The First 12 Months of Reese Abigail

Sweet girl, your first 12 months were dreamy.  Fast.  Sometimes so fast they were a blur.

In Asher's first year I would take pictures, track his progress and update the blog monthly.  I'm sad to say that I haven't exactly done that for you.  Life looked so different in your first year.  Asher was turning into a boy, we had just moved into our new home.  Any extra time I had I spent holding you, staring at you, soaking you in.  The blog came second every time.  So I guess I'm not sad about that.  But now I'll do my best to recount the first 12 months.  Just so you have something.

1 Month

Weight - 9lbs, 4oz
Height - 20.5 in

You were born.  You came home to Grammy and Papaw's and that's were we all lived until November 9th, waiting on our house to be finished.  You were awesome.  You nursed like a champ, you snuggled so well.  You were so quite and for a newborn, so easy.  The only thing you really required was gripe water.  You didn't care for a number of things I ate (dairy, nuts, spicy food, red wine) but even when I cut those things out of my diet, gripe water was important to keep you happy.

2 Months

Weight - 10lbs, 15oz
Height - 22.5in

More of the same!  We called you "Little Zeery-up" because you were so sweet and so quiet.  Asher absolutely loved having you around and would lean down to tend to you if you lost your paci, cried out or even just to say hi.  We finally moved into our new home when you were two months.  You also got to meet some extended family.  Grandpa Tony and Grandma Fern came to town for Thanksgiving and Aunt Patti and Uncle Steve came to celebrate Gramps' 60th birthday.  And right before you hit three months the miracle who is now called Evan was born.  He's your buddy and one of your "guys".  Life was exciting when you were two months old.

3 Months

You started to spend more hours awake, giving us smiles, kicking your legs.  Still, you were a chill baby.  You were squishy and cuddly.  Growing.  You grew out of your bassinet so we moved you to your room...all the way upstairs...seemingly so far away!  But we got used to it and so did you.  When you were three months we celebrated the holidays and daddy had a whole month off.  Paternity leave.  It was a beautiful thing.  We went on walks on the nature trail, we unpacked the house and we spent tons of time together.  As a family of four.

4 Months

Weight - 13lbs, 11oz
Height - 24.5in

You started sleeping longer.  Nearly through the night.  Still nursing like a champ.  Much more awake, alert, studying things.  Smiling, making a little noise.  You loved your brother and absolutely adored his entertainment.

5 Months

You were really starting to come alive and show us your personality.  You were cautious in some ways. As we began to learn more about you, we saw that you generally took things slow.  You studied things and took it easy until you were ready.  Rolling over, then later crawling and then walking.  You did everything on your own time, when you were ready.  When you were five months we also had some more extended family come to visit.  This time it was Eric, Christine and Amara.  They came to stay with us for a long weekend. Even though the visit was overshadowed by the stomach bug and the monitor failing one night, leaving you to cry for a couple of hours, it was still wonderful to have them here and to have them meet you.

6 Months

Weight - 15lbs, 6oz
Height - 25.25in

A half of a year!  It flew by.  It really did.  By this time you were trying all sorts of solid foods.  You loved food.  Especially carbs...  We also learned something new about you when you were six months old.  You had a voice.  And you were ready to use it.  Up until this point you were fairly quiet, rarely crying unless you were hungry or overtired.  Then one day, sitting in your highchair, you screeched.  It was, as daddy describes it, an octave your brother had never reached.  You wanted our attention and you got it.  And so it was, our sweet, quiet little peanut was....less quiet.

7 Months

At seven months you really started to roll over and push yourself up to a sitting position.  Again, you did things slowly and on your own time but finally you were starting to work towards some independent movement.  Your favorite foods were bananas and bread.  And you went back and forth with sleeping through the night.  Teething was not your favorite and you weren't shy about letting others know.

8 Months

When you were eight months old it was May.  The weather was warm and we started to have longer days that kept us outside on the driveway.  We played and played with our neighbor friends and you loved just hanging out.  Evening picnics, toys on the driveway, watching brother fly by on his bike.  Neighborhood pups walking by.  You loved it all.

