My Faith and Joy… and Boys!

We spent a wonderful weekend visiting friends and family in Pennsylvania for a church conference.  The girls especially loved the trip, as they got to spend nearly every waking minute surrounded by a gaggle of “big kids.”  Everywhere the girls turned, there was someone new to play with, to walk with, to chase, or to hug (including their cousin Alli, who flew out especially for the conference – we’re so glad you came, Alli!)

Jimmy loved all the attention too, and he got plenty of it thanks to a dapper three-piece suit and tie from my in-laws.  I didn’t get a great picture of it, but you can kind of see it below as he was trying to escape from a photo shoot:

Looking good is very exhausting for my little man (but it just comes naturally to his grandpa)!

It’s a little tough to change the sheets on my bed when my helpers get sleepy…

…and silly!

Can it really be true that my little boy, my baby Jimmy, is one year old today??  He is a daily delight to me, and I am so thankful that the Lord brought him into our lives.  He is definitely more intense, more playful, more inquisitive, and more active than the girls were at this age.  He keeps me hopping, and I love it!  Here’s a random list of Jimmy’s traits and routines that characterize him at 12 months.  I felt like I needed to write everything down before I forgot these precious moments!

Jimmy… 

• Loves, love, LOVES his sisters.  He giggles when they cuddle with him, he follows them around constantly and wants to do whatever they’re doing. 
• Adores music, especially when it’s coming from an iPhone he’s allowed to hold.
• Wants nothing to do with books (which makes me so sad!)
• Loves to throw balls and place them in toys
• Thinks chewing on contraband crayons is the best thing ever
• Is a very good eater for the most part.  Eats whatever we’re eating, and especially loves fruit, broccoli, crackers, pretzels, cheese, cottage cheese, chicken.  Drinks a lot of water. 
• Drinks around 10-15 ounces of formula each day (sips a little in the morning, then takes around 4-6 ounces at 1:30pm and another 6-8 ounces before bed).  Drinks out of sippy cups, straw cups and bottles interchangeably, but he can’t figure out how to hold up a sippy cup or bottle to drink by himself. 
• Current Schedule: Wakes around 7:45 or 8:00am, plays in his sisters’ room while I get them dressed, then we all go downstairs for breakfast and then he plays until naptime from 9:30-10:30 or 11am.  Then we eat lunch, and run errands or play.  He gets a snack and drink around 1:30 with his sisters, then his sisters go down for their nap at 2pm, and he goes down at 2:30pm.  He sleeps until 5:00 or 5:30pm (unless his sisters are being rowdy and wake him prematurely!).  Then we play until we have dinner around 6 or 6:30, then play until bath at 7:30 and then he gets a bottle at 8:00 and then goes to sleep for the night.  He thankfully never protests going to bed and always falls asleep on his own. 
• Is enthralled with his daddy.  He says “da da” whenever my phone rings, or we pass Jim’s office. 
• Just learned to wave!
• Already throws temper tantrums!  He puts his head on the floor and kicks his little legs while screaming when he doesn’t get what he wants.  Fortunately, he snaps out of them very quickly!
• Loves everything about the bath – he loves water on his head, loves getting to splash around, loves pulling his sisters’ wet hair, loves stealing their bath toys
• Now walks about 75% of the time and is getting steadier every day.
• Loves to go down slides, especially if he’s being held by a sister
• Adores being outside and loves to play with his sisters’ “big wheel” tricycles.
• Is into EVERYTHING, including kitchen cupboards, toilet seats, trash cans, phones, remote controls, anything he’s forbidden to touch!  And discipline does not seem to faze him!
• He’s slowly getting less clingy to me during the day, but he still does not like it when I leave the room without him.  He’s a mama’s boy – he loves to be held when I’m walking around.  
• Loves to push kitchen chairs and stools around the hardwood floor
• He never stops moving, and doesn’t pay attention to the TV if it’s on while he’s in the room
• Is wearing mostly 12 month clothes, but fits nicely in 18 months and can still squeeze into 9 month onesies and pants
• Has 8 teeth and two more starting to push through, along with the rest of his molars the doctor predicts will erupt in a matter of weeks
• Sometimes hides his head in a bashful smile when he’s greeted by someone he doesn’t know
• As of his check-up today, he weighs 22 lbs 2 oz (which I think is between 25% and 50% percentile), and is 30 inches long (around 50% percentile).

I love you, my little man (even when – or maybe even especially when – you climb in places you aren’t supposed to be, you adorable stinker!)   

This look on Jimmy’s face just makes me chuckle.  He’s so happy he gets to sit with his pappy, and he’s so happy he thinks he’s eating an ice cream cone like his sisters (good thing he doesn’t realize he’s missing the cold stuff!).

Just imagine what the look on his face would be if he could understand he’s getting a little brother in September!    

Okay, maybe coordination isn’t their strong suit.