Isaac is Eleven Months Old

 

I have been feeling kind of emotional lately. My baby will be one in less than a month and it just feels like time is slipping by too quickly. 

 

 

Daniel and I are big proponents of teaching independence (Jack has been getting dressed and coming downstairs by himself in the mornings since he was 3), but it is always a little sad when they stop needing you.

 

 

Maybe it's because Isaac is most likely our last baby, but these moments feel so fleeting right now. 

 

 

Like we will blink and that chubby baby our ours who shouts dada all the time, and grins with his whole face, will suddenly be a boy who doesn't need our hugs or kisses any more.

 

 

I love each stage, it's just hard knowing we are on the brink of saying goodbye to babyhood forever.

As for Isaac, he is doing great. He took his time learning to crawl, but now that he can do it, there is no stopping him. 

 

 

He has discovered that our house has more than one room and he loves to explore. I recently found him checking out our steps, curious about where they go.

Now that he is mobile, he is starting to get into Jack's things and it is driving Jack a little crazy. I think Jack's days of living life like an only child (who doesn't have to share and can do whatever he wants) are pretty much over. 

 

 

Thankfully Jack really loves Isaac right now, but the days and years to come may prove challenging (as they do for all kids who have to adapt to living with younger siblings).

Isaac's communication continues to mostly revolve around using the sound "dada" for everything, but he has quite a bit of inflection to go with it. We think he has been trying to say "Jack" but it comes out as a variation of "da!"

 

 

It constantly sounds like he is asking us questions, or shouting at us, or just telling us things. It is always fascinating to see language develop in a child, but the stage of them learning to communicate in ways besides crying is especially interesting.

 

 

Isaac got 3 new teeth this month (he now has a total of 7). With those new teeth came fevers and a lot of general fussiness. It also meant that his newly acquired skill of sleeping through the night got tossed out the window! 

 

 

It's always hard when your baby backtracks on sleep. Now that his teeth are in, and we are no longer traveling, he has settled back in to sleeping 10-12 hours at night. Praise the Lord!

Speaking of traveling, in the past month Isaac has taken two road trips (it was a busy month!) – one to Arkansas for my Grandma's funeral, and one to Florida to see cousins on their spring break. 

In Florida, both of our boys got to go on their first caving trip. Someday we will take them to wild caves and explain how their mommy and daddy met on a caving trip.

We have been staying busy with lots of outdoor activities: hiking, trips to the park, time spent on our deck. Isaac loves our back deck and seems to be as just as interested in exploring outside as he is inside.

I also introduced Isaac to swings recently and he adores swinging with his big brother at the park. He giggles like nothing else. 

 

 

He has also ridden on the merry-go-round and seems to love the spinning sensation, sitting happily on my lap while Jack pushes us.

 

Isaac has a funny little wave he does when he sees people. Instead of waving his hand, he holds it up (kind of like they say "How" in the movie Dancing with Wolves). It is such a funny little action, but he is definitely trying to communicate that he sees you.

While I am sad that babyhood is coming to a close for us, it is also exciting to know that as Isaac gets older we will be able to do more things with our boys and have more flexibility (and sleep!). 

 

 

I guess this is just the bitter sweet period that all parents go through. I still can't believe that next month he will be ONE!!!

End of month stats

Eating: Isaac loves to eat. I can't think of anything that he has refused to try. When I put him in his high chair the mornings, he starts banging his tray and shouting "ba ba ba ba" over and over again until I give him his banana.

Talking: Dada continues to be Isaac's main sound/word for everything. But he is starting to make other sounds like the "ba" sound and occasionally, when he is really upset, he will make a "muh" sound.

On the Move: Isaac is crawling all over the place. He has figured out that our house has more than one room and he is all about exploring. He is also cruising – holding onto furniture as he walks along.

Teeth: He currently has 7 teeth, with one more trying to pop in. This month he had a rough go with 3 teeth coming in over the course of a week. The week was marked by a fever and lots of general fussiness.

  

*As with Jack, I will be posting monthly updates of Isaac on a quilt (inherited from my Grandma), next to a yellow Tonka truck (a toy from Daniel's childhood). Isaac at One Month | Isaac at Two Months | Isaac at Three Months | Isaac at Four Months | Isaac at Five Months | Isaac at Six Months | Isaac at Seven Months | Isaac at Eight Months | Isaac at Nine Months | Isaac at Ten Months

A Look Back:
Jack at One Month | Jack at Two Months | Jack at Three Months | Jack at Four Months | Jack at Five Months | Jack at Six Months | Jack at Seven Months | Jack at Eight | Jack at Nine Months | Jack at Ten Month | Jack at Eleven Months 
(We used a quilt from Daniel's family for the Jack photos, along with the Tonka truck from Daniel's childhood).