First Word?

Being a speech therapist you would think I would know how to identify a real first word but I am a little hesitant. So for a couple of weeks now it seems as though you are imitating some of the things Daddy and I say. For example, one of your favorite books is about Elmo and bubbles. When we pull it out we say, "bubbles!" and you say "bubu, bubu". Also, you love to play with balls. We say, "ball" and you say "ba". Even though the 'b' sound is the most frequent sound you make, you are adding different vowels to say different words. So today I held up your ball and said, "Jackson, what is it?" and you said, "ba". Your first spontaneous word?!?! I will have to test you a few more times to make sure but it was accurate and meaningful...which adds up to your first real word!

A few other things: There is a Baby Einstein book that is really cute called "Mirror Me". On each page the characters are making different faces and there is a mirror so you can make the face back. You have started doing this! There is a cow puffing his cheeks and so you puff your cheeks. There is another character opening his mouth and you open your mouth and say "aahh". You understand and follow simple directions, like: "give it to me" and "come here". However, you still aren't clapping and you don't point to things that you want. You do point to pictures in books and to other things but you don't use pointing as a way to communicate.

I am finding your development fascinating. I am learning that real life is much different than the text books I had to study in school. There is a very large range for typical development and I try not to be anxious about things you aren't yet doing.

Countdown: 12 days until your first birthday! Here you are enjoying a sunny day in May:

Success!

You are drinking from the sippy cup! Yea! I admit that I have been a little apprehensive about it. And obviously we had some set backs with you being sick for so long. But over the past few days I have noticed that you are getting better and better at it. The cups with the soft spout have seemed to work best. You have been biting on them for awhile but today you were definitely sucking down some water.

Also, today for the first time you ate a meal that did not include any baby food! Wow! I didn't expect for that to happen so soon. I feel good about giving you baby food because I know how much you are getting and how much you need to be full. I have been a little more uncertain with table food but you are doing great. Your favorite foods seem to be: banana, strawberries, peas, carrots and bread. You like having a bagel or a waffle in the morning. You are growing up so fast!

Here's my sweet baby boy "reading" a book:

It's Official

Today is the day....you are officially walking! The other day you took four steps and today we counted 20! You walked half way across the room and you did it about a dozen times. We are very excited....and so are you! We were clapping and saying, "Yea!" and you starting waving both of your hands up and down and trying to say "Yea" with us. You got so excited you were yelling!

11 Months

You are 11 months old today. WOW! You are such a big boy. Here are a few things about you:

--You love to open and close cabinet doors. You will do it over and over again.
--Whenever you hear music play (from one of your toys) you start to "dance". You move your body up and down. It is really cute!
--You love to play with ANYTHING that comes out of my purse. You are so fascinated by it all.
--You are starting to be more consistent with waving. You will wave "hi" but not "bye". I think because you don't like to see people go. :)
--You love to give kisses (sometimes). You open up your mouth and lean over to my mouth and give me a big slobbery one!
--Your favorite table food is banana. We cut it up for you in little bites and you eat it up so fast.
--Your favorite animals are dogs and ducks. You love when we "woof" like a dog or "quack" like a duck.
--You still love books which I am so excited about. You have a basket full of them and you will sit and pull them out, open them up and look at the pictures.
--You LOVE to laugh. If Daddy and I are talking and start to laugh you will start laughing too!

You are so much fun at this age. I can't believe that you will be a year old in exactly one month!

Arms Up!

Fireman

Papa and Mimi (Kevin's parents) came into town to visit this weekend. They brought you a couple of presents and one in particular was a big hit. You had so much fun with this fireman's hat. You kept taking it off, burying your face in it and then putting it back on. You loved it! You squealed in delight.

I'm glad you were happy despite being sick. Your ears are draining, your nose is still running and tonight you had a low grade fever. You just finished your antibiotic so it obviously didn't work. I feel very helpless. Why do you keep getting sick and why don't you get better? I hate that the antibiotic didn't work because that means you will probably have to take a different one. I will just keep praying that you get better soon.

Walking

You are finally over your spring time sickness. Yea! UPDATE: YOU WOKE UP THIS MORNING (SATURDAY) AND BOTH EARS ARE DRAINING...I GUESS YOU ARE NOT QUITE BETTER YET.

Things have been so much better since you started staying with Grammy during the day. You are getting your much needed sleep and you are getting to spend time with Grammy and even Aunt Erin. Aunt Erin absolutely loves you and gives up most of her day off on Wednesday to play with you while you are at Grammy's. She is a busy 19 year old and hasn't really spent much time with you up until this point. I love that you two are bonding. Grammy tells me that Aunt Erin will read books to you and really likes to make you laugh. I am so much more at peace knowing you are there with them.


You are getting bolder in your standing/walking abilities. This past Wednesday you were holding onto the table and then took 4, almost 5, steps on your own to get over to me. It was so exciting. If I stand behind you and hold onto your waist you take off so fast...almost as if you are running! You get so excited and your body gets ahead of your feet. It is very funny to watch.


We are really enjoying the beautiful Spring time weather these days. You love to be outside. One of your new favorite places to play is in the sun room. Daddy opens up the windows and you just stare out as you listen to the birds, dogs, etc. You love to play outside with your riding toys, go for walks, and swing at the park.

This is definitely a Kevin face!