Week From HELL

Everything that could go wrong this week did.  Daycare, doctors, family, school, juicer...all a disaster.  Thankfully, I have incredible sisters and a supportive 5th grade team.  At least I know things can only get better!

That's all I can muster right now...

Daycare Update

First, I'll admit I've totally slacked on blogging this week.  Can you tell it's the first week back to work?  Oh, August.

Blessedly, Jackson has transitioned to daycare flawlessly.  Both Jesse and I dropped him off on Monday with Ms. Tina.  He had tears streaming down his red face.  My stomach felt very uneasy.  We were told he cried for about 10 minutes before settling down.  Jackson ran to Jesse as soon as he saw him when Jesse picked him up.  He slept a grand total of 25 minutes all day, but was so very hyper at home.

Tuesday involved more tears during drop off and more smiles during pick up.

Wednesday included a few sniffles and his pacifier when I left. 

By Thursday, Jackson literally runs to his classroom into Ms. Tina's lap.  The adults adore him and tell us so each time I see them.  The number one comment I've heard is what a good eater he is.  The director is in disbelief that Jackson has never been in daycare before. 

Most of the time we spy online on Jackson, we see him with a pacifier and holding Clifford.  He still gets cranky around 10:30 but has trouble napping.  He only slept longer than an hour once last week.  Despite struggling to transition from two crib naps to one nap on a mat, Jackson seems very comfortable and happy.

Surprisingly, I see Jackson more often now because I wake him up, feed him breakfast, and play in the driveway for a few minutes before leaving.  I seriously missed my happy morning Jack last year. 

The daycare provides us with a daily "Toddler Tattler" that provides detailed information on his diaper changes, eating habits, and any special notes from the teacher.  I love the communication, the caring staff, and Jackson's reaction to school. 

Milestones at 16 Months Old

At 16 months old, Jackson has:

--Eliminated his nighttime bottle.
He no longer has any milk before bed.  The transition was easier than expected, with only a few nights of crying.  The last thing we do is brush his teeth and kiss him goodnight.

--Mastered climbing
Jackson has been climbing stairs for a few months, but he has just learned how to climb cabinets and the coffee table.  He has also taught himself how to safely climb down by turning around and going backwards.

--Learned to say "kitty"
Our cat lover points and waves to his feline brother and sister, calling "kitty, kitty, kitty". 


--Started having tantrums
Jack gets easily frustrated when he can't move an object (oftentimes furniture) where he wants or if something is too heavy to pick up.  He will fuss and throw his whole body down, kicking his legs.  If I'm holding him and put him down, or if we won't let him go outside, he makes this face and starts to "cry".

--Got his first haircut

First Haircut

I absolutely adore Jackson's curls, so much that I've kept putting off his first haircut.  Unfortunately, his hair was going in his eyes and down his back. 

Jesse and I took him to Great Clips this morning. He cried and tried to climb down as soon as we put him on the booster seat, so I ended up holding him in my lap the whole time. The hairdresser very kindly warned us that if he moved too much or kicked a lot he would have to get a buzz cut for safety reasons. I was so relieved that he cooperated!

I imagine Jack's favorite part of the haircut experience was selecting a Dum Dum.  Despite being a sticky mess, he enjoyed most of the sucker before using it as a spoon to stir the cat food around.

He still has a few curls!

Animal Lover

Jackson absolutely loves animals.  On Sunday night he went to visit his MiMi and PaPa.  We went to their next door neighbor's farm.  Jackson was initially timid but happily pet the goats. 

He was especially fond of the ducklings, though you can't tell in this picture.  He kept pointing to their cage and smiling.  He laughed each time he touched their soft feathers.

 A few days later Jack's MiMi let him walk the dog.  He thought he was hot stuff holding the leash. 

We are still working hard on him being gentle around other animals, rather than pulling fur and tails. 

Daycare Trial Run=Success!

Jesse went to the pediatrician's office yesterday to get the immunization records and medical form completed for daycare.  We turned in all of the forms today, before spending time in Jackson's classroom.  Our whole family spent the morning playing with the other children in an effort to get Jackson comfortable with the setting and people.  We all had a blast!  I really do love his teacher.  I was relieved to see her rocking, dancing, and tickling the kids in her class.  She already labeled his cubby and cot with his name.  (He starts next Monday.) She was also totally fine with us spending so much time there and kept thanking us for helping to make his transition smoother.

Even though Jackson will be 16 months old this week, he is in the upper 1 class (18-24 months).  The director recommended placing him in the toddler class so we could avoid transitioning him to yet another class in two months.  The little kids were very familiar with the routines.  Jackson helped himself to playing with every book and block he could reach while his classmates lined up for the gym.  He was running around smiling.

Due to the rain, the class went to the gym with the beginning two-year-old class.  The children were absolutely precious during their free play.  They held our hands, sat in our laps, hugged us, and tossed balls back and forth.  Since everything is at the kids' height, they pulled out scarves, yarn balls, bean bags, and cones.  Every child that cried or threw a tantrum was immediately comforted and over it quickly.  Jackson was so busy playing with his peers or toys that he rarely acknowledged Jesse or I.  It was hard to get pictures without other children in them.

Jesse and I were impressed with how well trained the kids were. They all sat down with their legs spread apart and rolled the ball back and forth with one another. They lined up against the wall and raced one another across the gym. Jesse and I can't even get Jackson to stand in one place. Because Jesse and I are both teachers, it's easy for me to think that we know more than we do. I have to remind myself that my degree is in elementary education, not early childhood.  I am so excited about the potential for Jackson to accelerate in his development. 

Holy Fat Face!

It has been two weeks since we ended the juice fast, and we have maintained our healthy eating.  I've been a bit more strict with my eating than Jesse has.  I have abstained from soda, sugar, white flour, and fried food with the exception of two spoonfuls of peach cobbler, one cupcake, and some chips and salsa.  We haven't lost exceptional amounts of weight (about 10 lbs each), but I've noticed that we look better.  Here's proof:

This photo was taken on June 18.  Our diet revolved around soda or beer, ice cream, and processed carbs.  I had no clue how bloated our faces looked!

Whereas this photo was taken last Friday, about a month and a half after the first photo.  Our diet has changed tremendously and we go for 4-mile bike rides around the neighborhood 4-5 times a week.  We've both noticed increased energy.  I can't believe how different our faces look!