Terrifically Thomas: 11 months for Jackbaby!

Yes friends, the time has come...the end is near for these monthly postings/ updates about our Jackman because as of 1 month from today, he WILL BE ONE YEAR OLD! Holy moly! I am deeply enthralled in party planning mode and we are firmly implanted within our theme of, "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" as we feel it is most fitting for our boy who is an everchanging, VERY hungry little caterpillar indeed! The signs are showing daily that we really no longer have a "baby-baby", we are transitioning into having a toddler which is just plain scary...a baby toddler, if you will. It's like another person in our house...ha! Not that he hasn't been here all this time, because I assure you, he has, but he is an almost walking, talking, contributing member of society...well, kind of, ha! And he. is. amazing. And every day is better than the day before with him...if that was even possible!

see my teefers?!?

Also, we may or may not be raising a puppy. Yes folks, I admit it, our child is much like a small dog. Why you may ask? Well, he's not pooping on the floor or anything, but there is a lot of maintenance in that department as diapers are obviously still with us...but he picks up anything (and I do mean and emphasize ANYTHING) off the carpet and eats it; he grabs and eats people's shoes and feet; he picks at the edges of the carpet and attempts at fraying it; he eats anything and EVERYTHING; he's obsessed with toilets and the water within them (yes, I know...FOUL); whenever you eat, he is right by you waiting for a bite or for you to drop some so he can eat it. See? Puppy.

got his Harvey man... :)

Now, let's update you on our boy...

JACK ROBERT THOMAS - 11 MONTHS

WEIGHT: @20lbs (our estimation as we do not go to the doc until next month)

HEIGHT: @32-33" (this is me measuring with my measuring tape with a squirmy and not so cooperative semi-toddler)

FAVORITE method of sitting. And the doc? She no likey. We are working, working, working to break this apparent bad, bad, baaaaaad habit...any suggestions?!?

CLOTHES: besides trying to be the best dressed baby toddler on the block?!? Hahaha, I kid, I kid...or do I? j/k ANYWAY, he is in some 9months, mostly 9-12 or just plain 12months, and some 12-18 months in pants because his legs are so long, but in that case they are HUGE in the waist because our little feller is a long and lean one. He's alllllllll over the place as far as sizing goes, really...so I usually just guesstimate when buying

"Is it on straight this time, Mommy?!? Oh wait, you didn't lose it this time....yay!"

DIAPERS: still in Huggies, size 3. This has the biggest range for weight so they're still fitting well

ALWAYS such a HAPPY boy!

having a pow-wow apparently

COMMUNICATING/ UNDERSTANDING/ COGNIZANCE: Jack now says, "Mom-Mom"; "Momma"; "Daddy", "Dad-Dad"; "Hiiiii!"; "Bye!"; "Go" (this is the funniest because he will say, "Go, go, go, go!" or "Go-go Daddy!"); as well as constant ramblings and incoherent and indecipherable musings. Sometimes, we think he is getting other things out and I assure you that he most definitely understands MANY things, often shaking his head, 'yes' or responding with his eyes and body language when you talk to him. He does understand when you say, "No" and is completely cognizant of throwing a temper tantrum or two in an attempt (emphasis on attempt, there) to get his way. He knows how to work all of his toys; he knows what it means to go, "Bye-Bye" or when he first sees someone, and will respond, waving accordingly; he interacts with other kids well once he warms up to them; he has developed a shyness front, but soon warms up to people and then is a total ham and total flirt; he knows when to give kisses and how to give high-fives (we're working on the knuckle bump), etc. He'll play "patty-cake", "get-you" (this is seriously hilarious as he sprint crawls all over the living room and then laughs hysterically when caught or when he gets you, and he can also blow some mean burbles (blueberries) on your neck, arm, or belly and loves engaging in a piercing screaming match. Jack is also quite the inquisitor, there is nowhere that he will not go...seriously. He'll stick his hand in a toilet, clean out our kitchen cabinets and pantry (it got rearranged the other day...Thank you, Mr. Thomas), and will ransack our garbage cans. Our little explorer...oh, and did I mention escape artist too?!?