9 Months

Weight - 17lbs, 2oz
Height - 26.75in

At nine months it was warm enough to take you to the pool.  Your first time in the water, other than the bathtub.  It was then that we learned that you were a water baby.  You loved it.  Like everything else, you approached it cautiously at first but once you got comfortable you were thrilled with the pool.  It was around this time that you also expanded your vocabulary.  Mama had come first, then dada.  Then around nine months you said doggie.  It sounded more like goggie but your voice inflection and excitement when a pup walked by quickly helped us translate.  You love love love doggies.

10 Months

In July, you were ten months and we soaked up summer, every way possible.  We celebrated the fourth watching fireworks lakeside, we had popsicles and late evenings playing outside and you came with daddy and me to Fredericksburg for Travis and Annie's wedding.  It was a sweet time.  At that point you were down to nursing three times a day and most definitely sleeping through the night, so life was reaching a nice lull.

11 Months

At eleven months old you were on the move, crawling all over, pulling up, babbling with your few words - mama, dada, nana (banana), goggie (doggie), a-sure (Asher).  You were loud when you wanted to be and very quiet when you wanted to be.  We stopped nursing when you were eleven months and moved straight to milk.  I just couldn't believe that eleven months had gone by.  You were about to be one and life continued to move an incredible pace.

15...no wait, 19 months

Well, this is just embarrassing.  For the last two three months I thought that I blogged in May. HA!  Apparently not.

Our little man is turning into a boy.  I may have said that before but everyday it becomes more real.    At 19 months he's attempting full sentences.  Acting out scenes with his toys.  Asking us questions.  Recalling things that happened weeks before.  He amazes us every day.

His stats:

Weight: 24.6 lbs
Height: not sure but growing
Overall report: Super healthy and super ahead of the game in so many areas.

We recently changed pediatricians (loved the doctor, didn't love the staff or office) and went to Asher's 18 month check at Dr.Schwartz's office.  The whole way there Asher recited "Dr.Schwartz office".  Smarty pants. And the whole way home he said "Shots. Ban-aid, mommy. Shots."  Yeah...our previous doctor was VERY conservative when it came to vaccinations.  Asher has had plenty of them in the last 18 months but I knew we were a little behind.  Bummer.  Three shots and some tears.  But Dr.Schwartz gave Asher a raving review.

When he asked me how many words I thought Asher knew, my response was "Definitely over 100 but I'm not sure of the exact number."  He blinked.  I think he thought I was lying.  Then I went on to explain that we made a list of words around the time of Asher's first birthday and we wrote down over 50.  I said I was certain it has at least doubled.  His response was, "Ok, so he's a genius."  Mmmm...I'm going to go with verbal at this point.  Our little monkey can communicate and comprehend things very well for his age.  But he's still 19 months.  He still loves learning by getting messy.  He still tries to drink his milk through his fork and tries to cut his food with a cooked noodle.  He throws daily tantrums.  We're glad.  We're not ready to send him off to Harvard.  But he is very amusing and fun to communicate with.

Some of the things he's been up to that keep us entertained:

"Show you." - his way of showing you want he wants, what happened or just what he's talking about.

"Asher do it." - needs no explanation.

"Hold it. Asher, hold it." - wants to hold everything!  We were on the boat the other night and an airplane was coming in for a landing.  You could see it clear as day in the sky.  Asher pointed to it, said "Airplane!" and then looked at me with all seriousness in his eyes and said "Mommy, hold it? Asher hold it?" and looked back up at the airplane.  LOVED that.  Such innocence.

The boat.  This kid LOVES the boat.  And wake boarding (watching, at least.  He hasn't gotten up - yet.)  And "GO FAST!!".  Oh, we hit the jackpot on this.

It may be difficult to see but we're going about 30mph here...that smile just tickles me!

Lawn equipment.  He knows the difference between a trimmer, edger, blower and mower and wants to use all four.  He loves to watch daddy mow and will run from window to window while Austin is out there.  Too cute.

And...the potty.  He recently ran to the toilet and said, "Mommy, poo poo."  And immediately following needed a new diaper.  He definitely got my attention but we'll see about actually moving forward just yet.

I could go on and on but then I would never post this.  So I'll leave it here and look forwarding to posting more often in the future.

12 Months

Well, it happened.  Asher turned one on February 1st.  We celebrated and celebrated and played and played.  All month long :)

I was barely able to take his last monthly picture.  He won't sit still for anything!

