Time flies when you're having fun! This fall has been super busy now that LJ is getting big enough to enjoy it! He loves being outside, even though he isn't quite sure about all this crazy wind we have had recently.
Going back to September, we took LJ to the Georgia Aquarium for the first time for his birthday...he is a little young for it still, but he loves bright colors and things that move, so I think he enjoyed it! The best part was the dolphin show...honestly, when we walked in there, I don't think we though he would make it through the first 5 minutes, and I was planning our escape route. However, once the show started, I could not believe how engaged he was. He was standing on Matt's lap and screaming and clapping the entire time. He thought it was great...and I don't think I actually watched the show...I was too busy watching LJ get so excited about it.
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| Swimming with the fish |
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| LJ loved Deepo |
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| So excited at the dolphin show! |
For LJ's birthday, we just hung out with the family and LJ enjoyed his balloons and bubbles. He is always fascinated by the balloons at the store and to have his very own was all he needed for his birthday!
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| Matt made a dairy free cupcake cake...it turned out great! |
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| LJ, Uncle Nick, and the balloons |
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| And the balloons again.... |
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| Looks iffy, but he ate a lot! |
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| And the balloons are back... |
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| Love this face! |
The first weekend in October, we went with my parents and Sam (Kristen and Steve were out of town, so Sam was staying with Grandma and Grandpa) to the Mercier Apple Orchards in north Georgia. I have always wanted to go apple picking, and we decided this would be a good fall outdoor activity for the boys. They loved it, especially Sam, who ate more apples than I think any of us really kept track of...I think the best part may have been throwing them on the ground when he was finished. I enjoyed it also, but when I picture apple picking in my head, there are no bees involved. I just don't know if I could do it again because of the massive amounts of bees enjoying the apples on the ground...everyone knows I don't play well with bees. There was also a kid who took a big bite out of his apple only to find a black widow on it...gives me the willys to think about it. The apples were really good though, and we ate some and others were turned into apple sauce...yum!
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| A little hanging upside down before the tractor ride |
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| Sam and Grandma picking apples while I assess the bee situation |
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| Matt teaching LJ how to find the perfect apple. |
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| Looks like we were the only ones there! |
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| This makes me laugh..Matt is testing the product, and LJ obviously has a big chunk in his mouth too. |
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| Rest break |
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| Me, my mom, and the boys |
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| Sam and his prized apple |
The next weekend Matt and I took LJ to the local pumpkin farm. LJ loved that too...he got to play with a pot bellied pig, crawl on the pumpkins, eat hay, take a ride in a wagon, and enjoy the beautiful weather. It still amazes me to watch him take such joy in the small things...his face was lit up the whole time.
Matt thought it would be fun to let LJ paint his pumpkin...we got some paint and let him have at it. The fun lasted a few minutes, and then we realized he may just be a little too small...dyeing Easter eggs was easier! However, LJ made a beautiful mess of the pumpkin that has been sitting on the front porch...I am still proud off his skills!
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| He loved that pig! |
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| Happy boy! |
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| Trying out the hay. |
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| I am sure he was talking about something important here! |
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| Painting the pumpkin... |
On Monday Matt will start working 2nd shift for the time being because he got a "promotion"...awfully kind of them! Actually, it shouldn't be too bad, and from what we can figure, we will actually get more family time with the new schedule. It will just take some getting used to! For example, when do I cook what meal? Big lunch? It won't be forever, but we don't have a time frame yet and to when he will go back to a normal schedule. I jokingly told Matt that before we met, I was regularly in bed by 8...maybe I will do this again! It goes against everything my body wants to do staying up to 11 or so each night!
LJ has been doing so well...at his 1 year appointment, the doctors continued to show some concern about his weight and feeding. Typically, at a year old, he should be coming off of formula and going to whole milk. Formula and whole milk have the same number of calories, but the almond milk. LJ has to drink is super low in calories. I was frustrated with being told to take him off the formula, but to increase his calorie consumption...and on top of that, he was gagging whenever he ate anything with any sort of texture or chunks. It got to the point, he just didn't want to eat...I don't blame him. Every meal was lasting an hour and ending in a bath because he would throw everything up. LJ's doctor referred him to occupational/speech therapy to see if they could help. We sat on it, and I finally decided to make an appointment that was scheduled for yesterday. In the meantime, I started feeding him nothing but baby food again and giving him his formula. Over the course of the month something clicked...it was amazing. He can now eat some table food, but he will still gag at certain things (not because he doesn't like it, but because of the texture), and this past week, he has officially been off formula! Meal time can still get overwhelming some days when we have to be so careful with what he eats and his allergies, but I am also becoming better at figuring it out. His food still costs a fortune because it is all the dairy/soy free stuff, but it still isn't as much as that formula!
LJ talks...a lot. His current favorite words are door and jar (not overly useful, but they make him happy). He spends his days pointing at things and saying "What's that?" It is funny...he wants to know everything. Any container that we feed him out of is a jar...even if it is a cup, plate, or bowl. He will point to it and say jar. When we correct him and say plate or cup, he looks at you, points again, and says jar. This goes on and on and he won't eat until you agree that it is a jar. Sure buddy, it can be whatever you want it to be! He moo's, he points at a lot of things when we say them even if he can't say the word yet. One thing not on our list of concerns for him is speaking...he's got it.
He still loves to play guitar with Matt. He loves cars. He likes to be dirty. He plays peek-a-boo at bedtime. He had his first kiss about a month ago (to someone other than family)....I walked in to get him at the Y and he was just leaning over to kiss the girl he was playing with. I felt like I walked in on something I shouldn't have seen. Now the little girl runs up to me wanting a hug whenever I go in...smart girl, kissing up to the boys mom. Growing up so fast...
I have a few more random pictures to share...
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| Enjoying the front yard...stick fights with Daddy |
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| He just wants to walk! |
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| Eating grass again...he thinks he is a horse. |
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| Can't leave out the pups...they invaded the couch, and didn't really seem to care they weren't supposed to be there. |
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| Playing guitar. |
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| Testing out the new hat...he loves to look out the windows. |
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| I love this smile! We now have 7 teeth! |
