take me out the ballgame

Jones was introduced to MSU baseball on March 27th. I think he is a good luck charm for the dogs - we swept Auburn that weekend! He loved it, of course, and lasted the whole game. Chilin' in Left Field Lounge

Ahhh....Starkville in the springtime. Is there anything better?

What? He needed a haircut?

It was a long time a-coming. The boy's got some hair.

It was getting in his way of everyday activities. Like eating and seeing.

Proof:

So while in Starkville during the weekend of March 25-27, hair stylist Aunt Stephanie got her hands on my baby's head in my parent's backyard. He did great (with the distraction of crazy grandparents and food) and I did better than expected. In an instant he became a little boy. But a little boy who can see, so it's all good.

My big, handsome little man.

one for the books

Jones and I spent the night away from each other. Three actually! Do you know me? This is a big deal. I have a bit of an obsessive/paranoid nature. This used to not be the case, but my mother instincts are a bit much. At any rate, we did it. My sister's 30th birthday party was planned months ago, so I knew Jones needed to be on a sippy cup by the time I left. My child never took a bottle of anything, so I thought it would be an uphill battle. It wasn't! He was perfectly OK with my milk in a cup. I was the weak one, not him. But with me out of town for three days, he had no choice but to take the cup. And he was perfect. What a relief. He slept great, ate great and played hard. And since I knew he was with Trey and my mom, I was able to relax and have fun. Can't thank those two enough!

So in my opinion, this trip was one for the books in many ways. Yay Jones and the sippy cup!

10 months - double digits

I promise there was once a sign involved. And that sign said ten months. Those signs stopped working months ago.

I wish I had this on video. He was laughing so hard at Trey laughing. Seriously. Trey would get tickled at Jones then Jones would get tickled at Trey and they both couldn't stop laughing. Hilarious.
(Trey was trying to help...)



How did we spend his 10 month birthday? Well, when it's 70 degrees out, you spend it outside! Only Mississippi do we have sleet one week and spend the day at the beach the next.

We went to the park with Hope and Hayes after his morning nap: (pictures taken on my phone)

Then we ran errands. On our way home on HWY 90, I looked over and saw how pretty the water looked so I swerved over and let Jones play in the sand for the first time. Poor baby has lived at the beach for 10 months and never touch the sand. He wasn't sure at first, he just sat there, but then he got in to it and loved it. Anything outside and he is game.
(more phone pics...)

Then after his afternoon nap Hope and I wanted to take the boys back to the beach. It was getting a little windy by this point so we didn't stay long. Plus, we were at a different part of the beach. There was trash. And way too many sea gulls. But the boys had fun!



At ten months:

* Jones' personality is becoming more and more apparent. He is so chill and so funny.
* Some days he is a good eater, some days not so much. I don't worry too much about it. He is still a good nurser so I know he is getting all the nutrients he needs. This past month I have introduced chopped hard boiled eggs, avacado, fruit smoothies, pieces of boiled chicken and organic yogurt. He loved it all.
* Bath time is his favorite...still. He tries to climb in while I am getting the water ready. Cracks me up.
* He started this smirk thing recently where he tries not to smile at you. He gets teased and tries his very best to not smile but then can't take it any longer and smiles so big. It melts my heart.
* He can say mama, dada, and nana, which of course makes me tear up. I know he is trying to say banana, which I say to him every morning at breakfast. He looks at it and says nanananana. Nana would love it. He has no clue he is saying mama and dada, by the way. And he never says it on command.
*Can cruise along furniture and can take a few steps if you are holding both his hands, but seems pretty satisfied with his crawling. And why wouldn't he? He can move.

Side note: We are going Wednesday morning to the pediatric orthopedic surgeon for his feet/legs. I am a little nervous, but know it will be fine in the end. The nurse told me to expect to be there for at least a few hours. It's going to be a long day! I am just thankful we aren't having to go to New Orleans. He is from Tulane, but comes to the coast once a week for referrals.

Little man has hit double digits. Got to start planning that 1st birthday party now! I don't think I could love him more if I tried.