WALKING: we're almost there. He freestands for lengthy, lengthy periods of time, but isn't quite making the move forward yet. He'll even get up on one knee and then go to standing and take a step and then fall down. He does fall down quite gracefully and very softly and word on the street is, is that once they start doing that, they are even closer to walking. I honestly think he's being a bit lazy. He is one of the fastest crawlers I have ever seen and can get from Point A to Point B in .5 seconds, so I think in his mind, he feels, "why walk when I can get where I need to be by doing this?" Stinker.

look at those long chicken leggies. Love.

SLEEPING: bedtime anytime between 7 and 8 depending on how tired he is acting beforehand and his nap schedule throughout the days. He sleeps through the night every night, with the exception of this weekend, but he was in a different environment under different circumstances (we had guests so he slept in the 'pack n' play' in our bedroom and he was none to pleased). If he wakes up in the mornings a bit early, he'll usually jibber-jabber to himself or even go back to sleep while waiting on Daddy to get him up and ready to go to NanNan and Poppy's. He's not sleeping as late on the weekends...wahhhh. He used to sleep until like 8 or 8:30...sometimes even 9 or 9:30, but now it's a 7-7:30a.m. wake-up call because he is a man with a plan and a creature of habit. It's okay though, that early rising means a nap full of baby snuggles and cuddles later in the day which is my absolute favorite!

PERSONALITY: He's a nut and quite the little loverbug all wrapped in one precious package. Do I need to elaborate?!? Seriously, HE IS SO, SO, SOOOOOOOOO SILLY. Like, we really think we could have a comedian on our hands someday...he really is quite a ham and is so much fun to be around. We also think we may have our hands full because he can be a bit of a wild man sometimes. Realistically speaking though, he's actually a great balance of fun and obedient - within the toddlerisms and temper tantrums thrown in the mix accordingly and per usual for this age. He really is such a good boy, though, he's just funny and loves marching to the beat of his own drum, doing what he wants and thinks he needs to do (which is often interesting watching his agenda unfold), within the limits of mom and dad's realm (and sometimes to his dismay).

FIRSTS/ ACTIVITIES/ NEW THINGS: getting into the toilets and trashcans (um, gross); escaping the gate by the stairs (SCARY!); freestanding on his own without pulling up; mommy out with friends for the night while Daddy stayed home; diaper rash; UK blowout (ugh); and again, he's alllllll about the constant action, talking, rambling, and interacting with toy and people he knows.

TEETH: Still only rolling with the two on the bottom. We think he could be beginning the process again because of an increase in drooling and excessive chewing once again.

EATING/ FOOD: We are down to only 2 bottles a day! One when he wakes up and then one at bedtime. We are gradually trying to get him fully onto regular milk, but he is not liking it so much. Since Jack only has 2 teeth, we obviously have to be careful with what we give him, but he will literally eat ANYTHING and I do mean, ANYTHING we eat...it's insane and he's in FULL vulture status.

As of now, his eating schedule is typically around as follows:

7:30 a.m. - BOTTLE (7-8oz)

9:00 a.m. - BREAKFAST: Cereal with 2% milk and a full jar of baby fruit

12:00PM - LUNCH: typically half a container of a meat mixture mixed with half a container of a veggie and then a full jar of a fruit - so, at least 2 full jars, if not a bit more

2:30PM - SNACK: usually a full container of yogurt (to supplement the usual milk/ formula snack) and some Puffs, diced fruit, Crunchies, or Wheelies

5:30PM - DINNER: same as lunch (but with an obviously different variety)

6:30PM - SNACK: just some Puffs, Crunchies, dried cereal, diced fruit, or pieces of bread or potatoes while Mom and Dad are eating their dinner

7:30-8PM - BEDTIME: Bottle (7-8oz)

NOTE: (obviously) KID. CAN. EAT!!!

FAVORITE TOYS: his barn...LOVES it; rubber duckies (he'd rather have them outside of the tub, rather than in); his basketball goal...LOVES it; remotes; cellphones; Mommy's iPad; and now, his WALKER! He LOVES pushing it across the floor. He also loves playing and crawling all over Mommy and Daddy,

FUN FACTS: Jack has a very small birthmark under his chin. It's hard to see, but he has one! He also still has the innie/ outie belly button and quite a little Buddha belly which of course, we love! Jack has discovered drinking out of a big boy cup (NOT a sippy cup) and LOVES it. We may be in for quite a battle now that we're trying to get rid of the bottle as he is most definitely NOT ready for a cup without a lid but won't take much to a sippy. Whoops and yikes.