12 Month Stats:

Weight: 19.5 lbs
Height: 29.5 inches
Overall Report: A+

We have a healthy, happy one year old.  HOLY COW, it's weird to write that!  Here are few things Asher is up to these days:

Mobility: Walking, walking, walking!  He started about two weeks before his birthday, taking small steps here and there.  Now, he's practically running everywhere and crawling is very much a pastime.

Size: He's still a small fry.  His weight falls in the 7th percentile.  He's still in 12 month clothes although his length/height is outgrowing that size quickly.

Food: He successfully made the transition from formula to milk, although we still offer a bottle around bedtime because he can use the extra calories.  He eats almost anything we put in front of him but is like anyone else - sometimes he's hungry for something and sometimes, not so much.  His favorites are bananas, berries and chicken and turkey (or "gobble, gobble" as he calls it!)

Activity: With the warm winter we've had lots of opportunities to play outside.  We love walking the sidewalks, playing with chalk in the backyard and explore the dirt and grass.

Sleep: For the most part, sleeping through the night!  This took some serious work in November but it paid off.  He goes down around 7:30pm (sort of a joke - he gets wound up before bed but thankfully he'll wrestle in his crib, putting himself to sleep) and wakes up between 5:30 and 7:00am.  We've only had a couple of hiccups lately, due to teething.  Naps, we're still at two a day and Asher is a napping champ.  He goes down in the morning at 9, in the afternoon around 2:30 and both are usually an hour and a half or so.

Teeth: For a long time Asher had seven teeth, all in front.  But just after turning one he started teething again and we're starting to see MOLARS!  Painful but helpful when eating "gobble, gobble" :)

Learning:  This one could be a completely separate post...that would go on forever.  I've been told that from here on out their learning is exponential.  The one thing I will say - talking to a baby early is completely the way to go.  They really do understand everything.  So mommy note for the future Jones bambinos: talk, in full adult sentences, all the time from day one. :)

Asher right now knows:
 - Animal sounds when you ask what a _____ says or show him in a book.
 - Off, on, up, down
 - Ouch, hot, yuck
 - Yum, food (he calls it naan)
 - Asher, mom, dadeeeee, Papaw :)
 - Banana, blueberry, apple, onion, cherrio, gobble, gobble
 - Eye, hair, mouth, arm, hand, belly when you ask, he'll touch them.
 - No and Yes
 - Truck, car

Asher surprises me everyday.  He learns so quickly, remembers things very well and is showing independence and defiance, which I know, is completely normal.  He now brings me books constantly, to which we'll sit wherever we are and read.  Just recently I've found myself more often watching him as he plays, pushing his trucks, trying to figure out puzzles, talking to his animals.  It is the coolest thing to watch your kid grow and learn and I feel blessed to be a part of his process.

More to come on the birthday celebration but for now, Happy First Birthday, Boo Boo.  Your mommy and daddy love you more than words.  You bring us joy and challenges everyday and we love it.  Life with you is a true blessing.

11 Months

The countdown begins...

Asher turned 11 months on January 1st and I had to catch my breath.  Eleven months means we're 31 days away for having a one year old.  Thirty one days away from celebrating his birth, a year ago.  Oh.My.Goodness.  Time flies when you're having fun.

I'm going to save the mushiness for the next post.  This one will be the facts, straight-up. Enjoy!

11 Month Stats: - No doctor visit

Weight: Near if not over 20lbs
Length: Growing
Overall Report: Look out world, we're on the move!

Eleven months is full of sounds and activity.

Movement: He's crawling at the speed of light and walking with the help of his riding/pushing truck and furniture (I learned this is called furniture surfing.)  We even call him "Spiderman" because we'll catch him walking along the walls.

Sounds: Asher is starting to form words, real words and his little voice is adorable! He'll say things like light, all done, dog, on and off, nana (banana), hat and that.  He even mimics the "ouch", "stop", and "eh, eh, eh!" commands that Austin and I use for dangerous situations or things that are off-limits.

Boundaries: Little man continues to test his limits, all the while looking to see what we will say and do.  He knows that certain things are off-limits and will sometimes respect the boundaries and other times, blow right past them.