The Hump

Jones loved his first experience at The Hump last weekend. It was especially wonderful watching the bulldogs win over Auburn! We got there before the game started so I fully expected to be home by halftime. He proved us wrong... little man loved every minute of it. He lasted the entire game. He especially loved dancing to all the music. He soaked it all in!

(Daddy is in orange. Auburn colors. I promise he is a bulldog!)

(this one was taken with my sister's phone, but I love the excitement in his face!)

GO DAWGS!

Pumpkin Palooza

Jones' first Halloween was a blast. And he was the cutest snail I have ever seen.

We went to Pumpkin Palooza in downtown Starkville, tailgated at the UK vs MSU game Saturday (HAIL STATE), and played with family on Sunday. We had plans to get back to Gulfport early on Sunday and attend a Halloween party with some friends, but we just couldn't leave in time. We were having too much fun in Starkville.

Shrek and the snail ready to go downtown

Grandaddy with his two boys

Shrek!

PS - is it bad that I turned off the lights and hid when we got home Sunday night? I mean, it's 8:00, the baby is asleep, and you are 15 years old not in a costume. No candy for you.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

butternut squash

This was his reaction to the first taste:

But after a couple of bites, it turned to this:

Jones liked the squash!

I plan on trying the peas again soon since he turned his nose up big time to them the first couple of times. I haven't tried any more food since the last time he turned down my cooking. There was just too much going on with his sickness. I mean, when I am sick, I don't think things taste good either. So now that he is on his way back to 100%, I am trying it again. Success! He ate the entire ice cube of squash!

Hip Hip for butternut squash!

It has been so easy making and re-thawing his food. I love to cook, so this is fun for me. Granted, I have only made peas and butternut squash (and my mom was here with me, which made it more fun) and he has only eaten it a hand full of times, but right now I am enjoying it.

Once cooked and I add breast milk for the right consistency, I freeze the food in covered ice trays. When frozen, I pop them out and put them in freezer bags, label and date them and I am done! They can freeze for up to 3 months. I have a cookbook full of great ideas for baby and toddler.


I just hope he shares my love for vegetables. Trey's favorites are, and I quote, "fried okra and potatoes- cooked anyway". It may be an uphill battle.

Peas?

Ummm...Not so much.

My mom and I made batches of peas and butternut squash this weekend for Jones. I was so excited for him to try it. The ped recommended we do cereal mid-morning and a vegetable mid-afternoon. We tried peas last night for the first time and again tonight.

Disaster.

Hated it.

Tonight was even worse. He made horrible gagging sounds. I couldn't force them down! Maybe we will have better luck with the squash.

We will try the peas again tomorrow. I was told give it 3-5 days with each new food for him to become used to the texture and flavor.

But, in his defense, he is also not 100%. Poor thing did not take well to his vaccinations and flu shots. He was up all night last night (and thus, so were we!) with 102 degree fever. He is also suffering from a pretty bad cough. The nurse on call last night had me give him Tylenol every 4 hours through the night. He broke the fever around 4 this morning and has not had any today. But he is still not himself and not napping at all. If tonight is not better, we are heading back to the doctor in the morning.

Bless his heart...I am ready for him to be back to his happy self!

well, I was wrong.

I only make a mistake once a year or so (no need for a comment, Trey), and this time I made a big one.

It wasn't hunger that was keeping my babe awake.

The first night eating the cereal worked beautifully. Slept from 7 - 4, ate, and then slept until 7. The next night, not as great. Then last night. Oh last night. We were up every hour! He never ran fever, wasn't obviously teething, wasn't hungry, he just wanted to be held and cuddled. I knew something was up.

So as soon as the doctor's office was open this morning, I called to make an apt. We went in at 9 and they confirmed it: an ear infection in both ears. I die. He still wasn't running a fever and was happy and smiling the whole time we were there. I thought for sure they would tell me to give him food and let him cry it out. Was not expecting to hear ear infections. I feel horrible about the whole thing. Bless his heart.

She did suggest starting him on cereal 2 times a day for 2 weeks and then moving on to vegetables. He did weigh 20 pounds today, after all. She told me I was going to wear myself out. Yes. I confirm.

