Silly Guy in the Snow

Jude was able to experience the fun of playing in the snow once the temperatures got warmer. Although he likes to walk in the snow it was too cold for him to put his hands in.


We have enjoyed the break in the cold weather. Jude has been able to go to the park in our Riverside neighborhood (known for its parks).

Erin and I continue to try and improve upon Jude's vocabulary. His motor skills are off the chart awesome. We are always reading to him and talking to him. During the day Erin doesn't let him watch any TV unless it is educational. This helps with his interaction with us.

Jude made me a Valentine's Day card and he and mommy brought to work. That was a great day. He is such a sweet boy. Everyone at work loves him.

Jude has had the opportunity to stay overnight with his aunt Amy and uncle Justin as well as his Nonna (my mom) and Poppa (my dad). He has done well with both overnight trips. I'm happy that Jude has such a loving family. It has given Erin and I some time to ourselves.

The best part is getting to see him after he has spent the night. He lights up when he sees us. We always know that the Jude will abide no matter where he is.

Life Is Beautiful

Life is beautiful when you have a kid. You see the extreme of every emotion and you heart goes out to them every time. They try new foods. Every Thanksgiving, Christmas and birthday comes with a new experience.

It has been quite a while since I was on here blogging about Jude Harrison Myers. I want to apologize and yet those with children will understand. I would much rather hang out with Jude than be on a computer (something I am on all day while working). Once you are done playing with Jude you are zapped by the time he goes to bed. Then is time to engage your wife in an adult conversation.


Jude is a few weeks away from turning 18 months. Even now as I type I find myself asking him, "Excuse me?" He is constantly talking. It's in code. I have thought about asking a Wind Talker to come to our house. After all Jude is part Muscogee Creek. He has no problem with the word GO! He also likes to say KITTY right before he treats the cats like war crime suspects. Other words he occasionally says are: Momma, Dadda, Doggy, More, Car, Book, Tickle, and No. From what we have heard and read boys aren't always quick to talk with coherent words.




The fine motor skills are all there. He has a cannon for an arm, dribbles his soccer ball, stacks just about anything he can find, and is always very precise with all of his cars as he does his best impression of what a car sounds like.




Speaking of cars this kid has more cars than Jay Leno has in his garage. He loves them. Most of his cars are aquired through presents from his Grampy Langston who has quite the collection of model and hot wheels cars himself.



When he is not playing with his cars or other toys he is climbing the furniture (mostly couches) and getting into trouble for not being nice to the cats. I can imagine Jude sitting the cats under the hot light and getting information out of them any way he can.



Therefore, we have a naughty chair. It didn't start out that way. Sorry Grammy Langston. Our doctor told us at his 12 month appointment to establish a naughty chair. The naughty chair works 70 percent of the time. After all he is only 18 months old. He will catch on. That is he better catch on.

Okay. So we only get channels 2 - 24 on our TV as a part of our cable package. First of all we don't have time to channel surf and find something on any other channel. Second we can watch most anything online or via Netflix (God Bless you, Netflix!). I have recently found (by mere accident) that we get channel 122, which is just below channel 2 (also known as the Weather Channel). It turns out that channel 122 is a music station. Not only is it awesome that we have this channel, but it is all 80s music!!! Oh my! And we all know how much Jude loves to dance, right? It's a win-win-win (to quote Michael Scott from The Office).

The only time we really have the TV on while he is awake is for his Baby Einstein videos, an educational show we find on Netflix, or Sesame Street.

Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Eve has come and gone. With Valentine's Day just around the corner we welcome 2011. Jude will turn 2 and with one overnight stay under his belt he will enjoy staying with grandparents and hanging out with his aunts and uncles. Who knows he might decide to say all the words he knows and understands how to say.


Enjoy the photos. And remember...the Jude abides.

Dancing Machine

Dance, Dance, Dance...Dancing Machine.

Jude likes to slap his belly when he dances. Daddy joins in. This is obviously either hilarious to him or confusing...or both. It depends on the day. There is nothing like living in the moment.



Jude is a dancing machine. If anyone has ever had the chance of seeing Jude dance then you have seen the ultimate boogy-woogy-woogy. Simply Marvelous! These days it doesn't even take music for him to dance. He shakes his groove thing to snaps and claps.

Apparently, Jude is a party animal. This Sunday marks the day of his being 13th months old. At Jude's 1 year old birthday he was able to get his grub on with a delicious cup cake. His mommy did such and amazing job on those tasty morsels.


