Clapping!

So earlier today I was singing and clapping to you as I do every day and you grabbed my hands and began clapping them together. You didn't clap your own hands but you clapped mine together. Then this afternoon you were playing with your toys and you began banging two balls together. Although banging toys together is a skill that babies usually do around 7 months you have never done it. Banging toys together is also sort of a prerequisite to clapping. So tonight Daddy, Grammy and I were all eating dinner together and I was telling them all these things. I told them that I just knew you were going to clap any day now since you had done those things earlier today. We were all talking and laughing and out of the blue you just started clapping! I couldn't believe it! You did it over and over and we all got so excited. It's funny how we get excited over such little things!

You are also doing lots of other things. You have been sporadically pointing at pictures in books but now you are pointing at everything. Last week at the beach you were pointing all over the place wanting us to tell you what everything was. I would even give you a choice between two foods and you would point to which one you wanted. You are definitely communicating more! You wave all the time to tell someone hello but you still don't wave bye bye. You are also beginning to use a spoon to feed yourself. You can't quite scoop your food yet but once it is on the spoon you can get it to your mouth.

Right now you say about five words:
"ba" for ball
"moo" for a cow (and other animals)
"hey" while waving
"dada"
"mu" for more

Yea Jackson! Also, you give lots of kisses...which I just LOVE!

Another sweet beach picture:

To the Beach and Back

We just got back from a week at the beach! It was your first beach trip and it was so much fun. We rented a house on Fort Morgan Road and it was really nice. Grammy and Pop came and stayed part of the time and even brought the dogs. You loved that! The house was on the beach side but not on the beach. We had to walk about a block to get there and with towels, chairs, toys, a tent and everything else Daddy came up with a great solution for carrying all our stuff. We called it the beach express:


Monday morning we got up and headed straight for the beach. We couldn't wait to see your first reaction:


No, you didn't like it at first. You stood in the sand and cried for us to pick you up. You screamed as the waves came up and touched your feet. It was just all a little too overwhelming for you. But you warmed up quickly. Daddy helped you get adjusted:
Before long you were playing in the sand, walking in the sand and loving the water! I was curious to see how you would do with sleeping in a new place. We brought the pack and play and you did great. You took all your naps and slept great every night. Toward the end of the week you had a slight reaction to your 12 month shots which were taken about a week before we left. They told me 7-12 days after your shots you may get a slight fever and/or a rash and you got both. You were a little cranky at the end of the week and I think you were ready to get back home. Overall we had a lot of fun and I got some precious pictures:

New Stats

Your one year check up was on Monday and here are your stats:
Weight: 22 pounds 10 ounces
Height: 30 3/4 inches

Your doctor was happy to see you walking, socializing, and imitating some speech sounds. She was a little concerned that you don't really have any real words. We decided that you definitely say "ba" for ball as you have done that many times and you say "booo" for a cow (and a few other animals) but that is really all you say. You babble quite a bit but you aren't calling daddy and me by name. We are working hard at this and I'm sure it will come.

Other noteworthy news: As of Monday you no longer drink anything from a bottle. For about a week you were only getting one bottle which was at night before bed. Last Monday night I decided to see what would happen if you didn't get a bottle. You didn't cry, you didn't have any difficulty falling asleep and you didn't wake up during the night. Yea! It is very exciting that you are moving to this very new stage. We have a new bedtime routine in which we have family worship time (you are now involved in this), you drink some milk from your cup while I sing to you, we brush your teeth and then you are off to bed. I can't believe what a big boy you are.

Party

Your birthday party was at Overton Park on Saturday, June 6. Several of your (our) sweet friends came and it was a really fun morning. You really enjoyed playing at the park. I think you had a really good birthday. We are so grateful for our friends and family who have shared your first year with us. There are so many people who prayed for you before you were born and through all the ups and downs in your first year. We are so blessed by you and we are looking forward to seeing what the next year holds.

First Birthday

My baby turned one year old today! I cannot believe that one year ago today I gave birth to the most beautiful baby boy. We were looking at your baby pictures today and remembering all the fun details of the day. I realized that I started blogging when you were 6 weeks old and I never really told your birth story. Here's the short version: On Wednesday, June 4 I went to my weekly doctor's appointment. You were due in exactly one week. My blood pressure was up and the doctor was worried about preclampsia. She felt that the best route was to induce so that we could get you out safely, otherwise she was going to put me on medicine and have me come back every other day to monitor my blood pressure. You were full term at that point so inducing was the best option. Grammy was at the doctor with me that day (thank goodness) so we went straight down to Labor and Delivery, I was hooked up and daddy was on his way to the hospital. Early the next morning, Thursday, June 5, I was given platocin to induce labor and you were on your way. I ate ice chips and popsicles all day (those were the best popsicles I ever had). I started feeling some contractions at about 11am and I was given an epidural. At about 4pm it was time for you to come and at 4:46 I saw your beautiful face.

Today was a fun day. We went to Cobb Lane to take your one year portraits and they turned out so cute. You are so precious. Grammy and Pops came over tonight for grilled out hamburgers and cupcakes. You opened your presents and LOVED being the center of attention.

"Booooo"

This is so cute. This is the face you make while saying "booo" when the following happens:
Me: "Jackson, what does a cow say?"
You: "Boooo"
Two days until your first birthday.

Baby Bottom

How cute is this:

You are so busy these days. You drive your car all over the house. You have recently learned how to stack your blocks, so you stack them up and knock them down. You roll your ball and read your books. You play your piano and you really enjoy tearing your play mat apart. But every now and then you make time to come and put your head on my shoulder or on my leg. You are so sweet!