Jack: 15 months

Jack turned 15 months today! What a big boy!

(Skip the first three paragraphs if baby milestone recordings annoy the heck out of you).

The big news of the month is that he has spoken! His best word is "all done." It sounds like "ahhh duh". He says it in the smallest voice possible. It's adorable. It helps that he does the sign for all done at the same time or I may not have even noticed. He also started saying bye-bye. And he's also said book and ball a couple times. Both sound like buh, and the only reason I know he's saying anything is because he will be doing the book or ball sign at the same time.

He's learned quite a few new signs this month too. Now his signs are: book, oscar, milk, all done, bye bye, more, baby, ball, cereal, shoes, and light. I hadn't done the cereal sign in a very long time but one morning he was sitting in his high chair and it seemed that he was telling me he was going to kill me by slitting my throat. Then I remembered that's what the cereal sign looks like and gave him some Cheerios.

It's exciting to see him learning body parts. He will pretty consistently point to nose, ears, and belly. And for awhile I thought he was roaring like a bear when we'd ask him what a bear says but he hasn't done that in awhile so maybe he was just in a growly mood.

More things about Jack:

*He likes to turn his light switch off before bed. He also likes to have you pick him up and take him over to a light switch so he can play with it for an annoyingly long time.

*He's starting to really like books. Sometimes he'll pull a bunch off the shelf and sit by himself and look at them. Other times, when nothing seems to calm down his fussiness sitting and reading with him will usually do the trick.

*He's gotten his bottom two molars, and his top two are trying to make their way in. That has led to a VERY fussy month. He used to be the best sleeper. He would try to get out of my arms and into the crib before his song was over. He'd sleep great at night and take 2 long naps during the day. Now he usually just takes one nap and will then just be SO FUSSY until bed time.

(look at that grump!)

*This was more true before all the fussiness, but I want to remember it anyway. The four of us would be in their room reading and what not for their bedtime routine. And Jack would be buzzing around the room moving from thing to thing at a hundred miles a minute. Then, as soon as you'd put him to bed, he'd happily lay there as still as can be and go to bed. Loved that! Now a days he's just not as happy to go to bed.

*He's been very congested lately (teething, remember?). And he's always got snot issues. Matt has used a nasal aspirator a few times. Most babies hate that but Jack thinks it's hilarious. The more disgusting it sounds the funnier Jack thinks it is.

*Jack loves to play with gravel. He likes to throw rocks but his trajectory is straight down to the ground.

(not sure where the church shoes fit in with that outfit)

*He is starting to play more with Jane. He thinks it's pretty fun to chase her around the house.

*If the TV is on and Jack is interested in the show he will sit himself down in his old vibrating chair/toddler rocking chair and watch for a few minutes.

*If you leave the bathroom door open for even a second he will quickly get in there and turn on the bath water. Unfortunately the side he can reach is the hot water.

*He also takes advantage of when our bedroom door is open and will head straight to the stuff we don't let him play with.

*He's got a jealous side. When we babysat a baby he was NOT happy with me holding her. And if we're with Jack and Jane comes up to us for a hug or to sit with us he tries to push her away.

*I'm hoping for a less fussy month. But if not, we'll love him just the same.

(Here's a pic of Jack's food mousse style as referred to last month!)