Our Favorites: At this stage some of our Asher favorites include he knows how to give kisses and is learning hugs, he LOVES his bath time, he's developed a little man quality about him where he becomes very serious about his play and learning, zeroing in on the task at hand.  He also has taken a liking to music.  He even has a few dance moves!  Let's just hope he got his daddy's rhythm.

Our Challenge: We've decided to begin our discipline routine with Asher, setting boundaries with him based on certain things and behaviors.  I'm not referring to spanking or timeouts but more so commands and intentional conversations.  Yes - we realize he's only 11 months.  We noticed at a very young age that Asher was very aware of his surroundings so we thought we would try this out.  It works well for him.  As mentioned above he's aware of certain boundaries we've set and he's already pointing to things and saying "eh, eh!" or "oT!" (hot!/ouch!)  So everyday is filled with commands and learning but we're hoping that this sets a foundation for years to come...ha ha, I'll let you know how that works out!

Most of all, we adore this precious face.  His smile melts our heart every time.  And man, this picture reminds me he's becoming less of a baby and more of a BOY!

10 Months

*Disclaimer - this was supposed to publish weeks ago!!

Our baby is now becoming a big boy!  He's growing, learning and moving at a rate that's becoming difficult to keep up with and I'm told that this is only the beginning.

At 10 months he is:

 - Eating solid foods with his hands (when he wants to.)  This includes cooked broccoli, bananas, sweet potatoes, cooked squash and zucchini, whole apples (peeled), pears, and much more.

 - Eating new things: pasta, oatmeal, bread, waffles, eggs.

 - Attempting the sippy cup (the ones with a straw are easier for him.)

 - Waving and ALMOST blowing kisses.

 - Free as a fish in the tub - no more baby tub, it's been gone for awhile.  This one is quite funny because Mr.Man does not sit still.  Period.  He's all over the place and the tub is no exception.  So he slides and climbs constantly while being washed and has a blast doing it.

 - Standing on his own for short periods of time (30 seconds or so.)

Other miscellaneous things he's been up to - more jabbering and trying to form words, chewing on furniture, attempting to open cabinets, open and close doors and investigating everything.  He's also become familiar with certain people and as well as become fairly clinging with momma.

Ten months also brought a new experience for our family...the sickies.  Asher has now been sick twice in the last month and the first round was, well, terrifying for us as parents.

Round 1 - Roseola.  I hadn't heard of this until Asher went through it.  A fever (102) appeared on a Sunday morning only to fade with medicine.  We thought it was just a fluke but when Thursday rolled around the fever came back and settled in.  Our lively baby wanted to cuddle instead of play - which was so odd.  

We got in to the see the doctor on Friday.  No other signs of illness other than his fever and lack of energy.  They drew blood and called with the results that afternoon - white blood cells were low indicating a virus.  All we could do is wait and watch.  This doesn't sound scary, right?  Well, for one thing, to see our active baby just want to cuddle was just strange.  I won't lie, having him sleep on me was blissful but I would trade it in a heartbeat to take away how awful he felt.  You could just see it in his eyes.  

Secondly, his fever spike to 104.8 that Friday night.  I thought I was going to come unglued when I saw the thermometer register that number!  We gave him another round of Advil and immediately put him in a lukewarm bath.  His temp came down shortly after but man it scared us.  Needless to say he slept with us that night.  His fever broke and came back a few times that weekend but by Sunday it was gone and the rash that comes with Roseola settled in.  That stuck around until Tuesday and we haven't see that nasty bug since.

Round 2 - A Common Cold.  The week of Thanksgiving Asher started in with a nasty cough.  It was "productive", he carried a little bit of a fever and it got worse as the week wore on.  He finally beat it the following week.

But all in all he's a good, healthy baby.  We couldn't ask for better.  Here's a sneak peek at our Christmas post... :)

9 Months...oops!

Ok, so it's November 28th and I'm just now publishing Asher's nine month update.  Baaaaaad mommy.  I've let time slip by.

Nine Month Stats:

Weight: 17.5 lb.

Length: 27.5 inches

Overall Report: Super healthy!

Asher is getting to be SO MOBILE!  He started crawling as he turned the corner on nine months but since our last post he has made some serious progress with his mobility.  He's a pro at crawling, pulling up, and moving from the couch to the ottoman.  He even tests his ability to stand alone a little!!

