year old girls rush over to me. They each take a hand in effort to guide me to my son while explaining how they've been watching their own babies. Their gestures suggest that the naked baby dolls lying discarded near the toy box may be their "babies".

Alice, on the otherhand, doesn't give up Jude so easily. On a good day, I get to watch our babysitter kiss and hug Jude for three minutes before I get to take him home. I have to admit that more tramatic things could happen to Jude, I'm just being a jealous dad. So, after a ten minute goodbye we made our way home.

Jude and I played with some toys, checked out the electronic entertainment. Then we had big lunch. Jude ate a biter biscut, 2 oz. elebow macaronni, 1/4 chopped pear, 1/3 bottle of greenbeans w/rice, 1/3 cup of cereal, and 1/3 bottle of bananas and apples. Then, we played with the dinosaur toy, read some books. He helped me clean up the kitchen and fold some laundry. Then, nap time came rather easily. I laid him down. He protested for almost 10 seconds after I left the room.

Luck runs out..sort of

Jude woke up at 4 a.m. this morning. Matt brought him to bed, as is the usual fare.

After I fed him, he was restless. He kept rolling over and crawling all over us. He would not sleep.

I had to sleep, so I took him upstairs and put him in his crib, and turned his music on. He fussed a little, but then went right to sleep! The little bugger slept until 6:45!

I think this is a turning point. He will no longer nap or sleep peacefully in our bed, so maybe he isn't going to be a toddler co-sleeper like I thought.

Matt & I decided to stop bringing him to bed in the middle of the night, should he wake up. We're going to try to give him water, then formula, then put him back in bed. Maybe I'll have to nurse him in his room. Maybe he wants Mommy. Hard to tell.

Either way, we're going to try and keep him in his room. He needs to learn to entertain himself and to soothe himself back to sleep. If he does take formula instead of breast milk, this will be a good step towards weaning from the breast.