Travel Often

“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” — Rosalia de Castro

Love Deeply, but Laugh Along the Way

"Happiness is only real when shared." - Jon Krakauer, Into the Wild

View Marriage as an Adventure

"Love is a flower which turns into fruit at marriage." ~Finnish Proverb

Fuel your body with GOOD (It's the only one you get)

He who has health has hope; and he who has hope has everything. - Arabian Proverb

Open your Soul to Motherhood

A Grand Adventure is About to Begin - Winnie the Pooh

A New Kind of Love is Born

Mothers hold their children's hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Jackson is 10 Months Old

What's New with Jackson?

9 Month Check-Up

Results of 9 Month Check Up (little behind here):
Weight: 19 1.25 lbs - 21%
Height: 29.5 inches -  82%
Head: 17.75 - 39%

NO SHOTS!!! YAY!

Oh, boy...I'm starting to see my personality shine through our lil guy...

Jackson's pediatrician called him a lean, mean fighting machine. He is one healthy (skinny) little boy. She suggested we start feeding him more fats (i.e. butter) and meats, but I have been giving him chopped up avocado every day, which is loaded with lots of healthy fats. I did try the butter deal but he pretty much threw that up. We did give him breakfast sausage too like she suggested and he is LOVING that. Not the most healthiest in my mind.

Learning how to set the ball. Future volleyball stud.


Healthy Nutrition
Today, as I was eating a banana, Jackson leaned in to get a bite too. Then he gagged. I realize now that maybe it's not the grains he has issues with...maybe it's the banana?? For some reason, he decided he didn't want anything to do with any type of grain. BUT, he will eat our oatmeal cinnamon pancakes. I'm trying to sneak in oatmeal whenever I can.

So far this past month Jackson has tried cauliflower, kale (LOVES!), watermelon, pineapple (LOVES LOVES), sausage, pork loin, quinoa, he's back to eating blueberries, steel cut oats with pumpkin and pumpkin spice, apricots, nectarines, salmon, cod, he had my lasagna dinner and ate the whole thing and ate my Fage Greek Yogurt too... I think that's it? I might be missing a few things but so far he will try everything. He just throws a fit or gags when the banana is involved or grains. BUT if I get some yogurt in there, we seem to be good.
I'm letting Jackson eat more and more of our foods. This was WAY good. WAY!


I make sure to pack a couple pancakes for him every week at daycare, some sausage and lots of veggies for finger food - peas, carrots, broccoli, kiwi, etc.

And yes, people try to feed him cake and sweets... I think they feel bad for him that he's eating so healthy. I don't know.  Try not to let that bother me so much.

Activity
Jackson now walks behind his bike. He will push it and hop on it as well. He will walk beside our coffee table with one hand on it or will go between laundry baskets or cupboard doors without holding on at all for short periods of time. Walking is SO coming.


He crawls up the stairs in record time. He is crazy fast. Action Jackson is ALL over the place.

We took his mobile down in his crib since he was trying to hang from it like a monkey. I realized once that went down, Jackson also went down a lot quicker.

Still wearing size 3 diapers and is fitting in 12-18 month clothes.
Swear this guy would win a crawling contest. He is FAST.


Road Trip and Outings
We took a road trip to see my grandparents in Wild Rose last weekend. We left late on Friday so Jackson could sleep most of the way. He did. The way home was a different story. And dad had a different idea of what he would be doing the entire weekend (ice fishing and fishing for drinks at the bar). Mom wasn't too happy and a break was desperately needed after two hard weeks.
Jackson and Great Grandpa had a special bond
And there was the doll my grandma made. Jackson had to kiss her when he crawled by. SO SWEET.


My grandparents couldn't believe how much Jackson moves and how curious he is. My 86 year old grandpa chased after him while I took a shower. It blows my mind what my grandpa can do at his age. I swear I have the coolest grandparents ever. Mind you, my grandpa has a few clots in his heart, a pig valve and has a little brain leak...

My 86-year-old Grandpa chasing Jackson around

He LOVED looking out the window and sitting on the warm vent at my grandparent's.

Karl's grandparents celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in Gaylord, so we went out there to celebrate. I'm getting better at not feeling like I can't ever leave Jackson's side. I let everyone hold him and grabbed a glass of wine in the other room. I needed a little break and I didn't let the guilt get to me one bit. Jackson and I also polkaed a little bit. He liked the music a lot. It's in his blood.
One good-looking bunch
Celebrating 60 years of marriage!
Playing Mozart with Gpa and Gma Koester

Jackson celebrated his first Valentine's Day! He loved the gifts from Uncle Mark and Aunt Amy and the card with the spinny heart from Gpa and Gma Koester. He couldn't get enough of both.

This plane is awesome!
All in a day's work

Trying to figure out how to stop this crazy heart

This thing never stops spinning!
Got it!

First words
Since 9 Months Jackson has been saying "da-da" and "ba-ba" and "ub-ub' and "ma" and "pa-pa". But a lot of the times he just rambles...UNTIL this week. Karl came home from work and Jackson and I crawled over to the stairs and Jackson kept saying "da-da!". Sweetest ever. Still, it didn't totally register because I thought maybe he was rambling once again. But when I had him in my arms to put him to bed, we walked half-way up the stairs and looked back. Karl peeked his head up the stairway and Jackson shrieked and said "da-da". MELT. MELT. MELT. I seriously felt my heart explode. Karl and I looked at each other with tears in our eyes.
Loves looking over the stairs when "da-da" comes home.

The next day...SAME thing. My heart grew even more. He is just the sweetest little boy ever.