Mr.Man still likes solid food, now eating three times a day but has backed off on how much he consumes.  This month we made a big and difficult decision to start transitioning to formula.  Mommy has been bit, ALOT.  My guess is that it's a result of the introduction to more solid foods and the decrease in my supply.  After numerous instances of screams, tears and ending our nursing sessions early we thought it best to move to formula and pumped milk.  I'll just say that this was harder than I thought - not physically but emotionally.

The last mention I'll make is about teeth...as previous stated, Asher is biting which implies he has teeth. SEVEN to be exact!!! (as of November 20th.)  While I miss the gummy baby smile, it's kind of fun to watch him grow into a boy. Here's a shot where you can see some of these pearly whites making their debut.

Month 10 is coming up soon!!  (and a post about a skunk, pumpkins and a turkey leg.)

8 Months

Oh me oh my, the eight month mark has passed us by!  Well, to our defense we left town on October 1st and were gone 12 days...that's a post for later time and date.

Yes, Asher is well into eight months and he's on the move.  No well-check this month so we don't have current stats to report but we do have some fun things to share.

Asher has been...

On the move - Our little man is crawling!!!!  Like crazy.  And he also has learned how to sit up on his own, meaning he can go from laying to sitting to crawling to sitting to crawling and so on.  In fact, he thinks this activity is sooooo cool you'll often find him in this sequence instead of playing.  Sitting up has also made bath time more fun.  The newest trend though is pulling up...I recently watched him pull himself up to a standing position using the open dishwasher as support.  I'm in trouble.

Our little mimic - Asher is turing into a little monkey.  He is starting to copy movements and sounds.  His words (most of which only we can identify) include mama, dada, light, more, banana and woof.  He has also learned how to clap, thanks to cousin Bella and is getting the hang of waving!

Eating well - Asher has yet to meet a food he doesn't like...unless it comes in a jar.  Seems starting him out on home cooked meals has caused him to be particular.  Because we were going to be on the road for 12 days this month I knew I couldn't make all his meals so I tried feeding him peas and carrots in a jar.  He rejected both.  On a separate note, he has two bottom teeth and it seems four more on top are coming in...so we'll see an upgrade in his meals here soon.

Expressing an opinion - Seems that Mr.Man is coming into his own.  He actually has an opinion about things and isn't shy about expressing that opinion.  We've seen it most at the end of the day or when you take something out of his hands.  The expression of disapproval doesn't last long but it is quite clear.  On the positive side, he's started to think things are funny and his laugh is just too precious, if you ask me.

All in all, he seems to be right on track with his development.  Everyday he keeps us smiling, laughing, guessing and scratching our noggins as we watch him grow, learn and develop into a little man.  I'll tell you one thing, it is SO FUN to be Asher's parents!

6 Months - Half Way

Dare I say we're half way to one year? Mr.Man is growing, learning and really coming into his own now that he has hit six months.

We waited to post this month's update because our pediatrician appointment wasn't until the 8th.

Six Month Stats:

Weight: 14lbs 13oz - a feather-weight!!

Length: 26.5 inches

Overall Report: Doctor says she gives him an A+!

While his weight is VERY low (6th percentile - he's only gained a pound since his last appointment) the doctor said not to worry and just keep at the nursing and solid foods. All of his other measurements and motor skills are right on track if not above average.

Asher's been a very busy boy over the last month...

He's tried a number of solid foods: peas, broccoli, zucchini, avocado and bananas.

He join Austin and I on a road trip to Arizona where he met lots of family, stayed in a hotel, camped at the Grand Canyon and had many mini-adventures.

Not to mention his motor skills are changing and improving daily! He's rolling, scooting on this back, briefly sitting alone and honing his hand-eye coordination.

Mr. Man is coo-ing, laughing lots, continues to say "da-da", loves his exersaucer and playing on the floor and is overall a very happy baby. He sleeps through the night (roughly 7:30pm until 6:30am) but doesn't nap consistently which I'll take instead of having it the other way around. He's also started flirting which I find highly amusing. It's this little smile where half his mouth curves up and he gets this look in his eye...incredibly charming if you ask me :)

5 Months

Well, hello! This monthly update will be different from the rest in that we did not see the doctor this month. So we have no statistics to report. What we can share though is Asher has recently had TONS OF FIRSTS!! Each month gets more and more exciting as we watch him grown and learn...

