JASPER'S BIG FAT UPDATE

My little Valentine turned 11 months old on Valentine's Day. Insanity, I tell you. Here are some things he's up to:

1) Crawling and pulling up to his knees on EVERYthing (arms are still a little weak to pull up to standing, though he gives it his best effort).

2) He's more daring and curious than Bennett was, so I have to keep my eye on the little booger. He attempts more than he's capable of on a regular basis :)

3) He's obsessed with other peoples' food, but will only eat finger foods when it's something that somebody else is also eating (i.e. won't eat the corn or cheese or bread I give him at his meal, but will eat the same thing if he's watching brother eating it).

4) Hasn't sprouted any more teeth for a couple of months (still has eight), but drools like it's going outta style (as is evidenced by the shirt he's wearing in his 11 month picture).

5) LOVES playing with brother's toys, especially his big tractor that sings the Chicken Dance, his big duplo blocks, and his grocery cart of food.

6) Still has the saddest, most heart-wrenching cry and expression I've ever seen.

7) I've had to thump his mouth (lightly, of course) to teach him not to bite. He's a biting fiend. Comes naturally with the insane amount of teeth, I think.

8) Still cuddly and snuggly, which I just eat up and love love LOVE because Bennett has always been Mr. Independent. Jasper John is a mama's boy, ALL the way. He loves his daddy and will grin and giggle at him non-stop until he has his attention, but as soon as he leaves my arms, he's turning around to find me and come right back again. LOVE it.

9) He's down to two naps, for a total of about three hours throughout the day, although he's not quite as predictable as Bennett was - I never know which nap will be longer and which will be shorter, or if they'll be about the same length of time.

10) This baby is constantly snotty. We've been fighting off the ear clogs and congestion ALL winter. I've never been more ready for warm weather because he gets sick so easily.

11) His progress with gross motor skills is GREATLY improving. We're still doing therapy, and will continue for another session or two. I'm SO thankful for our pediatric chiropractor. It's made such a huge difference in Jasper's healing.

12) When he gets really excited about something or someone, he kicks his legs like a frog. And when he's really REALLY excited, he shakes and bobs his head around.

13) He LOVES music, even more than Bennett did at his age. Jasper will bounce up and down, shake his head, and he has this specific little sound he makes, kind of like a little mantra, that he does over and over again when he's "singing." His favorite songs, hands down, are "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Where is Thumbkin," although I'm pretty sure it's because of the hand movements (he's obsessed with hands - his and anyone else's).

14) He's given those open-mouth slobbery kisses every since I can remember, and now he's a champ at it, regularly doling them out on unsuspecting subjects.

15) He says "hi" and is making several new consonant sounds. He doesn't "talk" as much as Bennett did, and is much more quiet. He listens and observes and takes everything in, especially his little Texas tornado of a brother.

16) He "claps" by pounding his hands on his knees.


And this should suffice to make up for the months of Jasper-update-slacking I've done. I can't BELIEVE that the next update will be my baby at ONE year old!!