17 Months

As usual, a busy and fun month for us. Jordan is growing (literally - she is getting so tall!) and changing everyday. This month, we saw a bit of her bossy side come out. She loves to push people around (again - literally). I think it's actually less about being bossy and more about wanting people to do things - and since she doesn't have the words - she moves you. This also comes from her set routine. After her bath, if she can't find Doug she will go down and get him for story time. This is a baby who loves her schedule. She even gets mad if we switch spots on the couch. Our little one has also become a milk hound. Unfortunately we are going to have to start limiting her intake so she will gain a little interest in food.


This month she showed a little interest in cartoons - especially ones that have music or dancing. We have one episode of Sesame Street on my iPhone that usually keeps her pretty happy in the car for longer drives.  Jordan became such a big girl this month and spent her first night away from mom and dad.  We went on a fun trip to Hermann on the train with friends while Jordan spent the weekend with Grandma Ceil.  We also enjoyed a fun visit from Jordan's grandparents when they traveled from St. Louis.

It was a beautiful Fall and we enjoyed every second possible outside  - pumpkin patch, zoo & lots of time on our swingset.  As you may have seen - Jordan is starting to love her new car baby swing.  Halloween also came during this month (I know, I'm painfully behind with this post) but I'll cover that separately.  

Holding Hands

This month, Jordan really became a big fan of holding hands. Her favorite is holding two people's hands while walking. Personally, I never get tired of it.

 Shoes

Jordan loves shoes. She loves to take them off in the car or anywhere we go. She then loves to play with them - put them on her hands or back on her feet. She also loves to walk around in grown-up shoes. She will say, "Shhhhhhhhh," point and expect you to give up the pair you are wearing.

Books

Jordan has always been interested in books, but at this stage she has really become such a book lover. She will sit for quite a long time looking through them by herself. One thing that is very interesting to me is how careful she is with them. She slowly turns the pages - always keeping them right side up. She also really loves to have people read to her, although, sometimes she gets really impatient to turn the page. Our nighttime reading has become such a special time for our whole family.

Groaning
For some reason, Jordan started grunting and groaning this month when she bends down.  It's so comical - she does it almost every time.  She must have heard one of us do it and she has picked it up.  It is so funny to hear these sounds coming out of such a tiny person.


Technically Jordan just turned 18 months - so I'm going to hurry and get that blog done, too.  It's been crazy around our house!!

  

Jordan is 14 Months!

I know that I am a very lucky mom. I absolutely love spending my days with my sweet baby girl. I mean - how can you not love that face??? She is independent, happy, affectionate - and okay a little stubborn, too. She loves her dog and her Dad. She loves all the kids in her new neighborhood. She loves spending time with her cousins and friends.

We play outside every morning before it gets too hot - Jordan loves playing with Willie and on her new swingset. She is learning how to go down the slide. A new favorite game is throwing the ball for Willie - it's a combination throw/keep-away game.

Jordan had a very fun month with her cousins - meeting Taylor and Madison for the first time. They played so well together and enjoyed family bonding. Grandma Connie also came to visit this month for a quick weekend trip. We had lots of fun play dates with Preston, Alayna, Elena, Will & Brynn. Here is what else our big girl is up to this month...

Rocking Chair
Still a favorite pastime, Jordan loves to rock in her birthday rocking chair. She rocks it herself, which is basically adorable. She also loves to take her "baby laptop" up on the chair with her. Here Will is helping her hold MORE toys.
Girly Girl
What a surprise to realize that I have a girly, girl on my hands. I should have known when she loved jewelry when she was such a little baby. She has graduated to purses - especially her Grandma Ceil's.
Feeding herself
At the beginning of the month, Jordan began refusing to be fed. She will only eat if she feeds herself. This has been a very messy, inefficient development in our eating - especially considering that Jordan really needs to pack on a few pounds.
Playing outside
Jordan loooooves to go outside. We have been going out at least 30 minutes in the morning and usually after dinner/before bedtime. Willie likes this new development too, since usually he gets to tag along. Here is an example of the fetch game that we play.
New Words - Dog, Ball, Uh Oh!, Book, No, Bye

Favorite toys - Very loud ball popper (1st birthday present from the Moses Family), Balls - and she still loves any music!

