9 Months

Well for being 9 months old he has been doing pretty good! We went and had our 9 month check up he weighed 18 pounds and was 27 1/2 inches long. Dr.Neese said whatever I was doing was working. We have been trying to introduce table foods and he is not real sure about it. Everything we put in his mouth he gags on, and I mean everything, even mashed potatoes. The only thing that he doesn't have a problem with is the Puffs, and only becuase they disolve in your mouth as soon as you put them in. He likes to reach for is own in the container but doesn't quite know how to get them to his mouth yet. So this will be a work in progress! We went swimming for the first time a few weeks ago and he LOVES it!! He has a float that Uncle Craig bought him with a canopy(I bought the same one for us to have too) he really likes that but doesn't want to stay in it for long. He would much rather have someone hold him so he can kick and put his face in the water. I am so glad he likes the water I don't know what I would do if he didn't. We have booked our first family vacation. We are going to FLORIDA in September!!! We can't be more excited and can't wait to go. I am really anxious to see how he does on an airplane,hopefully well for the sake of the other passengers and ME!!! We would like to wish our good friends Adelyn and Ava a very HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY!! They both turned one within the last couple of weeks and we are so excited for them. My friend Ashley (Ava's mom) has decided to be our new babysitter and we couldn't be more thrilled. She has already started watching Jace and he loves going over there and playing with Ava. And the best part is that she lives right around the corner!!! No more leaving 45 minutes before I have to be at work. Well that is it for now.

Love,

The Howard's

6 month check in

Well since my last post we have went to Macomb, had our 6 month check up and his first Easter. So lets's start with Macomb, we went up to celebrate Kaden's 4th birthday, my how time flys!!!! Kaden got a driveable mustang, and of course he needed to take is nephew Jace for a ride, so they "drove" around the living room with the top down and radio blasting. They were too cute! All else was well in Macomb, had a great time seeing everyone. Next we went to the doctor for his 6 month check up, got some awful shots, and I had my list of questions ready to go. We got a referral to a Gastro(puking specialist)doctor and a dermatologist(rash specialist). However, Jace has STOPPED throwing up!!!!! YEAHHHHHHH we couldn't be more thrilled :) So that appointment was cancelled. The Dermatologist is on Monday, and hopefully he will give us some answers to his itchy, dry, red,rashy skin! He weighed 15lbs 11ozs almost 16 lbs. He was 26 1/2 inches long, said he had grown alot, was wondering if we were hanging him by his toes! We don't go back until he is 9 months, which I believe there will be NO shots!!! His first Easter was good, the Easter bunny brought him some new paci's, new clothes, baby food and some sunscreen. He wore his cute Bunny outfit(in pictures above) and then he was dressed up in his Khaki pants and polo shirt and vest. He was soooo cute! 6 month pictures are this weekend, so be looking for some new pictures. Also we have scheduled Jace's Baptism for June 7th. We haven't told everyone yet so if you haven't heard, you aren't the last to know. Invitations to follow. Well now that I have rambled on and on, I will get back to work :) Enjoy the beautiful weather that is coming!!!

Love,

The Howard's

P.S. We are entering Jace in the cutest baby contest for Splash, so if you live in Bartonville be looking for his picture in May at the Kroger in Bartonville and be sure to vote!!!!!!!!!

Road Trip

Just like Daddy!

Happy St. Patty's Day with my green bib!!

Not much new to report, we have our 6 month check up on Monday with more of the evil shots!!! We have a list of questions for the doctor so I hope that he is ready to spend alot of time with us. We are still having spitting up issues and skin issues so we hope to have a referral to a Gasto doctor and possibly an allergy test done. So I promise to update next week after the doctor. We are headed to Macomb this weekend to visit with my dad, joann, grandma moon and of course the BIRTHDAY BOY KADEN. He turned 4 on Thursday, and we are going to celebrate with a party!!! This will be Jace's 2nd trip to Macomb, this time he is older and more alert!!! So we hope to have tons of fun!!!! Have a great weekend and will update next week

Love,

The Howard's

Veggie Time

Here is Jace eating his green beans with his Grammy Sharon!

Well just this past weekend we have started Jace on some vegetables. We started with green beans (my favorite!)and to my suprise he ATE it. There were no funny faces and no spitting it out, he actually liked it. We did those for 3 days and then last night Kyle fed him peas for the first time. Now he must take after his Uncle Kaden because he LOVED peas, which totally grosses me out, but he even lunged forward to get more. Kyle wasn't going fast enough!!! However since eating the green veggies he has been having some tummy trouble so we were instructed by the doctor to stop with the green and move to the yellow/orange veggies. Think carrots, squash and sweat potatoes. So needless to say we will be having carrots for dinner tonite! Not to much else to report, he is trying really hard to sit up and even roll over too! Before we know it he will be all over the house and we won't be able to catch him. Will update soon!

Love,

The Howard's

Weight Check

Playing on the bed at Great-grandma's

Hey Oakley, what are you doing?

