- Building with blocks instead of demolishing!
- If you listen carefully Jaxen will attempt to repeat your words.
- Had a no nap scare mid-month. For two weeks he talked/cried for 2 hours before falling asleep. We stuck with it and by month's end he was back to regular naps (2pm).
- I'm sure you've seen the videos on Facebook but man, this guy really loves to clean. Pitches a fit if I don't open the broom closet for him almost every day.
- Going down the slide all by himself! Thanks Uncle Ryan and Aunt Kasey!
- Jaxen is also finally getting better at sitting down in our laps and reading books with us. As soon as this behavior really becomes solid, I'll think about bottle-weaning him. I've kept it a part of our routine for this long because of teething too. When teeth are coming, he doesn't really eat much but he always will drink a bottle so at least he's getting some fat and protein during that time. Keeps the [major] hANGRY-ness at bay. The master plan is to replace bottle time (before nap and bed) with sippy cup of milk and story time.
What an xmas we had! Soooooooooooo many gifts! We decided to host this year and GmaJ/Gpa Steve came, Uncle Rory & Aunt Michelle and Gma Sylvia/Gpa Paul all joined too! Jaxen had a great time ripping through all that paper. Never mind the piles and piles of toys he got. In fact, it took Jaxen TWO DAYS to open all his gifts! Thank you everyone for sending such wonderful things.
January 2015
- FIRST MOLARS HERE WE COME! Finally but regretfully. BEAST JAXEN is back.
- Repeating things you say but most often saying: thank you, sockies, doggie, duckies, do this, do that, diaper and up.
- First multi over night stay with Gma Julie & Gpa Steve was a........ HUGE SUCCESS!!!!!!!!! *phew* Thanks again for giving us a huge break.
- Begin tantrums.
New Years:
For New Years we drove down to Canon City to visit with Gma Sylvia & Gpa Paul along with all Jaxen's cousins and aunt's and uncles. The kids had a fabulous time playing together inside and out. There was on and off snowfall there so they all were able to go sledding down the drive way. One of the days a few people went snowboarding at Monarch but it was only 12 degrees and a blizzard the whole 2.5 hour drive so I decided to hang back. A giant thanks to the GPs for putting up with us all!
Florida & Puerto Rico Trip:
We had an early flight out to Florida but Jaxen did great on the plane and we got back to the house just in time for nap. That plus a direct flight = good plan. Two days later Ben and I left Jaxen w/ Gma J and Gpa Steve to go off to Puerto Rico.
I have always been skeptical about vacationing in Puerto Rico due to a cruise experience in San Jaun (a city like any other on planet) boooooooo. I saw no beaches and no turquoise sea. It wasn't until we finally drove the two hours and made it to Isabela on the northwest coast that I let out a sigh of relief. No cities. No crowds. No shopping. Just a whole lot of single car wide roads, beaches, azure seas for miles and overgrown tropical plant-ness covering everything. We stayed with an artist and his wife who rent out a little studio off the back part of their house. For $75/night we had all we needed from our own bathroom, an outdoor shower, microwave, coffee maker, mini fridge and abstract art all over the walls to discuss each night before going to bed. They had an amazing location just a few minutes walk from a great surfing beach and restaurants galore yet still with a jungle-y feel to it.
The first day we had a beach and town exploration day. It was kinda cool and rainy and we got caught in a down pour at least once. The second day we drove on those 1 car wide roads into the jungle with hair pin turns, traffic coming the opposite direction and a steep cliff dropping off to one side for most of the ride. San Sebastian Falls were first on the agenda. It was a super short hike to them where we ate some lunch and did some rope swinging. The down pour began as we were hiking down but we forged ahead with our plans to hike to cave of the winds. The third day we snorkeled at one of the best spots we've been to so far at Shacks beach. The fourth day we had another beach day because I'm a brat. Just laying out collecting all that vitamin D, a lil snorkeling and exploring the beach around the corner. The weather really improved the last couple days! No rain, and 85-90* F weather! Too bad it was time to leave. This place was great and totally worth a longer trip sometime.
When we got back, Jaxen was happy to see us but had evidently been saving up all his fussiness for us because the week's report was nothing but good. He did very well and hardly gave Gma/Gpa and hard time at all. Unfortunately, the weather in FL had taken a turn for the worst and it was cloudy and cool for the last couple days we were there. We didn't get any beach in or any more swimming in the pool either.
THIS TRIP WAS SO NEEDED. I CANNOT THANK YOU ENOUGH MOM & STEVE.
Click here for our trip photos!
Other January photos here.
February 2015
Having a toddler is such a great reminder that the world is in fact interesting. With Jaxen, it's like a step back in time when all we had to do each day was be outside. A magical time with no cell phones peeping and beeping in everyone's pocket, no Facebook notifications pining for our attention and no half assed verbal conversations with the person standing next to you while simultaneously texting someone else. In short he's reminded me to put the damn thing down and leave it alone for several hours a day. (That's probably why you can hardly ever get ahold of me.) Once I got the hang of it, I found [find] it ultra refreshing. I'm trying to savor this time in his life because I know one day he'll go careening off the edge of this peaceful place into miasma of artificial and electronic everything. Hopefully by then, I'll have my "NO CELL ELECTRONICS AT THE DINNER TABLE" sign.
Notes:
- Requiring less sleep. A 845pm bedtime will yield a 645-7am wake time. Naps are still great but happen a little earlier at 1:30-4/430pm. The length of nap will determine how early he's up the next morning.
- FINALLY JAXEN LOVES SWIM LESSONS!!!!!! YESSSSS!!!!! He's doing so great. Kicking, swimming the wall, swimming to floating and vice versa.
- Struck down with our first Winter of '15 cold. All of us. I guess that's what you get when you host a playdate where 6/8 kids are sick.
- Slowly expanding on his words but they still aren't super clear. I often have to think about what he just said to piece it together.
- If I had time to sit down and write my thoughts about measles this is EXACTLY how it would come out.
Next stop: JAXEN TURNS TWO!!!!!!!