I noticed, today, how Jude's face is changing. He is growing up, and doing it way too fast. There are roughly 6 teeth showing in Jude's repertoire of chompers. Oh, and he likes to bight you if you hold him long enough. He doesn't do it to harm you. I wonder where he gets it from? (sound of a throat clearing)

Things are moving pretty fast. Jude is pretty much on whole milk only. Erin has found that she has more time during the day to do what she has to do to take care of Jude. Erin has joined a group at church called Mothers And Pre-Schoolers or M.A.P.S. At first I thought she said MADD. I thought it was a little too soon to get involved with that organization. Then she told me to stop being silly and to call it what it really is. Jude gets to play with other kids once a week and Erin gets to have adult conversations...errr uhhhh...conversations with adults. You know what I mean.

It's a fantastic time in the Myers' household. And in case you were wondering the cats are surviving the Jude slaps. We are constantly telling him to be nice to the kitties. He is starting to figure it out. But I can see where he is coming from. Slapping Napoleon's fat, furiness is like slapping a pig. Slap the belly and watch the wave of jelly.

No matter what new thing Jude gets into or learns he takes it in stride. Life moves pretty fast for Jude Harrison Myers. It matters not. The Jude abides.

Trying

I'm trying a new layout with tabs. I have to figure out how to make more pictures get into the tab "photos of jude." It is going to take a few days. Hang in there.

UPDATE:
I couldn't figure out how to put pictures all into one tab at the top. You will have to scroll through the blog to see photos. I guess we will all have to just deal with my inadequate blog designing skills.

Peace!

Jude Having Fun

Jude likes to throw the ball!!! He really loves it. He will throw it around and go after it, pick it up and throw it again only to repeat the process. At least he entertains himself for a little while.

He also likes to show how powerful he is by squeezing his fists together and screaming at the same time. He thinks it is hilarious and so do we.



Recently, we went to see Jude's Grammy and Grandpy Langston on the 4th of July. His Great Grandma Langston was there, too.

Here is a video of Jude throwing the ball back to his Grammy on that day. Enjoy!



He is a happy guy. So naturally...the Jude abides.

Giggle Factory

Jude is such a giggle factory. Is it possible to have one of the happiest babies on the face of the planet? Is there a competition for such a baby? If so then I think we would have a chance at the title with Jude. Other than when he is hungry, tired, or needs a diaper changed Jude is pretty darn happy! As a 10 month old (almost 11 months) he is free-standing and trying to take steps. When I say trying I mean you can see it on his face that he really wants to take those first steps on his own. Naturally, he gets a ton of encouragement from mommy and daddy. Lately, he has had the chance to spend a lot of time with his grandparents. Jude loves his Grammy and Grandpy Langston. We were able to go up to see them on the 4th of July. Jude's first Indepenendence Day! He also got to see his Great Grandma Langston! Jude has a very extensive vocabulary. He goes from ga-ga to pootabeta and from ba-ba-ba-ba to mamamama with the greatest of ease. The trick to get Jude talking is to take his pacifier out. I know it sounds like a breakthrough in child rearing, but somehow we were able to figure it out. We are enjoying every second we get to spend with Jude. There isn't a moment that goes by that we don't see or hear glimpses of something new happening with Jude's development. The best part is we get to share these experiences with others. He is a great kid. We love him with all of our heart. And we know everyone else does, too.

Perspective

Perspective is what we see when we see our child growing up right before our eyes. It is the difference 2 months can make. Two months past not being able to crawl. Two months away from being 1 year old.

Perspective allows us to see the many different things that he does each day to develop. Standing with help. Standing on his own. He talks more and more each day while trying out new sounds with his lips and all four of his teeth.

Jude is amazing. The way he can figure things out so quickly. Picking things up (Weeble-Wobbles) and put them in their place (on top of their tree house). He chases the cats and lies on the one he can catch (Napoleon).

He is definitely a water baby. Although he loves bath time he loves his baby pool and the toddler pool at the Salt City Splash in Hutchinson where Nonna and Papa live. That was a fun day.

It's nearly impossible to not melt when he smiles and laughs, which is most of the time. Jude gets fussy from time to time (darn teeth). No matter what he does we (of course) think it's the best thing since sliced bread.

Jude may be teething. He may be going through a growth spurt from time to time. A table or a chair might get in his way. It doesn't matter. He keeps on ticking. The Jude abides.