New Years Eve 2015

We celebrated New Year's Eve 2014 with Uncle Damian, Aunt Katie and cousins Grayson and Brynn.  Jude didn't make it long into the night.  He did stay up late for him 8:00.

First Christmas

I don't think Jude realized that Christmas day was unlike other days but he had a good time.  Luckily it wasn't until Christmas Eve that Jude discovered the Christmas ornaments and packages under the tree.  Santa brought Jude a package of diapers!  Isn't he practical?  Jeremy and I got him an activity table that he can sit and stand at.

Christmas Eve

Jude's stocking at Pa and T's

This was the first time Jude seemed to look the same age as the other littles.

Sitting UP (all by myself)

Jude can now get into a seated position on his own.

Trying to Crawl

First Trip to Bapa and Gramma's

We celebrated an early Christmas with Bapa and Gramma.  They treated us to a trip to the Cleveland Botanical Gardens.  They were having their annual gingerbread holiday exhibit.  It was a great visit.  We got to spend a lot of personal time together since the majority of the family there had the flu.  

8 Months

This hasn't been one of the easiest months for Jude.  He has been sick most of the month.  He's had just about every bug...one right on top of the other...stomach, cough, runny nose.  On top of all of that he has been teething.  His bottom two teeth came in right in the middle of all of this.  He has been eating and sleeping very poorly.  He's been a trooper despite being physically exhausted from his lack of sleep. 

Jude is on the verge of crawling.  He can get up onto his hands and knees and rock back and forth but his primary mode of movement is what I call the "stretch."  He stretches as far as his arm can reach in one direction, then stretches with his other arm until he slinks his way to where he wants to be.  He also rolls from place to place.  He is sitting up pretty well without support.  He wobbles and falls frequently knocking his head on the ground (which he hates).  He also has some help falling over on occasion from Owen, who takes it upon himself to see that Jude doesn't sit up for very long.  

Jude enjoys playing with toys.  He likes many of the other kid's favorite toys.  He plays well for short periods in his jumper.  This is how I get food on the table, Jude plays next to me in the kitchen while I prepare meals.

Jude is beginning to finger feed himself.  I am hoping this will help us at mealtime.  The only way we can get through meals with him in his high chair is to give him a pretzel rod to suck on.  Otherwise, he screams the entire meal.  Between meals Jude takes about 6 ounces from a bottle.  He gets a bottle when he wakes up, one between breakfast and lunch, one between lunch and dinner and another at bedtime.  Jude is no longer nursing.  He just refuses.  He screams and jerks his head away when I try.  So, I just gave up.  It was too stressful for us both.  He gave it up earlier than all the other kids.  

Jude loves attention.  He HATES being left to play alone on the floor.  He screams until he is picked up and immediately stops when we pick him up.  This is a sound you will hear very often in our house.  

Of all the kids, Jude is probably the worst napper.  I lay him down twice a day but he rarely sleeps more than 45 minutes at a time (at least this has been the pattern the past several weeks).  There are three good reasons for this... Annie, Millie and Owen.  I swear that they are amplified during nap time.  Typically Jude sleeps through the night from 7 to 7 but this month has been rough.  He has been waking up in the middle of the night at least once.  I can't tell if he has developed a bad pattern or if he genuinely is waking up from a cough, runny nose or teething pain.  Whatever it is, I wish it would end!  

I can't believe how much Jude has grown and all the new things he is doing.  He is finally past that infant stage of pure neediness and although I am glad, I am a little sad that I didn't take more time to enjoy it.  When we describe Jude, we describe him as simply the sweetest!  He loves to smile and be among others.

Foods Jude is eating:

Pureed squash, peas, carrots, green beans, corn, apples and pears.

Yogurt

Oatmeal

Cut up Blueberries, grapes and raspberries.

Toast

Cheerios, puffs, yogurt melts.

He LOVES pretzel rods and cut up fruit in the mesh bags.

Enjoys:

Bathtime

Being tickled

Books

Balls

Toys that light up 

Baby Einstein and Hoopla Baby

Dislikes:

Being alone

The highchair

Dropping something and not being able to get it

First Christmas Photos

2nd Tooth

Feels strange in there huh buddy?

Jude has been a big WIMP about getting teeth.  He's been up at night, refusing to nap, fussing and being a little less ideal to be around.  But, look at that cute face!  

Babbling

I realize that he says "Mum Mum" with absolutely no meaning but I'll take it!

First Tooth

I just discovered today that Jude's first tooth has broken through.  It is his bottom left.  He is following the trend set by all of the other kids, getting his first tooth at seven months.  He doesn't seem bothered by it, although a cold has kept us up several nights (maybe it wasn't as much the cold as the tooth).  He seems to notice that something is different in his mouth because for a couple weeks he has been making funny faces with his tongue feeling the new tooth coming in.

You can't see the tooth but you can see he is teething on everything he can get his hands on.

First Thanksgiving

We celebrated Jude's first Thanksgiving with dinner at Pa and T's house with family.  Jude ate before the actual 5 o'clock meal, mostly because of the lack of high chairs.  He ate pureed squash for his meal and sat in the bouncer while everyone else feasted together.

Meeting St. Nick

Jude was pretty unimpressed with this jolly guy! This was the first encounter Jude had with Santa!  I think it went pretty well…there were no tears and he is looking at the camera!  

First Christmas Tree

Favorite 6 Month Pictures

7 Months

Seven Months

Jude is sitting up (mostly unsupported).  He is trying to drink from a sippy cup.  He is attempting to finger feed himself using a combination of a raking grasp and pincer grasp.  He sleeps 12+ hours at night uninterrupted.  He eats three meals a day with us at the table while sitting (usually fussing) in his highchair.  He loves splashing in the bathtub.  He would much rather be held than left to play on his own.  He is starting to direct his attention in books when being read to.  He plays well in his jumper.  He continues to take a pacifier and sometimes still sucks his thumb.  He loves to watch his mobile or the Baby Einstein lights while falling asleep in his crib.  Morning naps are short but afternoon naps usually last at least two or three hours.  Bedtime is 7 pm and morning begins between 7:30 and 8 o'clock.  He rolls everywhere.  He isn't trying to crawl yet.  He plays with toys.  He seems to like the ones that light up and make sound.  He likes to cover his head with blankets.  He is the most tolerant kid I know.  He loves his big brother and sisters.  He smiles a lot!  The sweetest kid!

First Snowfall

Although he didn't get to go out into it, he enjoyed watching the big kids from the window!

Sippy Cups and other new things

Jude tried out a sippy cup for the first time while we were visiting the Finney's.  In fact, he tried several new things...yogurt puffs, eggs and cheerios.  Another indication that this kid is growing up way to fast.  Some reprieve from nursing and bottle feeding nonstop for me.  He always seems to be starving.  I still cannot get him to go longer than three hours between feedings (and that is pushing it).  He is sleeping through the night for at least 12 hours straight (so I won't complain about his frequent daytime feedings because I am not having to feed him through the night).

First try at a sippy cup

Sitting up to play 

A new buddy