Kiss - MUUUWAH!
Jordan is starting to give kisses on command - although it's more about the sound and leaning toward you.

Rubber - what?
Jordan loves to play with my hair rubber bands. As soon as I give her one, she sits down and starts to put in on her feet.

Other fun pics from this month:

Fun with Dad at Science City, Union Station

First Missouri thunderstorm

Helicopter at Science City

Making brownies with cousin Taylor.

Playing with all the Eckerberg girls

A very special guest dropped by our house one day....

Feeding the goats at Deanna Rose Farm

Checking out the cows with Grandma (notice the purse??)

So happy Daddy is home!

Another favorite toy from this month - Jordan can push herself backwards, but not forwards.

In diapers, they look like twins! Playdate with Preston.

Bye-bye :)

Birthday Girl

We celebrated Jordan's birthday a few weeks early while Doug's family was visiting. We hosted a pool party & BBQ and we were so lucky to have some friends and neighbors join us, too! Jordan handled the party great, although she didn't exactly tear into the cake on cue. It was more of a "You want me to eat that?"

Pool party with our awesome neighbors!

BBQ lunch with the Moses family

The cake that Grandpa Steve decorated!!

Opening presents in her birthday tutu (every girl needs one!)

Blowing out the candle

On her actual birthday, it was a more low-key affair. The four of us at home with a few cupcakes. This time, we had some actual contact with the frosting.

Awesome birthday candle from Aunt Mary & 1 year cupcake

Milestones always make me reflective and this one was no different. What an amazing year for our family. Can't wait to see what our little one has in store for us this coming year.

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

11 Months

Our baby is getting so big. In all honesty, as much as I have loved every single month and stage Jordan has flown through - I don't think anything compares with this age. I love her independence, interaction and walking.... oh, yes. She is walking - everywhere!

We are loving this wonderful Charleston springtime - spending lots of time outdoors including swimming and walks. We had a fun month including a roadtrip to Missouri (Jordan got to see our new house, but actually she was sleeping the whole time we were there), Easter celebrations, a visit with Grandma Ceil and friends Rob & Monica in Charleston and even Jordan's first boat ride.

Walking
Last month lil J was taking steps and walking a bit. This month she would walk a bit more (we would count steps). And then one day she was - just - walking. She would walk, fall and then stand up again to walk some more. Soon after, she began navigating around Willie (a big feat at our house) and got more sure on her feet.

Appetite
With this new milestone, our little one is burning lots more calories and so she is eating so much more! Although, this month she developed a bit of pickiness - deciding to ditch all of the good food mom made her and only eat baby yogurt. Recently, I have started sneaking veggie and fruit puree into the yogurt. Picky baby = sneaky mom.

Hugs
Beginning this month, Dad started asking Jordan for hugs. I cannot tell you how excited he was to get the first one. And I have to agree, there is nothing like having our sweet baby wrap her chubby little arms around your neck and give a little squeeze.

Swimming
Jordan started swim lessons which have been a lot of fun and very informative. Grandma and Dad went into the pool with Baby J the first week. We learn lots of fun games and things to practice when we are swimming at our own pool. Our little fish loves the water.

Stairs
Jordan decided to take stairs to a whole new level this month. No longer is she content to crawl up or down stairs, she loves to walk on them like a big kid. She accomplishes this when she is playing at the top of the stairs with the gate (supervised - don't call the police!) She holds onto the gate and steps down, letting the gates swing momentum take her down a level. She is a daredevil. She also likes to walk up and down small stairs while holding onto something (or someone).

Swinging
With all this being outside, we end up going to many, many playgrounds. Jordan really started enjoying swinging this month. This is fantastic timing, because our new house has a swingset in the backyard.

Clapping
Jordan started clapping on her own - so much fun to see her clap when she is excited or happy. She really only moves one hand - the other doesn't move. Kind of funny.

Other fun photos from this month:

So lucky to be invited on a friends amazing boat one afternoon.

Footlight Alley - one of our favorite new finds in Charleston

Blessing of the Fleet in Mount Pleasant - beautiful ceremony

"I'll just hold my shoes Grandma"

Celebrating my first Mother's Day with my baby girl and mom. Great day.

Too fun not to share. How can you not love a laugh like this? Our happy baby.