Jack: 9 months

Updates being far behind, I figure I'll just start with where we are and work my way backwards as needed. Jack is 9 months old. Not sure how that happened, but I'm still befuddled by the blossoming of spring all around me. I think my sense of time passing has been compromised.

Jack is loud. He talks a LOT, mostly just your standard, "dadada" but he's also recently added "annna" and (oh, I am so happy!) "mama". He's working on "uh-oh" and I swear I've heard a version of "what's that?" come from his drooly little lips. But I may have a case of maternal pride hallucinations.

Mostly, though, he's just loud. It can be happy loud, screaming for the fun of it and giggling at his sisters ("Look! They have toys on their heads! And then they jump and the toys fall off! AMAZING! Do it again!"). There is also angry, abandoned, tormented, sad, pained loud. We get that about equally as much.

He's not exactly what you'd call a peaceful baby. When he's cute, though... oh, is he EVER cute! See the picture above. Our friend Kim (of Kim Harms Photography) came over a couple weeks ago and managed to capture some of his best faces and smiles. I know, I know, I'm biased but wow, isn't he just the most beautiful boy? Am I right? I'm totally right.

Jack has been sleeping pretty consistently through the night since January, after a brief and painful bout of sleep "training" (also known as, he cries, mommy cries, and then we sleep). It makes a HUGE difference in our lives as a family. Kurt and I get some peace in the evening after all the little ones are in bed and we can wake up in the morning without feeling like total zombies. Most days, anyway. It also did a lot to improve Jack's general mood. As I said, he hasn't been a peaceful baby and not particularly an easy one. The first half of his life he basically just cried, screamed, slept, nursed, cried and then screamed a bit. In between we'd get these flashes of the absolutely charming boy he had buried inside, but it took some time for that little guy to make his way to the surface. Colic, how we hate thee.

He's been generally healthy, though, despite the tears, which is a true blessing. There have been a few ear infections but not so many as Silvia suffered through. Considering he's smothered daily with love by a kindegartener and a preschooler (both dripping germs of all shapes and sizes) it's pretty awesome he hasn't been more sick, in general.

There are a few points of concern right now, but nothing that really bothers me, despite the necessity of putting it down in his official medical records. Jack's normal height and head size for his age but his weight falls off the charts at below 2%. He's gained not quite one pound in the last three months. The verdict? FEED THAT BOY, which is convenient because he loooooooves to eat. Cheerios, baby food, oatmeal, little bites of banana and various adult foods-- all of these and more. If only I had such problems.

The other thing is he's sitting (literally) at a borderline developmental delay. He's not crawling, pulling up or pushing up with his belly off the floor. Again, I am just NOT worried. If I've learned anything at all in the past 6 years of parenthood it's that kids do everything in their own time. To hell with the charts and milestones. My pediatrician (whom I adore, by the way) was equally sanguine. He pointed out that with the family history of Anna's developmental delay, it's especially not a big deal. We know nothing was ultimately wrong with her and I'm positive there's nothing wrong with him. He'll get there when he gets there.

For the moment, I take great pleasure in the fact that when I set him down somewhere, that's where he stays. Another thing I've learned... enjoy the little things and NEVER try and rush to the next stage. You'll miss that time when it's passed!

More on the girls and our family as whole later, but it's all about Jack Stephen for now.