Jace went to the doctor last Thursday for his weight check and he gained a whole pound! So that puts him up to 14 lbs and 4 ozs. So pround that he gained weight, I was starting to get a little worried. Jace is spending the day with Daddy today, Kyle is usually off work on Monday's but his schedule has been a little strange for the past month or so, so finally we are back to normal. Great grandma Pat and Great-grandpa David are babysitting tomorrow. They are leaving this weekend for Florida for the month so they wanted to get in some much needed Jace time before they take off. They went to Mexico a few weeks ago and had Jace's pictures taped up on the bathroom mirror so they could see hime everyday! Too funny! I start my coding class tonite. I am dreading it but I know that it will be for the best in the long run. Jace has been doing well with eating cereal, he likes to help feed himself. He likes more to make a mess of himself and then laughs and thinks it is funny! He is changing by the second lately. We don't have to go back to the doctor until 6 months, for more dreaded shots! However I will be calling soon to see when we are to move on to fruits and veggie's. Take care and hurry up SPRING!!

Love,

The Howard's

4 Month Check-up

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated, lots of things going on. We went to the doctor last Thursday(2/5) for his 4 month check-up and shots! He weighed 13 lbs. 4ozs. and was 24 inches long. He dropped down to the 14 percentile for his weight, and the doctor seemed concerned about that. We are still having issues with his reflux. I was told that our next option would have to be surgery, to tighten the stomach muscles. However, I told the doctor that we would not be going straight to surgery without trying some sort of medicine. Needless to say we are now on Zantac! We have to go back on the 19th for a weight check to see if the Zantac is helping. We have also been instructed to start spoon feeding cereal. Jace has had rice cereal in his bottle since he was just a couple months old. So on Saturday we started with spoon feeding. It is going well. He is not really sure of what to think about it, but did good the first few times he was fed. The babysitter said she had a hard time yesterday getting him to eat it, I think he was just overly hungry and wanted to eat immediatly. And I tried to feed him some last night and he made the funniest face, like it was awful!
He has been very funny lately, talking up a storm! His newest thing is growling and grunting! He also likes to play on the floor with Daddy. Kyle gets him laughing so hard that he gets the hiccups!! I start my coding class on Monday, so wish me luck with that! My good friend Erin took it and said it was really hard! Well I better get back to work. I will update next week after his weight check to let everyone know how he is doing.

Take care,

Kendall

Changes

Tummy time is kinda getting fun!

Such a happy baby!

Are you sure that I'm ready for this?

Well I made it through my first full week back to work, everything went just fine. I did better than I expected leaving him at the babysitters. Jace seemed to do just fine at the sitters also. She is so nice to him! Took Jace to the doctor on Tuesday, he has had this "rash" all over his body pretty much since he was born, and we never could figure out what it was. So finally I decided it was time to take him to the doctor. So when we went first he weighed 12lbs and 9ozs. So that was almost 3 pounds in a month. Pretty good they said! The doctor came in and took 1 look at his poor little skin and said lets try something different. Jace has always taken regular formula, last time we went to the doctor he put us on soy thinking that had something to do with his skin and spittting problem, but it didn't. So this time he said I want to try a hypoallergenic formula. He told me it was expensive but if it worked it would be well worth it. He did give us some samples to try, so it has been a week today and all I can say is WOW!!! This formula is a miracle. His skin cleared up almost instantly, he finally has the "baby soft" skin! He is so happy and just a talker(must have gotten that from daddy!)So now that we have figured out the skin issue all we have to work on is him spitting. Man that child is a puker! So with a milk and soy allergy he probably has a little bit of reflux also.

So, we are working on tummy time, he really is not a huge fan of it, but I am really trying. Oakley seems to like it more than Jace does :) Jace is eye level, and licking level for the dog! Oakley really loves the new formula! We have been working on trying to roll a little, he almost gets to his side, but not quite there yet. He likes to lay under his activity mat and watch the toys above him. We tried the exersaucer the other night, he is really too small for it but I wanted to see what he would do. I had blankets shoved all around him and a pillow under his feet, he thought it was funny for a minute and then was really unsure of it. I am sure he will like it when he gets big enough to fit in it.

Well everyone take care, and stay warm. Who is ready for spring? I know we sure are!!!

Love,

The Howard's

Welcome

Well with much prodding from my very dear friends and fellow coworkers I have now started this blog. So to start things off I will tell you a little bit about our growing family.

Kyle and I have been married for 2 years. On September 28, 2008 we welcomed our handsome son Jace Michael. Weighing in at 7 lbs. 9 ozs. and 19 1/2 inches long he was the most beautiful baby we had ever seen.

Jace seems to be doing well, we have some issues with spitting up, but with time I think he will outgrow it. He is a very happy baby and will smile at anyone. Sometimes he is a bit shy, but again in time he will outgrow. He will be 4 months at the end of January and I am so excited about starting solid foods. I can't wait until that first face of "mom, what the heck is this stuff?" Looking forward to it.

So to get you up to date, we had our first Christmas with all of our wonderful family and friends. Jace was naturally spoiled rotten by all of his grandparents. He has more toys and clothes than he will probably even play with or wear. I returned to work on Monday 12/29. This week wasn't so bad because Jace is with his Grammy. Next week he will go to the babysitters. Melissa is her name and she seems to be a very nice lady and I have no doubt that Jace will be just fine there.

We spent New Year's Eve with our great friends the Klokkenga's and Murphy's. I , however was sick and ended up calling it a night around 10. Completely slept thru midnight! Guess thats what being a parent brings to you!

Well that's all for now will post some pictures when I figure out how to :)