Jordan is 13 Months Old!

It's been a crazy few weeks! We started the month in Charleston and ended it in Kansas City. Big changes for a little person. But Jordan handled all the chaos like a pro. I counted all the different places she slept this month - it was at least nine. Good thing Jordan is mellow and goes with the flow.

Besides this month being rough with all the transitions - it was rough for Jordan in terms of falls. We had our first Emergency Department visit (on Father's Day!) after a fall and cut near her eye and our first double black eye from a climbing/tumble.

We also spent a few nights down at the lake house once we got to Missouri. It was so fun to take Jordan & Willie there. She had fun and we got lots done. Here is what our big girl is up to this month....

Understanding EVERYTHING!

I just can't get over how Jordan has turned into this little mini person who is walking, talking & understanding everything around her. She follows commands i.e. Shut the door, pat the dog, let's go outside. It's so much fun to interact with her in this whole new way.

Signing

I was so excited to start baby sign language with Jordan around 7 months. Needless to say, she didn't really pick it up till this month. All of a sudden she started making the signs for milk, more & done. It's so nice to know what she wants!

Sippy Cup

We had been trying sippy cups with water and milk but Jordan didn't really pick up the sippy cup until this month. She likes a specific kind (handles from the bottom) and it didn't hurt that mom started coaxing her with chocolate & strawberry whole milk to get things moving. The doctor wanted to "fatten" her up - so we are doing our best. Here she is drinking while watching Willie on the dock.

Much better eating

Jordan did start eating much better this month - trying new foods (not just yogurt!) and eating more volume. She still doesn't like to hold onto anything slimy (which I sort of understand).

A whole new DANCE

Jordan took her head bopping skills and moved them to a whole new level this month. We graduated to the knee bop, whole body dance. It started when we were packing and she was imitating us (we are horrible, horrible dancers). But it's pretty cute when she does it!

One Nap

Um, Mom.... 2 Naps are for babi

es. Right around move day, Jordan started refusing her afternoon nap. The strange thing is that she still naps in the morning. Most kids drop the morning or move to a mid day nap. Not Jordan.

Feet

I love Jordan's curiosity and this month is no different. She loves different feeling under her feet (sand, cheerios, grass). She really loves to feel the difference - going from stone to grass. So much fun to see her figure things out - but not so much fun to see her crunching food under her little feet.

A few more fun photos from this month:

Tough baby - goose egg & two black eyes.

Last night in Charleston with the Moses Family

Night out with Justin & Holly

Beach the day after the ED - check out that eye!

Playing with Chloe at Botany Bay on Edisto Island - such a fun day

Best friends

Fun at the aquarium on Father's Day

Willie learns how to dock dive at the lakehouse

Grandma & Grandpa's new horse toy - it was a big hit

Jordan is 12 Months Old!

Such an amazing, busy, awesome, bittersweet month with our baby girl. Or should I say, big girl? Jordan took walking to a whole new level this month - running all over Charleston as we tried to soak up every last bit of our time there. She developed a whole new love of beaches - especially a fun time with friends at Carolina Beach. Jordan was excited to have her Burgess/Bonus family visit just in time to have an early birthday party. The Heffners also visited from St. Louis - which was such a great time for all of us.

Doug coined a new phrase that we are loving for her this month. She is always so busy - picking up a blocks, moving things around, playing so well by herself or others. Doug started calling it her "baby work". And it's such a perfect way to describe it. The way she tackles each task, does make it seem like she is doing a job.

Walking/Running
Do you remember the scene in Forest Gump where he says, "Now you wouldn't believe me if I told you, but I could run like the wind blows. From that day on, if I was ever going somewhere,I was running!" That is a great quote for Jordan this month. She wants to walk (run) everywhere. We struggle to keep up with her baby energy.

Stacking Blocks
Jordan has always loved to play blocks - usually knocking down any structures Doug or I would build. But this month, on her own - she started stacking blocks. It was so fun to see her doing it all by herself.

2 - It's the Magic Number
This month carrying things around the house became a big pastime. But it is always two things. And if possible, it's two matching things. In fact, one day, Jordan went into my messy closet and found a flip flop. She then went back in and found the match to the pair and walked around with them for an hour or so. So funny.

