Disneyland!!!

This week we have had the wonderful opportunity to go to Disneyland. This place really is magical and we have had a fabulous time.





Highlight 1: We had breakfast and dinner one day with lots of fun characters. Jack wasn't too sure what to think about them, but he would usually offer up a high five.



The Opposite of a Highlight: The first night Jack refused to go to sleep in the port-a-crib so I let him snuggle with me. That was great until around 2:30AM when he fell out and landed on the floor! He didn't get hurt but he was very upset at the harsh awakening and took quite a while to calm him down.



Highlight: After eating dinner with some friends at Goofy's Kitchen we discovered this old Autopia car outside in the lobby. Jack thought he was in heaven pretending to steer that car. He laughed and played, and then screamed when I tried to take him out because his little buddy Jace was complaining that Jack stunk and needed a diaper change. Poor Jace.

Now what ride do you think was Jack's favorite? It's a Small World? Winnie the Pooh? Nope. He liked those, but his favorite was...

The Haunted Mansion, of course. He danced to the band in the grave yard and clapped with glee when he saw himself and a ghost riding in the car together. Go figure.

Hightlight: Aunt Gwen came down and played with us all day Friday. It was great for Hardy and I to be able to go on some rides together while Jack and Aunt Gwen walked around. Thanks Gwen!

Jack was a real trooper the whole time. He did great on the flight there, and by the second day he got the hang of taking naps in his stroller.

He thought the parade was pretty cool.

His other favorite part of Disneyland was Pirates Island (formerly Tom Sawyer's Island). You would think the caves would be dark and spooky, but not to Jack. He walked so fast his little legs could hardly keep up and he giggled with the pure thrill of an adventure as we entered into the caves.

Jack's cousins Seth and Paige and Uncle Matt came down on Saturday to hang out with us so Jack loved having his cousins to play with.

He even got to meet Santa in the hotel lobby.

So much fun. We can't wait to do it again in a few years.

Ode to my husband

You know you’ve married a good man when he offers (without even being asked) to skip the last home Utah football game of the season and take your sick child to the doctor (even though it made both of them cry) and stay home with him so you don’t have to cancel your plans.

Yep, that Hardy, he’s a keeper.

Jack is finally feeling better today. When I called the doctor Saturday to see if miserable fevers were a normal reaction to the Synegis shot she said "no" and had us bring him in so they could test for influenza. It came back negative, so did the strep test. So, we've just been waiting it out and by the amount of trouble he's been getting into this morning, I can confidently say that I think he's much better.

Limp Noodle

Jack got his first Synegis shot of the season yesterday. He was terrified and cried more than he ever had when he got it, but eventually he bounced back to his usual chipper self. Well, I think today he has had a bad reaction to the shot. He has had a fever all day and been completely lethargic. Poor little guy. He finally figures out how to walk, then we give him a shot that make him so sick he can hardly stand. What a mean mom I am.

Finally!

Look who's walking!

Yesterday afternoon he finally decided to let go and now he's strutting across the room like it's no big deal. Of course he refuses to do it on demand so pretend you're not watching the video or he might sit down.

His other big tricks for the week are that he can now tell you what a lion, snake and bear say.

Good milestone's Jack!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E!

Yep, in just three weeks Jack will have his first trip to Disneyland, and can I tell you, I get more excited every day! Hardy won a trip from work so we are going to be livin' it up in the Magic Kingdom. I just can't wait to see Jack's face as he takes it all in. It will definitely be a different trip trying to work around nap times and sticking to the little rides, but Aunt Gwen is coming down to join us for a day or two, and I've talked with 3 other people I know who are going to be there with their families that same week, so we should be able to get in a good Space Mountain ride or two. SO EXCITED!

I talked with Jack's pediatrician today at his well baby check about our trip. I'm a little freaked out about the plane ride but she said to keep him hydrated and spray out his nose a lot and that should help to keep him healthy on our trip. She's also going to try to get him his RSV shot before we go which would make me feel a ton better since it seems to be a good immune boost. I also finally got him his H1N1 vaccine today so that makes me feel a heck of a lot better as well.

