Hi Jude Update

So I watched him say "Hey Woo" 100 times today and he totally is saying Hey Jude. If you sing the song (which we do 1000 times a day) your lips kind of form a "W' shape when going from the "Y' in "Hey" to the "J" in "Jude." We'll see if this continues or if I have an overactive imagination.

And here's a picture of Jude at The Arboretum from November of last year - just to keep the post interesting...

What did he say?

I realize it's a stretch, but now that Jude can say ball, I think he's brilliant and can say anything. He won't always say things on command (like he's been saying "Hi" forever now and I've never been able to prove it). This video catches a glimpse. Pretty decent for a fluke, huh?

It's crazy to see the wheels turning and his lips move with mine as I'm talking.

So let the record show that he can sign All Done (it's is favorite), eat, more, milk, potty, and. He can say Momma, Dadda, Daddo, Hi, ball, and is thisclose from saying duck and dog. Loving him!!!

Double in Age, Double in Weight (10 Months)

Dear Baby Jude,

Hi sweet boy! As of Sunday you are officially 10 months old and we can't hardly believe it. You are a crazy wiggly giggly little boy. You eat healthier than anyone I know. Tonight you had tofu and broccoli (and some Goldfishies) and you LOVED it. Here's proof:

P.S. Thanks, Jude, for somehow breaking my phone AND my camera this month...

At your 9 month appointment you were a whopping 21 lbs (60th percentile!) and I forget how long, but 75th percentile in length. That's a big change from below 5th percentile at 5 months. Hence the double in age, double in weight. Let's compare you at 5 months to you at 10 months.


As much as I love you as a chub, I still loved you as my little skinny boy too. Back then all the waitresses would ask me if you were a preemie and I would cry, and now everyone at church can't get over your chubby cheeks!

Every week or so we babysit your favorite baby Carter, which I will soon dedicate an entire post to... But we went with that same baby Carter and his parents, Jonelle and Steve Gray, to Kalahari, a HUGE indoor waterpark in Sandusky Ohio. You were such a sweet boy, but it was hard to get you to show any emotion! You didn't show any fear or excitement as we put you down the baby slides, you didn't show any fear or excitement when we would lie you on your back in your life-vest and drag you through the water. You didn't show any fear or excitement the hundred times you got splashed in the face. You were just so stone faced - which made us all laugh alot! Your facial expression was a cross between these two looks:



Most of the pictures we took with a disposable waterproof camera, but we were able to sneak a few of some of the drier moments.

Here you are doing this awesome-not-at-all-annoying-thing of gripping your spoon like a doberman pincher with ever bite.

This is what 2 half days at a waterpark does to a 10 month old.

All baby boys love Tonka!

And the ba-jillionth family photo when I had just locked you into your stroller for the 4th time and didn't feel like taking you out anymore for. It turned out to be the cutest one... of me and your dad... you were so ready to ride in the stroller instead of wait in the stroller...

And here's the whole group! We had such a blast with the Grays and can't wait to go again next year, right Jonelle?


Your hair is getting lighter and lighter and longer and longer and in some mornings I can't do a thing with it.



You are FINALLY starting to regularly sign "milk" and "more" and "all done" and you're even better at saying "Momma" and "Dadda" to the appropriate person. You're especially excited when your dad comes home and you call out (or whisper excitedly) "Daddaddaddada." You are a big babbler - this last week or so you've been especially practicing pronouncing "z" sounds. You love to read The Very Hungry Caterpillar and the Colors quiet book I made for you. You're so much fun -- I can't seem to put it into words. You're really laid back and I think it's partly because your Dad and I try to be laid back, but mostly it's just you. I will admit that if you don't get all your sleep, you are a real drag. You whine and whine but with your mouth closed... It's like you're too tired to whine for real so you just hum a whine. You still love music and I catch you gently batting the strings on my guitar daily. You're gentle so I let you... You are tall enough now to reach the keys of the piano and you sometimes play with both hands! It's awesome and I can't wait to teach you how to play in a couple of years.

I'm trying to think of everything I want you to remember... and things for your grandparents to know also... Oh! You make friends easily and love other babies. Sometimes, and by sometimes I mean always, you get excited and knock any other baby over or pull their hair. But it's out of excitement, not anger. I have to watch you really really close when other babies come to play.

You're almost one! And you change so much with every day, let alone every month. It's scary how fast the time flies because we love every second of you. You're our baby boy forever. I love you!

Love, Momma

P.S. This is what happens when it's Daddy's turn to watch you on a Saturday...