One Month Ago & 13 Month Milestones

One month ago we were just leaving Utah.

One month ago we were about to begin a journey that would bring us back to our families.

One month ago we were wondering what it was going to be like living in SC after being gone for a few years.

One month ago we had the biggest smiles on our faces just thinking about the holidays...AT HOME! Something we haven't in over 3 years!

I can't believe we have been home a month already! Time flies when you are having fun...It really doesn't seem like that long but since the holidays were in the middle it made time go by even faster. We are so happy to be back! We have done so much since we've been home. It is so hard to find the time to update the blog! Sorry about that. At times I feel I could get on and do it but then something else comes up. I'll try to do better.

Right now we are pretty much bouncing back and forth between Camden and Irmo spending time with my family and Gordie's family. We've hit up our favorite restaurants (Rush's, Leo's, Carolina Wings, Wild Wings, Lizards Thicket,Village Idiot, etc.). We definitely aren't going hungry - that's for sure! We have spent time with some of our friends and look forward to seeing more of them in the near future!! We got Gordie's truck registered with SC tags ($539 later...yeah don't ask that was painful! It cost us $290 in Utah so thanks to SC and their heavy taxes this was a big blow to the wallet). We have been to several USC basketball games and even sat next to a local celeb/weatherman, Ben Tanner and his son. We are helping Gordie's mom move to a new shop in Camden which is going to be a great move business wise for her. In between all that fun we are trying to get focused and apply for jobs in hopes to land one to get some cash flow soon! Thankfully, Gordie is still employed by the AF until the end of this month so it is nice for him to keep getting paid while on "vacation" or as they call it "terminal leave".

Baker is 13 months and getting close to 14 and is really coming into his personality more and more everyday.

• He found his voice and doesn't mind sharing it with everyone no matter where he is (church, restaurant, home, car, you name it).
• He can blow kisses on command and when you say bye bye or night night he will usually raise his right hand and wave.
• His kisses are sometimes backward ones where he has his hand out in the air and then brings it to his lips and holds it instead of the other way around.
• He is getting a little picky about what he is eating. He used to eat any and everything. Now he has to eat all baby food or no baby food. We can't mix baby food and finger food due to the different textures. It has to be either all smooth or all textures. He still LOVES carrots.
• Gets super fussy if he hasn't had his routine naps.
• Prefers to stand but still isn't walking on his own yet
• He has been walking with assistance but now can do it when you hold only one hand. We are making progress!
• LOVES to smile
• Favorite cookie is still Fig Newton
• Absolutely loves cherry puffs
• Still rides backwards in his car seat. Is it bad that I want to keep him backwards as long as possible? It is just so much safer but I suppose eventually I'll have to turn him around.
• Still has his bottle/ba ba. Yes, that is going to be a hard transition or so I'm finding out. He will downright refuse to drink his milk if it is out of another cup. I've tried Nuby, Take & Toss, etc. He loves juice and water in those but not milk. He hasn't gotten the idea of the straw yet so straw sippy cups are out of the picture yet. Any ideas?
• He doesn't require a paci anymore. He doesn't really like it much anymore. On occasion he'll take one but he's pretty much worked himself off of it, thankfully.
• He is starting to be a little shy around others that he doesn't know. We had a playdate with my friend, Melanie, who has 2 kids (Landon & Peyton) this past week and Baker was SO shy at first. I'd never had him cling to me so much as he did at first when we got there. I must admit it was quite flattering that he wanted his mama but then I had flashbacks of how he never looked back once when I left him at the CDC in Utah. I know toddlers go through stages of stranger anxiety and wanting their parents but I sure hope us being with him 24/7 hasn't killed his ability to want to play with other kids and stay at a daycare without a cry fest. I don't know that I will have the ability to walk away easily from him bursting into tears whenever we enroll him in a new daycare!
• He has so many toys but seems to adore a select few. His toolbox and in particular the screwdriver (Thanks Sam!) and his Dump Truck (Thanks Britt!) He still loves jumping in his jumperoo and Johnny Jump Up. He definitely is an on the go jumping baby. He continues to explore every nook and cranny in the house and is getting around so much faster. He also gets a happy look on his face in that he is proud to be able to move around so quick.
• He had his first taste of banana pudding and LOVED it. (01/09/11) I got some from Lizard's Thicket at lunch after church and got it to go. I was too full to eat it there so later in the afternoon I got it out and offered him a little. He wouldn't let me alone! It was so funny how he was trying to grab my fork to get more.
• He LOVES cows milk. I think it would be interesting to see if he would spit out his old formula, Enfagrow, if we mixed it up in between his regular milk.
• If you remember my earlier posts when he was in infant, he would get a triangle on his forehead when he was going to the bathroom or was constipated. He still gets that triangle every now and then ;) Poor guy!
• He is getting up earlier these days - usually around 8-8:30AM. I guess I should still be thankful because 8/8:30 is not even really that early!
• Still does his baby signing. I need to look up a few more of them. They really are effective and seem to be a great tool in communicating so that's a goal of mine is to learn more than the few he has perfected.
• Lately when Baker gets excited about something (toy, food, a person, etc.) he will breath really hard and sound like he is going to hyperventilate. It is SO funny.
• Molar #3 has started to pop through. This one is on the top and on his left side. We first saw it on 01/08/11.
• Overall, our little babe is growing up so fast! He is definitely going through a growth spurt because he is taking a lot of naps and longer ones than usual. Everyday I look at him and think he is just a little bit longer than the day before.