Words
Da (Dog), Ge (Doggie/Willie), Mama, & Dada are her words this month. Although she isn't saying a ton of words, I am absolutely amazed at how much she understands what we are saying. She really comprehends so much of what is going on. She throws away her own diapers and with very few gestures really follows commands very well.

Opposites
Someone gave Jordan an opposite book and she really loves it. This month - she was very into opposites. Up/Down, Asleep/Awake. It was so much fun to see her throwing her arms in the air for up or laying her head down to be "asleep".

Books
Although we have always read books, Jordan became very, very interested in holding and opening them this month. In fact, changing her diaper is so much easier now. When you lay her down, she points to her shelf with books and I give her one. She lays back while her diaper is changed, quietly turning the pages. It's too funny.
Teeth
Jordan's bottom two teeth got really big this month - prompting us to teach her how to "show us your teeth" as explained in this photo. She also cut her top two teeth - which are looking big, a little spaced out and completely adorable.

Other fun photos from this month:

Fun with Grandma & Grandpa at Middleton Place Plantation

Loving her new tent from James, Kim & Will

Dinner with the Moses & Heffner Families

Jordan was playing Hide and Seek...

Boxes, boxes. We are never moving again!

Beach babe on Memorial Day

On her birthday on the steps. My big girl.

Playtime with Chloe, Will & Parker

Sandcastle fun at Carolina Beach

Sweet Home Charleston

I never used to understand people who spoke about the city where they lived as if they were in a relationship. But I have to be honest - I have turned into one. I absolutely loved living in Charleston. And as one person recently commented back "Seriously, what's NOT to love?".

This beautiful city with sweet southern charm. Where the teller at the bank wears a bowtie and everyone calls me Miss Katie. I got to live in a city with Island in the name and became hypnotized by the ocean tides that would rise and fall outside our back deck. Sometimes I'd go to the beach on a Tuesday just for fun. What's not to love?

Every stroll downtown turns into an adventure- a new discovery, a new street, a new favorite. And the weather. Our pool was open in March! Where Doug's drive to work included sailboat, cruise ship & seagull spottings. What's not to love?

The wonderful friends that feel comfortable just stopping by and memories that we have made together with our families. The amazing places we have seen. The sunsets off our back porch, at high tide while the baby ducks swim by. This magical city where we raised our sweet daughter for the first year of her life. What's not to love?

But, as it is with so many relationships - it's time to move on. I really don't want end my relationship with Charleston. I'm hoping it's lifelong - we will be back to visit. That is a promise.

Jordan is 9 Months

We are loving life. Jordan is becoming this fun, funny, amazing little person and it is such a pleasure to watch her personality develop. I know I say this a lot - but she is so HAPPY! Her laugh can instantly improve my mood - her giggle makes it seem like you have an inside joke. She is so interactive now - playing games or enjoying songs. She has also started "cuddling" while you hold her. She lays her little head on your shoulder - let me tell you - it melts our hearts.

Our little one has gained even more independence this month. Last month, she could crawl and cruise, but she always kept near and within eyesight of us. Now she loves to explore - but we do catch her looking behind her shoulder to make sure we are close behind.

We had a fun trip this month to go see friends in North Carolina and encountered our first daylight savings time. I read a very good article and it only took one day and we had Jordan back on schedule. All month, she has been sleeping 12 hours with no wake ups (7:30 PM- 7:30 AM). It is heaven.

Climbing Stairs
On one of Jordan's exploring trips inside the house - she found the stairs. She promptly starting climbing them - no practice round needed. Now it's a favorite activity - Mom also likes it because it makes baby J tired!

Letting Go (Standing)
We caught Jordan letting go while she was standing - sometimes up to 15 seconds. It is so hard to get a video or photo, because she never does it when she's trying. It seems to be when she's not paying attention! This was taken on the first day we caught her standing - we are desperately trying to get her to recreate it!

Peekaboo!
So much fun to start having Jordan interact with Peekaboo this month. She even starting moving the towel herself - so cute!

So Big!
We started this fun game this month and it's one of Jordan's favorites. We ask how big is Jordan and she raises up her arms like a touchdown.

Wagon Toy
I picked up this toy at a consignment sale and really hit the jackpot. Jordan uses it so many different ways. (1) She can stand behind it to play or push it around (kindof walking), (2) she can play with the blocks inside the stairs that open or (3) climb the stairs to the top to stand ---but this is probably her favorite.... (4) Beep Beep!

