14 months old

Jack turned 14 months old a few days ago. It's unbelievable at just how the communication picked up over the last few weeks. Now, we only need to tell you things once or twice and it is in your memory for good. You know where lots of body parts are, your belly button being your favorite. You also like to touch noses, eyes, and mouths, but you can identify hands and feet too. You really love to "ask" me to see my belly button by pointing or digging through my shirt and then trying to lift up or look under my shirt to find my belly button. All the funnier is that I'm 33 weeks pregnant so there is quite a large belly behind that button. You hug my belly any time I point to it and say baby. It's so sweet.

We've been practicing with a baby doll. You have been so protective of this baby doll since day 1. The first night we had her, you fed her the bottle. I told you we needed to put her to bed to go "night night" and we walked into our bedroom and put her in the pack and play. You were quite displeased and cried and cried. I'm not sure why but you must not have liked her all alone in that pack and play. So we brought her back out in to the living room and snuggled and read her books.

In addition to body parts and babies, you LOVE animals. You are trying your best to mimic any animal noises we say. When we ask what a cow says or a dog, you will make a "ugh, ugh" or "ooo, ooo" noise...all your animal noises sound the same and it's very cute.

Ohter things you're doing...you've been able to tell us where the moon is, lights, trees, airplanes, birds, etc for some time. You are able to take anything to the trash that we tell you is trash. You have gotten so great at listening. You don't play in the dog water bowls anymore or try to take their food from them when they are eating in the evening. You love to help feed the dogs. You go to the pantry and open their food container, you get their bowls, and you watch them eat dinner. You love to get Kramer out of his kennel...I think you feel back from him, and even if we are leaving, you will stand by his kennel pointing as if to ask if you can help get him out.

You wave hello and bye bye to everyone. You've been waving for a while but we can tell now that you understand why you are waving. You are working on blowing kisses and you will give kisses to us when we ask or if we tease you and give one another a kiss, you lean in to smooch too. So precious.

The other day, you were going to bed. I rock you in your chair after several books but before, you always have to tell daddy goodnight. We were upstairs and he was standing on the stairs, he asked for a kiss and you leaned your face through the rails all puckered up. It was the most adorable thing. We floated on that for days.

Another favorite memory we have of you was from last month. You've been learning lots of songs at home and daycare and the movements to accompany. The itsy bitsy spider was the first that you were able to perform. I was signing to you while you were in the tub and you stood up, covered in bubbles, and did all the motions. It was so cute! You were so proud of yourself and daddy and I cheered for you!

Every age has been so fun. You are such a cuddler, you love your mommy, you play all the time with daddy and seek his approval with everything...always looking at him to see if he's noticing you, more so than me. I think it's a little boy thing and so interesting to me how the need for dad's approval starts so young. He is always happy to oblige and cheers for any and every little thing. We are both so proud of you. You are a wonderful listener, you do most things the first time you are asked, you are lots of fun.

At your last check up, you were 90th percentile for height and weight but your head circumference continued to climb off the chart. The pediatrician reassured us that she had no concerns about this and you just have a large head. In comparison to pictures of your dad at your age, we realize that the Archie men have very big heads :) To hold all those brains of course. You also went to a pediatric ophthalmologist to see about your clogged tear duct. You got a gold star, diagnosed with partial obstruction, and we were told to bring you back for surgery if it bothers us enough. Of course, it NEVER will. It was good news.

You have four teeth up top now and the two middle below. You haven't bitten anyone (yet) but love to use those teeth for cookies and anything else. Can't wait to see what next month holds. Your thirteenth month had quite a bit developmental growth! We LOVE you!

Gatlinburg

We've been burning up the roads! The day after our first Christmas in our new home, we headed up to  Aiken to do Christmas with Mima and Pops. Then we were off to Gatlinburg for a short but enjoyable family vacation. Jack's first trip to Gatlinburg! It was a lot of fun.

We were only there for two nights but we stayed in the best hotel near the aquarium (Greystone Lodge) overlooking the creek. The rooms are so nice and the view is very charming. Our first order of business was to drop everything and head to the Doughnut Friar. For those of you who don't know, it's a sacred Cleveland tradition. To my knowledge (and I have little), the doughnuts are made in the shop that's been there since Jesus was a boy, they are fried and warm and amazing. Jack devoured about three before we had to put a stop to the grandparent induced sugar madness.

Next, we walked the strip, a bunch of shops on the main road in Gatlinburg. We bought a pair of cute pajamas for Jack, checked out a clock shop, and just killed time. My favorite thing to do in Gatlinburg! That night, we went to Hard Rock cafe and Jack went back to the room with Mima and Pops (presumably to consume more doughnuts) and the rest of us when to the arcade.

Below is my mountain man...back up ladies, he's spoken for. :)

The following morning, we ate at the all-time best breakfast place on the planet...the Apple Barn. I can't even tell you how good those apple fritters are. I want one right now. After visiting the gift shop, we went to the outlet malls and found some great deals!

Back to the room for a quick nap, followed by dinner at Loco Burro, and then, the aquarium. Gatlinburg has one of the best aquariums. Jack thoroughly enjoyed himself and it was the most fun I had the entire time.

Jack enjoyed making a huge mess of the last place we went to eat. He's a quick one, I tell you. Fastest hands in the south. He managed to turn my coffee over before I knew what was happening. It was the first time that had ever happened and luckily it was cooled so no one was injured in the making of that horrendous mess.

Despite the rain and cold, we managed to have an absolute blast! I can't wait to go back, hopefully next time, we can stay longer...and maybe it won't be so cold! :) Katie doesn't like the cold!

