12 Month Stats

John had his 12 month check-up on Monday so I have some updated stats.

Weight: 24 lbs, 2oz (85^th percentile...so tiny)
Height: 29.75” (50^th percentile….yay!  Out of the 25^th percentile for the first time)

BMI: “Lower than it was.  He used to be off the charts,” according to the doctor.

Hair: Gorgeous, flowing mane.  It’s getting dangerously close to SEC frat-boy hair which is not a look that Bud or I like, but we just aren't ready to cut it yet.  

See how skinny he is now. 

The appointment went well.  We are doing most things right and there are a few things we need to work on.  Bud and I really like John's pediatrician.  She's so sweet and supportive.  John had to get three vaccinations (one in his thigh and one in each arm).  Before the nurse started to told us to brace ourselves because these three shots will burn.  She was right.  Poor John trembled and screamed when she injected him and buried his head into my shoulder.  Thankfully, he cheered up pretty quickly.  The rest of the day he was a little off and took a really long nap, but doesn't seem to have any side effects.

The biggest news around here is my desire and John’s resistance to wean from breastfeeding.  As I’ve mentioned before, I’m over it.  My goal was 1 year and I’m so proud that I got there, but now I’m ready to be done.  We were only nursing 3 times a day (first thing in the morning, before nap and before bed) so I didn’t think it’d be too hard to stop.  I read a million articles and knew that a gradual transition would be best.  I dropped the morning session first because John was the least attached to that one.  He takes a bottle in his room (half breastmilk/half whole milk) when he wakes up.  There were a few mornings that he resisted, but it only took a few days and he’s been totally ok with it for a few weeks.  He honestly doesn’t seem to even remember that he used to nurse in the morning.

Because that went so well I (wrongly) assumed that the rest would be just as easy.  Oh what a fool I am.  When I attempted to drop another one all hell broke loose in Jacksonville.  I’m trying really hard not to exaggerate here, but John turned into a murderous, terrorizing, sad, sad, sad psycho baby.  It was heartbreaking.  Bud and I were pulling our hair out and contemplating leaving the little a-hole at his grandparents’ house with a note saying “I’m sorry…we can’t do it anymore.  He’s all yours until he’s 4.  We’d like him back in 2017.”

Well, Uma is too attached to John so we had to scrap that plan and come up with Plan B and that’s where we are now.  John is still taking a bottle in the morning, but nurses before his nap and before bed.  We’ll cross that bridge soon, but just decided to slow it down.  We now know that it’s not going to be easy, but that he will get it eventually. I honestly don’t know which one (nap or bedtime) I’m going to take away first.  It’s tempting to do bedtime because at least I’ll have Bud with me.

He won't be nursing when he's in elementary school, right?

Anyway…it’s not all weaning bullshit around here.  John is up to plenty of other things lately.  He’s not walking yet, but pulls up and stands all day long. He looooooves standing and will walk along the coffee table or bookcase all day long.  Several times a day I’ll catch him standing by himself, but as soon as he notices he plops down.  Thankfully, he’s much less clumsy lately.  I’m sure the constant bruises will return as soon as he starts walking.  He’s also an expert pointer.  He does it all day long, usually accompanied with a noise that sounds like “Ahn” or “uh ahn.” I think he’s still too young for pointing to be considered rude, right?

It makes me so happy to see John developing verbally.  The only word he says consistently and with purpose is “dog.”  He lights up and says “dog” every time he sees U&J and has even pointed out dogs in books.  He also says Mama and Dada, but he uses them pretty interchangeably and I don’t think he’s really connected that they are associated with me or Bud.  He tries his hardest to communicate what he wants, but unfortunately for him I still have no clue what pointing towards the table (or piano, or thermostat, etc) and saying "uhhhhh, uhhhh, uhhhh" means.  It's a non-stop guessing game.  

He loves laughing and being tickled.  His knees and feet are as ticklish as mine and will squeal and squirm when I grab them.  He still loves pulling all the books off his bookcase, but also likes to be read to now.  He prefers books with less words...I never understood the point of those baby books that I have one word per page (baby, crib, pajamas, lamp), but now I totally get it.  He could read that damn Bedtime book a million times.  He also likes books with liftable flaps....open, close, open, close, open, close.  Exciting shit, letmetellya.

I love watching him figure things out.  He has a toy that you have to put a little frog down a chute and then push a button to get it back.  He watched me do it a couple times and now does it on his own…again and again and again.  It’s a little thing, but makes me proud of my smart boy.  There are about 20 other little things like that, but I don’t want to totally bore all of you.

This is the toy I'm talking about.  

He got it for Christmas, but I didn't bust it out until his birthday.

John has recently become a daddy’s boy and has fought back when I’ve tried to take him off Bud’s hands for one reason or another.  It’s pretty cute.  He gets over it quickly, but definitely prefers Bud lately.  I think he thinks I’m just boring because he’s with me all day.

He’s a challenging baby, but still manages to make me smile.  Wish me luck with this weaning business.  I need it!