Doggie
Jordan loves her doggie. They love to share toys and play keep away. Additionally - Willie's kennel is Jordan's favorite toy right now. They are quite the pair.

Doors
Open. Close. Repeat. Jordan loves to open doors/cabinets. She doesn't love when her fingers get pinched, so we are trying to baby proof the main culprits.

Crab Crawling
Not sure if this is a technical term or if I just made it up. Jordan moves like lightening now - but one thing that has changed this month is she sometimes brings one leg up (sort of like a lunge). Probably nothing of note, except it looks a little funny. Oh, and she loves to hold a toy while she crawls - currently her favorite is a little dog toy that "barks" every time her hand comes down. So funny!

A few photo highlights from this month:

Chilling on the beach with Mom & Dad

Jordan loves the remote and keys. Of course.

Jordan & Willie are really helpful in the kitchen

Fun on Sullivans Island - with Parker's shovel

Willie! Stay!

Driving to Durham

Fun on the playground

Jordan's favorite snack this month (Besides Puffs, that she is getting so good at eating?) A raw green bean. She loves to gnaw on them.

But she also loves to share with her doggie.

Saturday morning

Fun on Sullivan's Island on Saturday. 75 degrees and dogs off leash - heaven.

Florida Fun

Doug had a conference in Boca Raton, Florida at the first of December and Lil' J and I tagged along for some sunshine. We were happy with our first long road trip - driving through the night so Jordan would sleep. Doug did great staying awake and Jordan did great sleeping. We enjoyed the sunshine, resort and our time away. The ocean was too cold for swimming but we had fun at the pools, beach and just walking around the beautiful resort. Not to mention Jordan started crawling while we were there - but more on that later.

We lucked out and avoided the cold snap that hit right after we left. We made a stop in St. Augustine, FL - for Jordan to stretch out and roll around since we didn't drive through the night on the way home. Now I can say I've been to all three walled cities in North America - Quebec City, Charleston & St. Augustine. Huge dork, I know.

Doug & Jordan chilling at St. Augestine

Family shot on our trip home - the fort

Beach baby. She loves sand but not the cold ocean.

Perfect photo of my babies. Jordan cracking up and Willie looking like "What is so funny?"

Chilling poolside with the cutest baby on the block

Sunrise over the orange groves in Florida. Possibly the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen.

Jordan - 3 Months!

Our baby is getting so big! What a fun month here in Charleston with our little girl. She continues to laugh and smile her way deeper into our hearts everyday. There is something so amazingly simple about babies. They need very few things - food, clean diapers, sleep and most importantly love. I continue to learn something everyday by being Jordan's mom and feel so lucky to spend my days with such a happy and healthy little person.

She really got the hang of sleeping through the night this month - getting into the groove of sleeping 9-10 hours a night. Although, this past week, she has needed a little cuddle and/or pacifier in the middle of the night. Not sure how to get back into that great sleep pattern again. Something tells me that we would all sleep better if we moved her into her own room and crib, but it makes mom super sad for some reason.

Jordan's favorite things these days:

1. Lap standing- she actually just needs help balancing - she is already bearing most of the weight herself. Although- she doesn't have that much to bear - our little peanut is tipping the scales around 11.5 lbs.

2. Her bunny - Jordan's favorite stuffed animal (thanks James & Kim!) Until Bunny arrived, she was anti stuffed animal. She is warming up to other toys lately, but Bunny is still number one in her heart.
3. Chewing on her hands (or other peoples hands- watch out!) It's my understanding that babies explore things with their mouth, which is why they put everything in there.


4. Herself - Jordan has found her favorite new playmate. She absolutely loves looking in the mirror. When she catches a glimpse, she gets the cutest expression - as if to say, "Oh, hi there! I've been looking for you! You are super cute today. Where do you shop for your onesies?"


Our little one continues to find her voice more and more everyday - this month we have started with consonants - every now and then you will catch a G or M sound along with all her vowel babbling. So much fun to hear her "talking".

Getting Jordan to laugh is even more fun this month. Dad usually does the best job - he is super funny. Music to our ears.

And finally a few more photo highlights from this month - all of the photos can be found here.

Night out on the town in Charleston

Beach baby - see her sunglasses?
So happy!Right after hurricane Earl blew through - big waves at Folly Beach.See you next month!