He has grown a lot! At his last appointment in December he was 26.5 inches long. He's now jumping in his bouncer like a kangaroo! He loves that thing. He has good control over his head now, and he's slowly starting to sit on his own. He hunches over a lot and tends to fall over like he's drunk, but he's getting there. He has also discovered his feet. In fact, just the other day, I watched him suck his foot, pull off his sock in the process, and proceed to chew on his sock. I'm telling you, the kid is a child sensation.
At four months and four weeks, the websites talk about how baby is beginning to catch on to what we're saying when we talk to him. His verbal and cognitive skills are developing and he likes games like peek-a-boo. His hearing and vision are developing well too. He definitely knows his name and turns when we say it. The sites also mention the beginnings of separation anxiety. In other words, when baby goes to someone other than Mom or Dad, he cries. Well let's just say that this is not an issue for Jasper! He loves everyone equally and is more than happy to go to anyone willing to play with him, ESPECIALLY grandparents. He's a social butterfly, just like Mom and Dad. And you can bet, based on how much he already "talks," he's going to be coming home from school in a few years with notes from his teacher for talking too much.
Let's see ... what else? Oh, Jasper has started solid foods. Now this may not be all that exciting to you, but let me just tell you, it's really fun to watch him eat. He cries in between giving him the food and getting more onto the spoon. Yup, he likes food that much. I experimented with making my own baby food, and it's going really well. I estimated the amount of money I save by doing this (with sweet potatoes), and it's basically saving me 40 cents per ounce! Umm, in case you're not catching on, that's A LOT!!! I bet Grandpa is smiling right now as he reads this... Anyway, the baby food thing is going really well. Most of it goes in his mouth and stays there. And as long as we have wipes nearby, things don't get too messy. And when they do, we have Callie to clean up after him.
Overall, this parenting thing is pretty awesome. We were blessed with an easy baby that sleeps about eleven hours a night. He's generally very happy and it doesn't hurt that he's really cute too.
As for Jeremy and me, we've been keeping busy. For Christmas, Granny paid for us to both attend our exercise boot camp, Camp Sweat. Our first class together was last night and we came home sweaty and exhausted. We hope to both be about 30 lbs. lighter by the Summer. We're going on a cruise, though, in February. So I'm thinking we'll need to starve ourselves this month if we don't want to embarass ourselves in bathing suits! Too bad we're both OBSESSED with food. I better change the subject. This is making me hungry...
My job hasn't been the same since I got back from maternity leave. My resposibilites changed and it has not been going well. But I recently put in for a departmental transfer after talking with the Engineering Director. It turns out he wants me to go work for him, so I'm really hoping that works out. Who'd have thought, former Party Planner working in the Engineering Department?? I guess I'll just go with it. I really like the company anyway, so it would be great if things worked out.
Well, I think I've caught you up on most "Jasper happenings," along with some lagniappe. Looking forward to Jasper's first Mardi Gras. Too bad he's too small for one of those kids' ladders. I know Jeremy will be ready to use him as a means of catching more beads at the P-rades.
Hope you enjoy the pictures. Have a great January! We love you!
Bathtime
First attempts at baby food
Christmas Eve with Cece
Just hanging out, waiting for the sheets to dry...
Dad and Jasper
Mom and Jasper
First Christmas