Jack did great at his check up today. Dr. M couldn't believe how good he looks. He's 75% for height, 10% for weight, and his huge head is still in the 95%. I also had her check his sats and he was hovering around 87%. We like that. I actually just bought a little finger pulse-ox that arrived in the mail today so we could check his sats while we are out of town and just have a little piece of mind. It will be interested to see what his sats do at sea level and in the airplane.

And to answer your question Hilary, no, he still isn't walking. Stinker. Despite all my best efforts, he just won't let go.

Enjoying the Sunny Autumn days

Trick or Treat!

Jack had a fabulous Halloween. He dressed as a very handsome Superman. We trick-or-treated at daddy's work on Friday, and to a few houses in our neighborhood on Saturday, but he prefered the kids coming to our house. Every time the doorbell rang he would speed over to the door and giggle and shake with anticipation. He was pretty funny.

He then spent Sunday like every other kid out there, looking thorugh his bag of candy and trying to get me to let him eat way too much sugar.

Suggestions?

So, Jack is still not walking. Yes, I know all kids do things at there own pace, and yes, I know he's been through a lot so it's not a big deal that he's not walking. The problem is that he's got all the skills (he does great only holding onto one hand or pushing various objects around the house), he just won't let go and it's making us both frustrated. I think he would really like the trouble he can get into once he puts it all together and starts walking.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to get him to finally figure it all out so I can stop spending my days tripping over the laundry basket, garbage can, tall toys, and anything else he pushes around the house so he can walk to where he wants to go? Or do I just need to be patient?

Family Pics

We finally went and got some family portraits done last week. They turned out so cute. Here are just a few for your viewing pleasure.

Our cute photos were done by Carrie Butler.

Playin' and the Pumpkin Patch

Jack loves driving around in his car. He's really good at reverse, still working on going forward, but he's pretty good at keeping his feet up so I can push him around.
Here's where I discovered him the other day, just hanging out with a witch. Notice the laundry basket in the corner - still his preferred choice of transportation.

Looking pretty cute in his scary Halloween shirt.

Last night we went to the Red Barn in Santaquin with IHH and got to take a hay ride out to a pumpkin patch where we picked out a fabulous pumpkin. Jack thought it was pretty fun and we loved seeing our heart buddies and making new friends.

14 months old

Jack is now 14 months old. Here are some of the wonderful things he is up to these days:

1. He can stand all by himself…until he realizes that he’s doing it and then he immediately sits down because he doesn’t think he can.
2. He loves to walk around the house all day long pushing the laundry basket until it gets stuck against a wall (which is every 30 seconds) and then he screams and throws a fit, beaconing me to come get it unstuck.
3. I have no idea what he likes to eat these days. It completely changes from day to day, but Mac ‘n Cheese and teddy grahams are usually a “yes” when offered.
4. He can sign “all done,” “more,” and “milk.” And he gives a great “high five.”
5. He can say mama, hi, more, yes, and no and a variety of silly sounds.
6. He’s very good at going up the stairs, but rather unreliable going down them as he likes to stop and play along the way so we still have to watch carefully.
7. He sleeps pretty well at night, but gets up every morning between 5:00 and 6:00 and insists on coming in to snuggle with mom and dad, which we only allow because it usually buys us another hour or so of sleep.
8. He’s still a total mama’s boy and sometimes not even daddy will do, which is kind of sweet to be loved so much, but gets really old when I need to get anything accomplished that can’t be done with a 1 year old attached to my leg. He adores his father though and loves to watch him mow the lawn.
9. He likes music and will wave his hands to the beat with a big silly grin. He also applauds when I sing the ABC song to him while changing his bum since that is the only way to get him to hold still.

10. And now he's wailing under the computer so I don't have time to think about anything else. Good thing he's a cutie.