Merry Christmas!

Things have gotten crazy around here with a quickness. Shortly after Jack's first birthday aliens snatched him up and replaced him with a wild, independent toddler. He is into everything, has a big personality, and is very mischievous. He'll throw his sippy cup in the floor and we'll pick it up, tell him "no, it goes here," point to the counter, and he'll look at us dead in our eyes, pick the cup up and throw it in the floor again. What do you do with that?

During the terrible week of infirmary, Jack ran a fever for about four days. He was absolutely pitiful and to make matters worse, Justin was out of town. Thankfully, Granna saved the day and was able to come to Charleston, keep Jack, and made the week possible. I am eternally grateful. Santa needs to know how good she's been this year. Unfortunately, she got deathly ill the very next week. Poor Granna!

To the right, is our Clemson tree in the game room. I love that tree. And below, is the tree in the living room. Note the stocking hung by the chimney with care :)

Check out this Santa Baby!

We went to Granna and Papa's the weekend before Christmas to enjoy time with extended family and Shannon's crew. Jeffrey and Jennifer were in town with Caroline! We were so happy to see them, I think it's been well over a year since we saw them last. Caroline is doing so well, such a precious girl! We were thankful to spend time with Jojo and Pawpaw, Whit and Sherry, Tyler and Missy and Paiton. Only wish the day could have lasted longer.

Tea party with Granna!

Jack and Julianne enjoyed playing with the water table that Granna and Papa bought Jack.

 Jack, enjoying all the cool toys Granna has at her house!

Christmas rolled around and Sherry and Cliff came back to town to enjoy Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with Jack. We had a delicious dinner of roasted pork loin, garlic mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, and green beans. There wasn't a bit left by the next afternoon.

Santa brought Jack a train for under the tree. He loved playing with the remote control and watching it go 'round and 'round. I wasn't sure how much he'd like it but he had a ball. Santa brought lots of other goodies as well. Justin got a lawnmower and I got an embroidery machine!! I am SO excited and can't wait to use it! Now, I can't look at something without thinking how cute a monogram wound look on it, the color and font. If it holds still long enough, I'm going to embroider it (it=anything that will hold still). 

And Santa ate the cookies we made him and drank all the milk! :)

Below, a tired Jack is playing with the power tools Santa brought him.

Then onto stockings!

Below, Jack is enjoying his Grinch bath water on Christmas Day!

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year, we are especially grateful for a year of health for our family. Cliff's cancer has been in remission since surgery, dad is doing well several hospitalizations for atrial fib, and everyone has a clean bill of health. God is good!

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

It's a girl!

I can't believe I haven't done this post yet. I was waiting for the reveal pictures from my grandfather's birthday and just got them last weekend. We found out some time ago that we were having a girl. We went to the same place to find out Jack's gender. Of course, I already knew it was a girl ;) I knew from the second I found out I was pregnant. Same for Jack. I was just certain, something in my gut, a little voice telling me. I was more certain about him being a boy and her being a girl, I would have bet the farm...or the condo :)

It was such a fun day. Justin met us in Summerville over his lunch break. Katie was in town too, just for the occasion. She and I were team pink and Justin thought boy so he wore blue. It seemed to take forever as we were going through the sonogram, looking at her face, her smile, her arms...she held them over her head like a little ballerina. At one point (before we knew gender), Katie even started referring to her as a her. It made us all laugh. When the moment came and she said girl, we cheered. Poor Justin had to be convinced...honestly, I had a hard time telling what I was looking at too. Boys are so clear. Girls...eh, not so much. It took the tech telling him several times and the doctors office confirming a few weeks later before he believed it.

Girl, oh girl. We are tickled PINK! That afternoon, I picked Jack up from daycare with Katie with "It's a girl balloons." The daycare workers were so happy for us and Jack was smiling from ear to ear at the sight of balloons. We got a few cute pictures too. The grandmothers were very excited to find out of baby girls pending arrival. Jack gave Granna a "It's a girl" balloon to thank her for taking such good care of him, the weekend we moved in. We got it on video...she cried. I've got to steal Justin's phone from him so I can upload it to the blog. Precious. Mima was surprised with a little pumpkin with a pink ribbon tied to the stem. She was on cloud nine. This is one lucky little girl. She will be welcomed into a loving home and will have a big brother to protect her.

Hard to believe I only have 11 weeks left! Yikes! In less that three months, I'll be a mom of two! She is very active. She moves and wiggles a lot. Jack did too. Neither have liked it when I sit up straight or lean forward a bit. It's getting to where I have to lean back to give her more room. The other differences with this pregnancy and Jacks is that the nausea started sooner and was stronger, but went away quicker. I didn't actually get sick (puke) with either. Thankfully. I feel better with this pregnancy. I'm not as tired, my heartburn isn't nearly as bad, and I feel less hormonal...still hormonal, just less :) I am a little more uncomfortable with ligament pain or I should say that seems to have started sooner. So far, stretch marks are at bay but I can tell what little I got from Jack will get bigger...oh joy. I really can't complain considering just how easy and healthy this has all been. Baby girl has done so well too...passed all her tests with flying colors.

Names that we've liked...

Vivienne Kate (Justin doesn't like Vivienne, sent it back with his veto)
Savannah Grace (I'm not crazy about Savannah)
Lillian Hope (We both like it but just like it)

and finally...

Ella Rose. The shortest of all the candidates but the sweetest. Named for our grandmothers (Rosella & Jorita Rose) and my sister (Katelyn Rose). And, not to mention, there is already a pillow with her name on so we can't let that go to waste. :) She was dreamt of even before she was created. What a lucky little angel!