I have a new blog…

This one will be retired, and I’ll be updating the new one going forward. 

A few weeks ago we took a trip down to Atlanta to visit with Amy, Joel, & Nate, and while there took a trip to check out the Georgia Aquarium.  It was a super neat place!  It was somewhat crowded, but we managed to get a look at almost everything.  Jackson wheeled through most of the exhibits in his stroller, but he did get out for a few things --- like checking out the touching/open water areas and going up to the big huge floor-to-ceiling tanks.

On our way into the aquarium … I think the super flashy camera light put him in a mini-trance :)

Strolling by some fish

The only negative thing about the stroller?  It’s so darn reflective!

Getting ready to touch some sting rays :)

Jackson is 19 months old!  At-home measurements have him at  26.5 lbs and  33 inches.  Here’s a comparison:

17 months old    24.5 lbs (62%)   32 in (54%)
19 months old   26.5 lbs (74%)  33 in (60%)

 Current Developmental Milestones:

• Talking – mastered the “y” sound and says mommy, daddy, pappy, baby.  Also says maw maw, hi, bye bye as newer words
• Tantrums – these have ramped up again, especially when told “no” and we’ve had a couple in public.  The record – a 20 minute tantrum in the car because he couldn’t have the cookie at Moe’s.
• Teeth -- 8 upper, 6 lower (2 new ones!)
• Favorite toy right now – trucks, balls
• Favorite book – Big Book of Trucks, Go, Dog. Go!, and There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
• Cute behaviors – waving bye bye, playing with the baby doll
• Not-so-cute behaviors – hand in the pants; tantrums
• Favorite TV show – Yo Gabba Gabba, Blues Clues, Elmo
• Wearing size 18 mos clothes, and in size 4 diapers

Jackson enjoys hanging out with his buddy Caleb.  They’ve had some fun times lately!  (and fun fact – they are only a week apart in age!)

Playing with the balls at our house

 
Checking out the books and puzzles

Playing with the broom and dust pan

 
Having some food at the carnival last week

Enjoying some cotton candy sweetness (well, I think Caleb might be trying to escape actually, but Jackson is oblivious)

Speaking of cotton candy … mmmmmmm

Caleb’s not in the picture, but they had fun finishing out the day playing in the church’s playground!

Now clearly saying whole words!  He has mastered the y!

• Mommy
• Daddy
• Pappy
• baby

I decided it would be fun to celebrate Jackson’s half-birthdays with a little mini-celebration.  So here’s what Jackson did on his 1-and-a-half day!

Gymboree Art Class
Lynn & I took Jackson to his first art class at Gymboree.  The theme of the class was centered on the ocean.  First they opened the class with some painting on paper taped to a wall.  This was sheer terror for me the entire time.  One – because Jackson likes to throw his paintbrush.  Two – because I was in work clothes, Jackson wasn’t in “art” clothes, and all the pretty little girls who barely moved were in pretty-little-girl clothes.  Luckily, he didn’t manage to paint any little girls, and I managed to not have a panic attack :)  Here’s his part of the painting----

Later they sat in a circle and had trays to paint on and experiment with glue, glitter, paint, and the like.  Jackson managed to pour glitter all over his leg :)  They also played with sea shells and building blocks.

Chick Fil A Dinner
I took Jackson to Chick Fil A for dinner as a special treat, and then let him play to his heart’s content.  He was ecstatic playing in the toddler area, but kept venturing up the twisty slide just a little bit, and then sliding down.  At one point, he climbed around the bend, and then I couldn’t see him anymore, and he had climbed all the way up!  So I had to go on a rescue mission and get him… we had fun sliding back down together!

  Cupcakes!
We finished out the day with having some cupcakes – yum!

Jackson is 18 months (as of Monday)!  Official measurements have him at  25 lbs, 2 oz and  33 inches.  Here’s a comparison:

12 months old    22 lbs, 3oz (64%)  30.25 in (68%)
18 months old   25 lbs, 2oz (63%)  33 in (73%)

Current Developmental Milestones:

• Signing – new signs are water, help
• Talking – no real new words in the last month
• Teeth -- 6 upper, 6 lower … nothing new yet
• Favorite toy right now – cars and trucks!  He loves to ride them around the floor, furniture, windows, and walls.  And he says “brrrrmmmmmm” while playing with them
• Favorite book – currently a tie with If You Give a Pig a Pancake, Llama Llama Mad at Mama, Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother Too?, and Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear?
• Cute behaviors – waving, blowing kisses, being “shy” with strangers
• Not-so-cute behaviors – his (now a comfort) habit of putting his hand in his pants… all the time; hitting my hand/arm while he’s in a shopping cart out and about
• Favorite TV show – still Yo Gabba Gabba … but also Blues Clues and Sesame Street
• Favorite foods – bananas, macaroni & cheese, pizza, animal crackers / cookies
• Wearing size 12 or 18 mos clothes, and in size 4 diapers

Here are some recent pics!

Eating snack at the BIG table!

Checking out a book with one of his favorite things – trucks!!!

Jackson cheeses for the camera now … here are some others…

Here’s a video of Jackson playing with his cars … bbrrrrrrrmmmmmm

18 months update coming soon!

I never realized that Jackson’s modeling debut made it to the online Chez Ami site!  Just the other day my friend Stephaine randomly saw the page and was all “woah, I KNOW that kid!”. 

http://www.chezami.com/exp.ja6?file=spring09/Puppy&pathcode=F9SHOP&sessionid=2Q40XEIBT3380

Taking a wagon ride with a buddy

Dancing!

Shoes
I bought some shoes for Jackson to try on (yay for Zappos free shipping / returns!).  He thoroughly enjoyed trying them on… and in fact, refused to take the first one off!  He was very excited about these shoes!  It was too funny.