A List All His Own

Jack is doing so many new things these days that I feel like I need to devote an entire list to him… like back in the old days.  Don’t worry, I’ll probably have another one up later today, entirely devoted to myself.  Because I’m selfish like that.  Anyway, let’s get started.

1. He’s still the king of army crawling.  Yesterday we went to visit his Aunt Robbin and I put him down on their hardwood floors and he was like a little swiffer.  I could just put one of those little swiffer pads on his belly and put him down on the kitchen floor at home and I could totally solve my dog hair problem.  Genius!  Why didn’t I think of this sooner!?
2. He is definitely showing signs of taking on the real crawl (hands and knees).  He is pulling up on everything, especially his leapfrog table (Sarah, you were right, the best for learning to pull up), and while he transitions to sitting or pulling up on his knees or whatever, he is getting a lot better at maneuvering on all fours.  So, we’ll see.  I wouldn’t be surprised at this point if he skips it altogether – considering how much pulling up he’s doing, he may be on to walking sooner than I had thought.
3. The turkey has seriously mastered the art of temper tantrums.  I discovered, with some help from my mom, that majority of them are triggered by the word NO.  So, I’ve gotten better at working around saying it at all.  But sometimes it happens anyway, as my mother-in-law witnessed yesterday.  I was attempting to put him into his car seat (something he never used to give me a hard time about) and he decided he wanted to crawl out the other side of the seat.  When I wasn’t going to let that happen he pitched a fit, turning a lovely shade of fuchsia, while shaking his head no and screaming.  Then, as I reached around the front of him, he lunged out to BITE me.  Yes, people, you heard me right.  Trying to bite the hand that feeds him.  Foolish little man.  hahaha!
4. He’s been a bit of a grumpy grumperson lately.  Which is really unusual for him.  He is usually a very mellow and happy baby.  So, when he is grumpy, there’s usually a reason.  Remember a week or so ago, when I thought another top tooth was coming in?  Well, I was fishing around in his mouth last night (I know, brave, aren’t I) trying to figure out what the deal was and I discovered that nothing was popping up just yet on top, but he has almost completely cut another tooth on bottom.  Woo Hoo!  So, this explains the grumpyness and the hunger strike he’s been on over the last two days.  Whew!  Man, do I hate the hunger strikes!
5. My baby is totally becoming a toddler.  It makes me so sad.  He is growing so fast these days and looking longer and leaner and more like a boy and less like a baby.  He’s doing so many new things everyday.  Today, he slept in his own bed until 8am (isn’t that nuts!  He didn’t go to bed until 8pm…) and when I went in there he was sitting up.  I know, he sits up all of the time.  And has been for months and months, but he has had a hard time transitioning from the crawl or laying position to the sit position on his own… and well, he did it!  Woo Hoo!  While I was fast asleep in my bed.  What a mother am I!?
6. The cuteness factor is insane.  He is resting his heady on random things (his stuffed soccer ball, the table the floor, or whatever he may be pulling up on), batting his eyelashes and smiling at me (or whoever is looking at him) from across the room.  Too cute!  He waves at everyone.  And his wave is hilarious.  Just holds his hand up in the air. 
7. Last but not least, he is a dancing fool.  He has started doing this thing that literally puts me in stitches.  He will pull up to the leapfrog table and get the music going on it.  Then he’ll bounce up and down, while sort of humming, but his mouth is open in an “O” shape and his tongue is sticking out and touching his upper lip… somewhat reminiscent of Cher (she must have paid people not to publish photos of her making that face because I could not find a single one on the Internet!).  Anyway, it’s so funny, I’m laughing just thinking about it.
8. Oh!  Wait!  One last thing… this is so cute!  Ok, so everyday, well, everyday that it’s nice/sunny, when I bring him out of my room and into his room in the morning I say to him, “it’s a beautiful day,” in sort of a sing-songy voice.  A few days ago I got him up from a nap and went over to the blinds, like we usually do after a nap or first thing in the morning, to look outside, and he says in a sweet little voice, “Daaay, Day.”  He was totally trying to say, beautiful day!!!  OH MY GOSH!  So adorable!  And really people, besides momma and daddy, I think this is his real first word!