So today we cuddled a lot, read lots of books and took small naps on mommy's chest, since I was told that it feels worse when he is laying flat in his bed. I think that made both of us feel better.

We start medicine tonight. Hope it works...and fast.

We did have one fun thing happen today: my cousin came to visit! She teaches in Collinsville and is on fall break. She came to the coast to visit a friend and dropped in to get some lovin' from Jones.

I took this opportunity with Adelia to introduce Jones to Baby. Don't know Baby? Let's just say she has been with me since my birth (including, but not limited to: surgeries, college, vacations, night before my wedding and my child's birth). Trey won't let me sleep with her anymore (would that be creepy?) but she lives in my bedside table and comes out when Trey is out of town.

I figured if anything could make Jones feel better, it was Baby.

Baby, meet Jones. Jones, meet Baby.

Thanks for coming, Adelia. You made the day brighter!

mmmmm....

For the past week or so, Jones has been waking up every three hours during the night. So unlike him. Checked for teething, check for earaches, let him try to cry it out, everything. But I knew what it was: big boy was hungry. He was acting like he was starving when I would finally go in there to check on him. I would end up nursing and he would go back to sleep immediately.

I talked to his doc and she said he is probably ready for more than just breast milk. I mean, he is a 20 pounder. Big boy gotta eat. I was trying to wait until 6 months to talk to her in person about feeding him. I am really nervous about it. (note: I am crazy) Guess I will be making baby food this week!

I mean, nursing is simple. He stops when he is full. I don't have to prepare anything or mess anything up. Fool proof. And I love it.

Anyway, I had several people (including my mom, who is all-knowing) suggest I put a little rice cereal in his last bottle of the day. So I have been doing that the past two nights.

Can I just throw in right here that I hate pumping? Is this too personal for a blog? Oh well. I hate it. Hate it.

But I have been doing it for the sake of a good night's rest. And it has worked beautifully.

Tonight, however, I messed it up. The cereal came out entirely too fast, resulting in cereal with milk, not the other way around. The bottle was a no-go. And I refused to pump again. So I feed him with a spoon.

I know you can't tell from this picture, but he L-O-V-Ed it. He looked at me as if I had been holding out on him for 6 months.

After he went to sleep, I went for a jog. During said jog I thought about the fact that I used a spoon and bowl to feed my baby. And I cried. (See note above.)

How can he already be this old?

Stop flying, time.

I'll call it a success

Jones attended his first MSU sporting event last weekend. Laura, Jones and I chose not to go into the game, but he mastered the art of tailgating. And I will call it an all together successful day. He had the best time - loved all the activity - and we won. Now that's a good Saturday in Starkville.

(PS - clearly this was a "white out" game. My family does not normally color coordinate so well.)
Fabulous weekend with family. Trey was camping with a friend, but joined us on Sunday. We had a great Labor Day weekend watching great football.

I love this time of year.

Whoa! What are these things?

Look what I found last night!

Jones discovered his feet while I was changing his diaper last night. He hasn't put them in his mouth yet, but I am sure it is just a matter of time.

He rolls all over the place all the time. He does not like to stay still very long! He is better at rolling from his back to his stomach. I think this is his way of rebelling sleeping on his back.

I love being able to watch him discover something new everyday. He is such a blessing and is so, so much fun!

pushing fall

I noticed a breeze Thursday and immediately loaded Jones up to go to the park. Bless his heart. A break from 100 degrees and I think it's fall.

I put him in the baby swing at the park but noticed there were no buckles. What kind of baby swing doesn't allow you to buckle the kid in? Needless to say, we didn't swing long. He needs to grow a bit more before I try this again. He wouldn't move out of this position and had a very confused look on his face. If I could read his mind I am convinced half of the time he would be asking who this crazy woman is that stays with him. Pretty sure he thinks I am crazy.

But I got a picture of his first time at the park. Hurry up cooler weather, we are ready to get out.

"Seriously, mama. What are you trying to pull here?"

Sweet boy back at home watching me put away laundry