Poor Baby JJ!

He's so neglected on here! Poor second child. I was scrolling through my recent posts when I realized I hadn't updated about him in months. :( 

He is, of course, doing great. He's just a month away from his first birthday (OMG) and he is busy as can be! Crawling everywhere, and he also likes to "bear crawl" on his hands and feet with his butt in the air. He is nowhere close to walking! He won't even stand up unassisted - even though I know he can. I set him down on his feet the other day and let go. He stood there for a second, turned toward Audrey, and took a step before sitting down. This was the first and only time he has stood up unassisted and I haven't been able to get him to do it again. I think he's just too lazy! haha. I try not to get into comparison mode (Audrey was walking at 10 months) and remind myself that they are so different and he will walk when he feels like it.

He "talks" a lot. He says mama, dada, doggie, uh-oh, and he can "rawr" like a lion. He nods yes and no. He eats everything we eat, with the exception of peanut butter. I haven't tried it yet, but probably will shortly after he turns one. He's still breastfeeding, but I also give him whole milk in a sippy cup throughout the day. He prefers nursing to the sippy cup, but we will be weaned by the end of the year I predict. He's not been the best nurser, and our time is just coming to a close. It makes me a little sad, but for various reasons, I'm ready to be done for now.

He was sleeping through the night for a while there after we moved him into the bedroom he now shares with Audrey. I couldn't believe when we put him in the crib in there that he slept straight through the first night! He did that for a couple of months but then around 9 months he started waking again. He currently wakes once or twice a night to eat. I predict that will stop too once we aren't nursing anymore. He naps like a champ...one to two hours in the morning and 2-3 in the afternoon. This is sooooo nice. Audrey NEVER did this (40 mins twice a day..ugh!) so I figure his willingness to let me rest during the day makes up for his night waking. I don't mind it at all!

He has six teeth. Four up top and two on the bottom. He has been a pretty easy teether, some minor crankiness but almost no drool and it didn't come with ear infections like it always did with Audrey. He knows how to use those few teeth, though! We went through a rough patch where he would bite me while nursing...not cool. That stopped, but he still bites occasionally. He doesn't do it out of malice, but because he's just getting used to having them and using them for what they're intended! In addition to the biting thing, our sweet, gentle boy has quite a temper. He's very emotional overall, actually. He YELLS at us, he throws things (then looks at us to see our reaction), he gets too rough when we're playing and he hits, and when he gets upset, he throws the saddest, most pathetic Break-Your-Heart face at us and usually ends up getting his way. He does NOT like to be told no, it immediately induces tears.

 

 

Most of the time, though, he's a happy and easy going guy. He likes to eat, he loves his smoothies, and he laughs for much of the day. He thinks Audrey is the most entertaining thing in the world! He likes to cuddle and he dances to any music he hears. He is starting to warm up to his cousin Liam, but at first he DID NOT like him. I think he realized (quickly) that Liam is a little baby and he isn't anymore.



Conversations with Audrey, #2

I have posted some of these on Facebook but I really need a way to remember them...to the blog they go!

Introducing me to her preschool friend on a field trip:
"This is my best friend named Mama. She's so pretty because she's my mama."

At the dinner table during her first week of preschool:
"I'm the prettiest girl at preschool."

Woke up crying one night, so I ran in and asked if she had a bad dream? Did she need to use the bathroom?
"No. I just need cuddles."

Sliding down the stairs on her bottom:
"This is not safe. This is not safe."

Hearing the ice cream truck come down the street:
"Mama!! Do you have any money for me?"

This is an old one, but definitely worth remembering. As I started picking up the living room one afternoon:
"We have somebody comin over?"

 

She cracks me up every day so I am trying to make a better effort to write down everything she says and share it with you all!