More firsts

No pictures with this entry...sorry!
Over the past couple of days James has:

• stacked two blocks (instead of knocking down stacks we made)
• shared his food by feeding me his frozen blueberries- this happened last night.  He had been showing me his food for a while by holding it out in front of him but last night he aimed for my mouth and I let him pop a blueberry into my mouth and he was THRILLED.  Unfortunately he had also been eating salmon so the blueberry also had an odd fishy taste.
• used our rolling stepstool as a walker and is scooting around the kitchen...this is quite comical to watch as it is designed in such a way that the wheel don't want to roll in a straight line so he often is making circles around the floor.  He had taken a few steps using the stepstool last week but while I was talking with my brother on skype last night while fixing James' dinner I heard a strange noise behind me and there was James walking from one side of the kitchen to the other (also the only time I saw him achieve a straight line).
• he ate corn kernels for the first time last night and today I'll see if any of it actually was digested :)
• he now using several signs: more (first he points at the desired food and then signs for more), light, ceiling fan, all done.  We are working on please, Momma, and Daddy
• does a version of quack when looking at a duck

First time using a booster seat at a restaurant

You can barely see behind him the back of the booster seat, but it was the best we could do with the cell phone camera.   He did great!  It is a lot like his red chair we attach to tables so I don't think he realized he could escape from this one much more easily.  I don't think we'll be using boosters at regular tables in chairs, but when he is stuck on the inside of the bench seat of a booth it worked out wonderfully.

A first we could have done without

While Tim was bathing James last night- it happened...you know, the body took over regardless of the time and place.
Next thing I hear is Tim saying "Kate, I need some help in here" and I go in to find a naked James held aloft over the tub...and in the tub several turds, with one smeared quite artistically on the bottom.
So all the toys go into the sink with bleach water, the tub gets wiped clean of major stuff, then scrubbed with cleaner.
Back in goes James with a huge smile- I think he decided he has figured out how to prolong bathtime!
As we were trying to get a wet naked baby back into warm water as quickly as we could I didn't get any pictures...not that many would have thanked me anyway for posting them!

I did it!

Notice the potted mums on the buffet? The beautiful plant from Christi and Jarrett was waiting to greet us when we arrived home from the hospital with James.

And here is it over a year later.  Not only not dead (though there have been many close calls) but it actually is beginning to bloom! (This is a great accomplishment for me, I do ok with houseplants but I have never had a potted mum live longer than 2 weeks before as I think I tend to over water.  But apparently mums thrive in neglect which is definitely what happens when a baby enters the picture.)

New expression

 I haven't been able to capture a really good example of the tongue curl, but this is James' new favorite expression.

 He literally goes through out the day with his tongue just like this (though more curled usually and slightly protruding) unless he is actively chewing, smiling or fussing.

Band-Aid Baby

I suppose James is technically no longer a baby but rather a toddler now that he is one-year old.  But I think for quite a lot longer he will be MY baby.
And my baby is getting bigger every day.  Today we had his one-year checkup and his head is 19 inches around- 95%, 32 inches tall- 96%, and he weighs 26 pounds- 90%.  Looks like he'll be keeping his chubby thighs a bit longer and I am glad as they are so delicious to squeeze!
He is now sporting two band-aids: the first on his left thigh from his immunization; the second on his left arm at the inside elbow from where he had to get stuck to give blood for his lead test.
When our doctor stuck him for the vaccine he was sitting on my lap and didn't even make a peep- just looked up at her wide-eyed- then she put on the band-aid and he immediately took it off with curiosity.  I then replaced it as the injection site was oozing a bit.
Then we had to go to Quest Diagnostics to get the blood drawn for the lead test as our doctor's office doesn't stick the little people.
At the lab there wasn't a line, thankfully as it was getting very near naptime.  We went straight in the I read The Very Hungry Caterpillar to James while they asked me all the insurance info.
Then I was asked if I'd rather do the finger prick- since I had mentioned when we first sat down- rather than a vein draw like an adult.  They said they normally do the vein because when they do a finger it takes a lot longer as they have to "milk" the finger to get enough blood.  I had actually been a bit concerned about how long a finger draw would take and the resulting sore finger- so I said to just go ahead and do the vein.

James did great when she put the rubber band around his right bicep and looked for a vein- she didn't find one. So the band went onto the left arm and again James was just curious.  The tech found a good vein and asked if would be able to hold his arm still or if she needed to ask another tech to come help.  I tried at first but he is so strong I couldn't hold both his body and arm still.   So the other tech came in, I held his body still (begins to fuss), she held his arm (really protesting!) and the first one stuck him with the port needle (full out crumpled face and bawling).  Oh my poor baby!  Thankfully they were correct in saying this method doesn't take long and about 1 second later it was done.  James stopped crying and I got his band-aid on.  On the way out we said goodbye to the tech who did the actual draw and James' face crumpled once more for small reminder protest.  That poor lady- she said she worked at a Children's hospital for two weeks and had to quit, the babies looking at her accusingly just broke her heart.
Now we just wait to see how the test comes back...hopefully our renovations in our old house won't cause any problems.

On everything

We just replaced the bedrooms' carpeting with hardwoods so everything was moved out of them and into the front part of the house.  James was thrilled with all the new climbing options.  Our shoe organizer was the perfect height.

 This birthday boy has decided that everything in the house must be conquered.

He can get up onto the ottoman to the point of having his legs off the floor but hasn't yet gotten his legs up securely enough to not slide off again.

 This morning he decided the underside of the drawer was very interesting and that the best vantage point for examining it was directly under.

If the footrest is pushed up to the rocking chair in his room he can climb up onto it.  Thankfully he hasn't realized he can push it yet.  I keep it far away from the rocker when I'm not using it.  And since we removed the bench in front of hte windows this week this is the first time he has been able to look out the window.