First Time to Roll Over

Asher has become very active. He started rolling over on his own while playing on the floor. It was just in one direction and he had trouble rolling back. Now, he practices rolling in both directions on the floor and in his crib. He's even found that he prefers sleeping on his tummy, as most babies do. And...he's just now starting to "inch worm" his way around. He tucks his knees up into his chest and pushing himself forward. He doesn't make it very far right now but I have a feeling we'll see that change soon.

Speaking of movement and activity, he's also become very fond of his exersaucer. This new toy allows him to stand up AND play! A concept he finds quite novel. He gets a lot of serious work done in this thing.

First Time in the Pool

A big thanks to the Arnolds for hosting a fabulous Fish Fry over the Fourth of July weekend. Asher loved their pool and seeing all his friends. And so did we ;)

First Time Eating Solids

The pediatrician said we could wait until six months before trying solid food but Mr.Man was showing some clear signs that he was ready. Poor kid would stare us down every time we would eat in front of him, smacking his lips. Almost made me feel guilty. So, we decided to dive in and try it out. We're happy to report that he LOVES food so far! Here's a few pics of his first meal.

So serious about the first bite..

The doctor recommended starting with fruits and vegetables, then trying grains after nine months so we decided to start with avocado first and now we're on to peas. Both have been a big hit!

First Word

This one could possibly be debated since he is so young but both Austin and I were there when it happened and we both saw and heard the same thing so we'll go with it and call it official. During Fourth of July weekend I was rocking Asher in his room and Austin came in to say hi. He crouched down and got close to Asher's face and Asher reached out and said "Dada". SO SWEET!! I gasped and said "Did you hear that!?" And Austin sweetly and calmly smiled and said "Yep". It was the most tender moment. Now, we're just waiting for Asher to say it again :)

Mom's Big Change

The last "first" we have to report is I am no longer employed - by Wells Fargo at least. Yep, I've decided to hang up my career for awhile to focus on family so I am a full-time stay-at-home mom. My last day was July 1st and while it was bittersweet I've hardly taken a moment to look back. I'm hoping to post about the transition soon.

I'll leave you with one more pic...until next time!

4 Months

Hello! Mom went back to work in April so it's been awhile since our last post. Mr. Man hit four months on June 1st and is having a blast learning and growing.

Four Month Stats:

Weight: 13lbs 11ounces

Length: 25inches

Overall Report: Perfect!!

Nursing: Truckin' right along, eating well. Asher's growth is right on track.

Sleep: Lots of change with this recently. We have dropped the swaddle and our the middle of the night feeding. Little man knows his schedule (just ask daddy what the end of bath time is like!) so needless to say, he needed some "help" with the changes.

Houdini - I mean, Asher - let us know that we were past the swaddle stage by breaking out of it after every sleep period. See Exibits A and B.

So we started by dropping the swaddle during nap time. A big thanks to Grandmum and Bea (our nanny) for help on this. We dabbled to see how he would do. At first he struggled as his new found freedom would startle him but over time he calmed and it got easier.

In the midst of this nap time experiment, Asher had a few rough nights of randomly waking up so we decided to go cold-turkey and drop the swaddle all together. We figured rough nights were in store regardless. After about four or five nights of Austin and I taking turns to calm him with the paci, a warm hand and soft shushing, Asher got the hang of it and settled in.

With all the change we thought it wouldn't hurt to try and wean him of the his 3am feeding, too. Doc said that he was big enough to sleep through the night without it. This didn't take much. A couple of nights calming him in his crib, he fell right back to sleep and didn't wake up till the morning.

I'm happy to report that we've gone six nights of SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! We realize this may not be "it" but we'll take what we can get and are so proud of Mr.Man.

Mobility: He's a movin' and a shakin' :) Asher loves playing on his back and tummy, sitting in his Bumbo, rolling on his side and most of all he prefers to stand, with some assistance.

The biggest change in the last eight weeks has been mom going back to work and Bea joining our family. Bea is our daytime nanny until July 1st and all three of us LOVE HER!! Austin and I constantly remark how blessed we are to have found such a great match for our family. We also joke that she is Asher's personal trainer. She works with him everyday on his strength and coordination and we have definitely seen a difference in his physical abilities. We'll definitely be sad when her time is up. Bea ROCKS!